No surprises here. It’ll eventually be built to resemble an 80’s office building or 80’s Miami pad, even if residential, but that’s it. Stamford has never done anything that adds charm or character to the city, and I’m not holding out hope that this will pioneer any unique changes. Maybe they’ll put flashing lights on it like they’ve done to nearly every building near Harbor Point.
I was very disappointed to hear about this. Do you think they will find another developer to take over?
I’m looking forward to this happening. Its an excellent place for a high rise apartment building, and a supermarket at street level.
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Every time I drive past this, I think the same thing. It needs to be torn down and rebuilt as a high rise apartment building with retail space. The existing structure is an eyesore. And ditto for the ugly empty lot where the police station used to be. It would be nice if restaurant row could be extended to here.
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This was already the second attempt to develop the Clinton Avenue lots as apartments. It seems right now the financing perspective doesn’t pencil out in terms of having on-site affordable units, and a deal could not be reached with the Zoning Board to allow the project to go forward in a way that would allow the developer to attain a profit.
Given how close this is to the train station as well as the central business district, I expect at some point it will be developed, probably with another developer and during a more favorable interest-rate climate. But there are lots of other empty lots in the area that are crying out for development, yet things remain stalled. For example, this one on the other side of Washington Boulevard, which is currently overflow parking for the WWE building:
Then we also have the old parking lot on the west side of Atlantic Street (between Federal Street and North State Street), which should have been developed a long time ago. And don’t forget that after the old train-station parking garage gets torn down, there will be another empty lot on Station Place.
They will all be developed eventually, but it will likely take decades.
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Thanks for your response. Do you have any thoughts on why so many of the other approved development projects seem to be on hold?
1911 Summer Street
This is about half a mile north of downtown.
source: https://www.stamfordct.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/33210/638430659060000000
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It’s probably difficult to line up financing for these projects, as they have long timeframes and interest rates are still high. The ones on Walton Place and 3 Landmark Square are especially challenging since they involve demolition of existing properties before construction can begin, thereby extending the construction timeline.
Demand is strong for multi-family housing in Stamford, so I think these delays are a supply-side problem.
As for the empty lot at Bedford St/Hoyt St where the police station used to be, I think I read somewhere it used to be a strawberry patch before the police station was built. The police station itself had a lot of toxic chemicals in it, meaning a lot of expensive remediation has to be done before something new can be built there.
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Thanks for the info!
10 Bell Street
City records show that the 42,600-square-foot structure at 10 Bell St. was appraised last year at $4.45 million.
“All options are up in the air,” Macari said. “The board wants to take the right steps for our staff, our members, for child care, for the community. We want to be able to salvage what we can to be of service.”
It may be that the YMCA sells the building to an organization with a similar mission, or it may be that it’s bought by a developer and the YMCA uses the money to collaborate with the school district, a community center, the Boys & Girls Club or similar group to provide after-school care and other needed services in Stamford, Macari said.
It would be interesting to see if this is redeveloped. It’s a small site, but it’s right in the heart of downtown.
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1600 Summer Street
source: 1600 SUMMER ST -
This is a wide office building north of downtown. It is expected to empty of its tenants next year. The owner wants a zoning change to make it easier to convert the building to residential.
source of images below:
https://www.stamfordct.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/33655/638446390669684271
The right-most column is the building owner’s desired zoning.
All plans are preliminary, but it seems that due to the building’s bulk, they’ll need to cut four holes in the building to allow the sun to shine in. There will be trees planted in the lightwells.
A rendering included in the zoning application show the building retained as office space, but possibly with an additional floor added and a pickleball court on top of the structure that currently houses the carpark (which may be partially converted to other uses).
Another rendering shows possibly two floors added above the carpark.
The parking garage is massive and is connected to the building using a skybridge. Obviously the complex has outlived its purpose, and its age and relatively remote location (compared to newer office buildings closer to the train station, such as the new Charter/Spectrum complex) means the owner needs to think outside the box. It would be nice to see this monumental edifice converted to residential use.
There have been a few other old office buildings on Summer Street that have been converted to residential, though none this large:
The other big proposal is to convert the old Pitney Bowes headquarters on Elmcroft Road in the South End of Stamford to residential:
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Garden Street btw Manhattan Street and Dock Street
The owner of this land wants the city to discontinue the street to make it easier to develop. This is prime land across the street from the train station.
https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/stamford-south-end-garden-street-close-18688690.php
Buildings on a plot of land between Manhattan Street and Dock Street are demolished to clear the property for development in Stamford, Conn. Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. Owners of the subdivided land parcels want the city to permanently close Garden Street, which divides the small blocks their properties sit on, in the hopes that it will make their land more attractive to a developer.
Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media
Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media
Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media
Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media
Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media
By the way, this is a good opportunity to note that the American flag on top of the WWE building (former UBS building), which can be seen in the above photo, is huge. It went up in November 2023.
McMahon and the WWE are taking it a step further on Veterans Day. The company raised what has believed to be one of the largest American flags in the U.S. in a show of support. The 3,040-square-foot flag will be raised outside the company’s new headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut. The flag measures 76 feet wide and 40 feet tall.
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https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/local/article/stamford-blt-development-long-ridge-road-18705236.php
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800 Long Ridge Road
More information here:
Look - the neighborhood gadflies are already complaining about it.
Here are excerpts of a letter from Patrick Kazley:
Source: https://www.stamfordct.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/33787
Of course, this will be rejected by the Planning Board, and litigation will ensue - basically, the same result as 900 Long Ridge Road. And why will it be rejected? Because the neighbors will bitch and moan, and the Stamford planning board decides based on who screams the loudest.
The Stamford planning board’s mandate is: “deny it all; let the courts sort it out.”
Here is what will not be built until the Connecticut Supreme Court has its say:
source: https://www.stamfordct.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/33783
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The Riverhouse (17 West Main Street)
under construction
110 units
photo from: Current Developments Map | Stamford Economic Development Website
Construction photos as of March 10, 2024:
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This building is approved
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Great news!
1010 High Ridge Road
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