After years of planning, construction, opposition and arguments, the Fairfield Metro railroad station opened Dec. 5 in the town of Fairfield with some fanfare as local VIPs gathered to mark the occasion.
Shortly thereafter, the first Metro-North train came rolling through, set to hurtle down the tracks to Grand Central Station in New York City.
The commuter parking lot has not been filled, for the most part, since its opening, which is somewhat surprising considering the paucity of spaces at county train stations. For instance, the commuter lot at the Metro-North station in downtown Fairfield is jammed daily. More than likely, that will soon be the case at Fairfield Metro as residents realize the station is a reality.
The third Fairfield train station did seem like something of a pipe dream. Like many proposed major developments, the plan was met with skepticism and opposition. The project had been discussed for years, but began to pick up steam in 2002 when Kurt Wittek, managing director of Blackrock Realty in Stamford, issued concrete plans to the town. Then-First Selectman Ken Flatto became a champion of the project and after clearing zoning and environmental opposition, the development moved forward.
In December 2009, the state approved a $20 million bond authorization that allowed the developer to complete the necessary infrastructure work. This was essentially the final hurdle to overcome so that trains would someday be barreling through the property where former manufacturing giant Bullard Abrasives once stood.
Earlier this year, the town discovered the project had incurred $7.5 million in cost overruns. In August, the Board of Finance and Representative Town Meeting approved funding to cover the overruns, thus allowing the station to be completed.
The station is situated at the Fairfield/Bridgeport border and overlooks the Ash Creek, the geographical boundary between the two communities.
Black Rock, the Park City neighborhood the station borders, will be most greatly impacted by Fairfield Metro. On the plus side, increased traffic should bring new business for the restaurants and shops in the eclectic neighborhood, but it will also bring more cars and add to an already egregious parking problem.
“Parking has always been a problem in Black Rock, and the new train station is going to add to it,” said Danny Roach, owner of the landmark pub Matty”™s Corner at the intersection of Fairfield Avenue and Brewster Street, a stone”™s throw from Fairfield Metro.
In any event, more traffic is in the cards and there will be more to come.
Blackrock Realty plans an apartment complex, office space, a hotel and a variety of retail including restaurants, a coffee shop, a bank and a newsstand. All this new development can certainly be a great boost for the Black Rock Business District, but it will be up to city officials to effectively manage the situation to prevent serious problems from eclipsing the positives.
Rob Sullivan is the publisher and executive editor of the Bridgeport Banner daily website ”“ www.bridgeportbanner.typepad.com ”“ and monthly print edition.
