The City of Bridgeport is reviewing an application to build what would be the city’s tallest building. The application, filed by an individual identified as Jonathan Gonzalez who is said to be a resident of Meriden, currently is before the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission as a Coastal Site Plan Review Application.
Gonzalez proposes constructing a 22-story building, which would be Bridgeport’s tallest. It would be built on a 0.44-acre parcel at 110-118 Congress St. There is an existing building on the property with the City of Bridgeport owning vacant land to the north. Existing zoning for the site allows a 15-story maximum building height, according to a document that was filed by the developer.
A document filed as part of the application associates Gonzalez with the nonprofit Second Start Inc., which has an address in Meriden. On its website, Second Start identifies itself as “helping individuals and families secure housing, support, and stability through coordinated services and community partnerships.” The organization also says that it is involved in “helping individuals and families maintain or regain stable housing.”
The proposed building would have 305 residential units along with two floors of commercial space that would be used by a variety of tenants such as a grocery store, cafe, pharmacy and offices, according to what was filed with the city.
“The proposed project represents a significant redevelopment of an underutilized commercial property into a modern mixed-use development that enhances the urban fabric of the surrounding area,” the engineering firm Solli said in a report prepared for the project. “The project will replace an aging structure with a high-density residential and commercial development, improve stormwater management, upgrade site infrastructure, and contribute to the continued revitalization of the City of Bridgeport.”
The plan calls for demolition of the three-story building currently on the site. The building has been used by a film and video storage company that purchased it in 2010. The developer says the proposed project would include new parking, access drives, sidewalks, stormwater handling systems and landscaping improvements.
The project site is located approximately 400 feet west of the Pequonnock River and within a Coastal Flood Hazard Area.
