The entity Wilton Campus 1691, LLC has made a pre-application submission to the Town of Wilton for a four-story 175-unit multifamily building it wants to construct as Phase II of a development on property it owns at 15 and 21 River Road. The property covers approximately 12.2-acres. It was not immediately clear when review of a formal application might begin.
According to a narrative of what the developer likely would be asking for in a formal application, in 2024 it received Special Permit approval from Wilton’s Planning and Zoning Commission for demolition of an existing 72,000-square-feet office building and construction of a 168-unit multifamily mixed-use development with 11,000 square feet of new retail and related site improvements.
As of 2024, the remaining 118,000-square-feet office building on the site was occupied and expected to remain. Now, however, the developer said the tenants occupying that building have decided to vacate and the entire building will be vacant at the end of this year. Wilton Campus noted that the demand for office space has continued to dwindle, thereby decreasing the demand for physical office space while at the same time the need for additional housing has continued to grow.
Wilton Campus said it has decided to demolish the 118,000-square-feet office building and redevelop the remaining portion of the property with housing and related improvements. It is proposing to put up a new four-story, 175 residential unit multifamily development with one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom apartments, a clubhouse, and outdoor open space. Parking for the Phase II development would include 275 parking spaces located within a parking garage and entirely shielded from public view by the building.
The proposal includes an open space of approximately 35,000 square feet that will include seating areas, passive lawn areas, an open space walk, possibly a dog run and other amenities. There would be a new street built to be known as Village Court.
The developer pointed out that Wilton’s Plan of Conservation and Development acknowledged the housing need and included repeated references to the creation of diverse housing types to serve the entire Wilton community, including younger working age and older populations. It was understood that diversifying housing opportunities would help drive local commerce, personal spending, and tax revenues.
Wilton Campus said that its Phase II Development would use traditional red brick as the principal building material and offer a sense of quality that is consistent with the Phase I development as well as what it calls “the traditional Wilton aesthetic. Moreover, by coupling pedestrian-oriented frontages, including front stoops along Village Court, with interconnected paths enhanced by lush landscaping, the new development will encourage walkability and activity at the street level.”
Wilton Campus said, “Perhaps most importantly, the Phase II Development will remove an underutilized commercial office building and replace it with much-needed housing. The residents of this project will patronize the adjacent retail and help to provide a sufficient population to support local businesses.”
