NORWALK – A longtime eyesore on the coast of South Norwalk took its first steps last week towards transforming into a year-round public park that will provide water access, play areas, ecological experiences and education spaces.
If everything goes according to plan, the former Norwalk Harbor Generating Station on Manresa Island will put the City of Norwalk on the path to a vision that multiple administrations have had for more than a decade. The station, which is part of a 125-acre site, was retired in 2013 after providing electric to Connecticut for six decades.
The island and generating station, which has been at the heart of a transformation plan for decades, officially became available for redevelopment last week when Norwalk natives Austin and Allison McChord announced they had purchased the property and donated it. Austin McChord is the founder of the IT software firm Datto, which he sold for $6 billion in 2022 to Kaseya.
“Today (Oct. 1), Manresa Island Corp., a newly established nonprofit dedicated to transforming Norwalk’s Manresa Island into a new public destination, announced its vision to turn the over 125-acre former industrial power plant site into a thriving publicly accessible park, unlocking 1.75 miles of its waterfront access for the first time in nearly 75 years,” according to a statement from the City of Norwalk.
“The transformation of Manresa Island into a public destination that increases access to Norwalk’s shoreline and recreational and ecological experiences is an extraordinary opportunity that will enhance the quality of life for our residents and further Norwalk’s reputation as a city on the rise,” said Mayor Harry Rilling. “Following the closure of the plant in 2013, residents and the City reimagined what Manresa Island could look like.”
The park will offer year-round programming including water access, play areas, ecological experiences, education and event spaces and university-led research. A community engagement process will begin in early 2025 to receive feedback and hear from locals what they want to see in the new publicly accessible park, according to the City of Norwalk.
The McChords’ new philanthropic arm purchased the property from Argent Ventures, who had bought it from Norwalk Power, an NRG Energy company, in October 2023. The price of the sale was not divulged.
“As someone who has both lived and worked in Norwalk, it’s an incredible feeling to be able to give back to this community,” Austin McChord said in a statement. “Manresa Island has always been an amazing location locked away from the public. Transforming this 125-acre space into a publicly accessible park is going to allow the site to be enjoyed for generations to come.”
Politicians’ reaction
In a matter of seven days, Manresa Island has gone from a defunct coal power plant with multiple smoke stacks sitting off the SoNo coastline to a place of promise for politicians and residents. Those were the vibes coming out of the Oct. 1 press conference outside the power plant from politicians and the donors who donated the property.
“Connecticut has a gorgeous coastline, and now residents of Norwalk and of our state will have full access to a new park located on the water in an area where recreational access had been prevented for decades,” Gov. Ned Lamont said. “This has all been made possible by the generosity of Austin and Allison McChord, who not only value preserving our natural resources but also want to make sure the people of Connecticut can enjoy this land as well.”
State Sen. Bob Duff of Norwalk, who was also present at the press conference, was happy about last Tuesday’s developments.
“There is a lot of excitement in the air and relief that the property will be saved for generations,” Duff said. “This property will add two more miles of public access to our Connecticut shoreline. the generosity of the McChord family will turn one of Norwalk’s most colossal mistakes into one of Norwalk’s greatest achievements.”
Newest partner named
Manresa Island’s will be joined at the hip with SoNo’s other historic reclamation project from decades ago – the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk. And they have already signed as the first official partner on the project.
“The Maritime Aquarium is excited to be the first partner to join Manresa Island Corp. in the redevelopment of Manresa Island,” aquarium President and CEO Jason Patlis said. “As an organization that has been a transformational force since 1988 when we were founded to revitalize South Norwalk, we are invigorated by the opportunity to connect people to Long Island Sound in new ways that will inspire them to take action to protect it.”
Patlis described the aquarium’s 10-year strategic plan, which will include its work with Manresa Island, at the press conference. It is called “An Aquarium without Walls.”
It has four goals:
- To reimagine the experience for their guests inside and outside the building
- To foster lifelong learning and environmental stewardship beyond traditional programs
- To protect wildlife and the natural habitats of Long Island Sound beyond immediate needs to address a changing climate
- To engage the community, near and far, serving as a voice leader and a valuable partner.
“You would think we developed these goals and this vision alongside Austin and Allison, but the fact that they sound so similar to what is proposed for Manresa underscores one thing: that these are the right goals and the right vision for Norwalk,” said Patlis.
