Bedford Square construction begins in Westport
- At the groundbreaking for the redevelopment of Bedford Square in Westport are, from left, Wade McDevitt of The McDevitt Group; John Everly of M&T Bank; Westport First Selectman James Marpe; Karen Johnson of Bedford Square Associates; and Bedford Square Associates partners Lance Sauerteig, Paul Brandes, David Waldman and Dan Zelson.
Construction on the long-planned Bedford Square in Westport has begun with its anchor tenant, retailer Anthropologie, secured, developers announced this week.
Bedford Square Associates, a partnership between Westport development firms Charter Realty & Development and David Adam Realty and B. Lance Sauerteig, president of BLS Strategic Partners, unveiled plans to build and develop the mixed-use project in 2012. Construction is scheduled to finish in early 2017, developers said at a press conference.
The Bedford Square project involves renovating and repurposing two historic structures ”“ the Bedford Building, which was built for the YMCA about 90 years ago, and the adjoining firehouse ”“ for the 110,000-square-foot mixed use redevelopment.
The project, between Church Lane, Main Street and Elm Street, is designed to reconnect the area to the rest of downtown with new retail, offices, restaurants, residential units and below-grade parking.
David Waldman, president of David Adam Realty, said the development has been made possible through collaboration with the development team, the town and downtown neighbors.
“By preserving and repurposing the historically significant structures into a thoughtful and architecturally beautiful mixed-use addition, we are not only opening up the gateway and connecting it to Westport”™s future, but anchoring it with a retailer who will draw shoppers downtown, which in the long run will benefit everyone,” Waldman said.
The new lease agreement with Anthropologie is for 40,000 square feet. Anthropologie’s location will include the retailer’s traditional clothing store as well as a home store, a beauty store with a salon, a BHLDN bridal store and a cafe/restaurant in the base of the firehouse.
“We could not have picked a better tenant to anchor our project than Anthropologie,” Dan Zelson, a principal with Charter Realty & Development, said. “The creativity and respect for history that Anthropologie has fits perfectly into our desire to breathe new life into the historic structures.”
Paul Brandes, a principal with Charter Realty & Development, said the project will enhance the community”™s enjoyment of the downtown.
“This will be a historic transformation of downtown Westport,” Brandes said.