Column: Business growth works with smart growth in Stratford

Stratford is strategically located between New York City and Boston with transportation access that has attracted and sustained economic development for many decades.

Within Stratford”™s boundaries you will find Sikorsky Memorial Airport, Metro-North Rail Service, Interstate 95, The Merritt Parkway, Routes 8 and 25 and 17 miles of coastline. Our diverse community of over 51,000 residents offers world class employers, a highly skilled workforce, excellent transportation access and reasonable cost of living in Fairfield County.

Stratford has seen a number of existing companies grow and expand over the past few years. Two Roads Brewing Company has grown from seven to 78 employees and has become a destination throughout the Northeast. Connecticut Distributors Inc. added a 55,000-square-foot warehouse to its property and created 17 new jobs. Nouvo Pasta has more than doubled in square footage with the purchase of a new 40,000-square-foot building. They have grown from 80 employees to 100 with a 20 percent increase in revenue. Federal Express has purchased a property off Lordship Boulevard for $20 million dollars and is building a 225,000-square-foot warehouse. FedEx will create 68 new jobs and retain 85 jobs in the Town of Stratford. Burns Construction plans to hire 175 new employees by April 1.  Burns has been in Stratford since the 1960s and has grown to more than 380 employees. They are building a brand-new, state-of-the-art building at their current location. Hubbell Electric Water Heater will be adding more than 30 new employees and will be expanding their footprint on Seymour Avenue. Hubbell has received for $2.1 million from the state of Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development. Hubbell is a third-generation company in Stratford.

Stratford had been recognized and awarded numerous grants and loans from the Environmental Protection Agency to The State of Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD).  These grant monies are being used to clean up some of Stratford”™s worst brownfields to make these abandoned properties viable again. The State of Connecticut DECD awarded Stratford $2.85 Million to remediate 540 Longbrook Avenue, a former metal plating company. Demolition has occurred on a dangerous and blighted building at the site. The town will be seeking developers in a RFQ process in the coming months. The EPA awarded Stratford a grant to clean up and demolish a long standing eye sore on Stratford Avenue. The Mercer Coal Towers have been taken down and the property has been remediated.

The Town Council and Zoning commission have approved a new Transit-Oriented District Overlay Zone which will encourage development within the half-mile radius of the Metro-North station. The state has awarded Stratford $1.25 million to remediate a 3.6-acre town-owned property within walking distance of the train station.  The town will be seeking an RFQ to develop a public/private partnership to revitalize Stratford”™s downtown. A Complete Streets Improvement project has also begun in this area with a $200,000 grant from the federal government.  In addition Stratford businesses have received more than $3.3 million dollars in grants and loans from the State of Connecticut DECD, creating and retaining more than 500 jobs in Stratford.

Developer Point Stratford Renewal is close to an agreement with the Army to develop the former Army Engine Plant, a 77-acre waterfront site. This will be one of the most significant developments on the entire eastern seaboard. The plan is for a mixed-use development with hotel, condominiums, retail, education and entertainment uses. The developer has received $700,000 in grant money from the state to assess the cleanup of this property.

More than three dozen companies have relocated to Stratford over the past few years to capitalize on Stratford”™s highly skilled workforce and its accessible location. Penmar Industries, Coating Design Group Inc, Saugatuck Kitchens, Nelson Ambulance, Nations Roofing, Norwalk Powdered Metals, St Vincent”™s Urgent Care, Merrimac Building Supplies, Unicare Home Health Agency, and Sunbelt Rentals to name just a few.

Stratford stands out as a business-friendly community that has attracted top employers. The town of Stratford is one of the top towns in the state in terms of new jobs created and jobs retained. The unemployment rate in Stratford is at 5.4 percent down from 9.2 percent in 2012. While the rest of the state sees companies moving out because of the economic climate, Stratford is showing signs of economic strength.

Karen Kaiser is the Director of Economic Development Town of Stratford.

This is one in a series of reports on smart growth development in the region. The series will culminate in a March 24 panel discussion on smart growth trends hosted by Westfair Communications and Pace University Land Use Law Center at Pace Law School.