Column: Norwalk combines sustainability with smart growth
The City of Norwalk and the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency continue to elicit smart growth policies in the South Norwalk (SoNo) and downtown districts with the adoption of policies and plans and investment that promote development around the various transportation modes.
Norwalk has the advantage of having four Metro-North rail stations that serve the community, a plan to increase bike and hiking trails and a transit system that connects all of the various transportation modes. Recent development has been focused around these transit modes which ensure connectivity and have contributed to a more sustainable and vibrant pattern of growth which continues to attract new residents and businesses to the city.
Smart growth is not simply a term but it is a practice that has guided development over the past several decades to ensure the revitalization of the Norwalk”™s urban neighborhoods in an environmentally sustainable manner. Efforts to redevelop the urban neighborhoods through the thoughtful integration of mass transit, pedestrian-friendly amenities and energy-efficient building design have successfully attracted redevelopment and new mixed use developments that contribute to the overall sustainability of the built environment. Further, Mayor Harry Rilling made a commitment to sustainable growth working with his Energy and Environmental Task Force to implement policies and programs that help residents improve the energy efficiency of their homes and to help further sustainability.
A recent program that is underway is Norwalk’s TOD Initiative. The initiative focuses on roughly a half mile radius surrounding the SoNo railroad station. The goal is to foster an environment for walking and biking by offering a wide range of urban amenities within a few city blocks of this transit hub. The plan is to embrace the ideal neighborhood as an easy and appealing place to live, work, and visit. Major public investments are being made by the city and the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency to achieve this vision.
A number of improvements have already been implemented, including ADA-compliant enhanced crosswalks, a cyclist-accessible staircase with heating elements to prevent ice build-up and additional bike racks for cyclists as well as landscaping and other amenities such as way-finding signage throughout the district.
Public investments and active partnership have been complementary to the private sector developments in the SoNo and Downtown areas. Examples of this development include the Ironworks on North Water Street where 20,700 square feet of retail and restaurant space as well as studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments totaling 108 residential units replaced the vacant Norwalk Company. Developed by Spinnaker Real Estate Partners LLC the Ironworks faces the Norwalk River on the east and Washington Street to the south; it encircles a cobblestone courtyard with a large water feature at its center and complements the neighboring Maritime Aquarium providing a welcoming gateway into SoNo.
Just steps away the Pearl at 99 Washington Street is under construction by FD Rich Company. The Pearl will be a five story, 66-unit apartment complex. The development, previously a parking lot, will include 154 valet-assisted parking spaces and a residents-only roof deck.
This phased mixed use development spans 10-acres and includes the repurposing of the former Bigelow Tea warehouse into a three-level parking garage wrapped by apartments and retail space. The project features a gateway on West Avenue with a pedestrian walkway leading into a large courtyard lined with shops and restaurants having apartments above. Altogether, more than 500 apartments and 100,000 square feet of retail and medical office space will be created.
Head of the Harbor
Located at the north end of the working waterfront on the Norwalk River, Head of the Harbor will transform an underutilized lot into 60 housing units, 6,000 square feet of office space, a public plaza, a public boardwalk along the water, and new pedestrian connections to Mill Hill Historic Park. This project is an outcome of the 2004 Wall Street Redevelopment Plan, which laid the framework for the restoration of Norwalk’s traditional center.
Phase One of this mixed-use development will include 101 residential units, 40 percent of which are affordable and 60 percent of which are market rate. The project will also include 16,000 square feet of commercial space, 23 surface parking spaces and an automated parking garage with more than 200 spaces available to residents and the public. This project is the result of a public-private partnership between the City, the Redevelopment Agency, and POKO Partners, which was initiated to implement Norwalk’s Wall Street Redevelopment Plan.
The Wall Street Theater redevelopment project, assisted by the City and the Redevelopment Agency, promises to bring new life to Wall Street. Initially opened in 1915 as a vaudeville stage, a combination of historic restoration and adaptive renovation to the building will provide space for traditional theater presentations, children’s theater, and event leasing. The initiative will restore this cultural and historical centerpiece of the Wall Street district and will serve as a critical step forward in the revitalization of the entire neighborhood.
In sum, the city of Norwalk and the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency are proactive partners in development within Norwalk”™s Urban Core. Our work complements private sector development, as we commit extensive financial and technical resources to the revitalization of our redevelopment areas and the city. Our status as a major regional entertainment destination, combined with our growing population, presents a promising future for attracting new businesses and development opportunities.
Elizabeth Stocker is the director of economic development for the city of Norwalk.
 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.