The proposed 12 acre shopping center on the corner of West Avenue and North Water Street known as the Sono Collection is inching closer to being a done deal ”” bringing the City of Norwalk within striking range of adding yet another game-changing attraction to the city.
“I think it is going to be a tremendous boost to our economy,” said Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling. “It will be providing jobs for our residents, it will be proving significant property tax revenue for the city of Norwalk, but more importantly it will attract people from the entire tri-state area who will come here and shop and hopefully take advantage of the other things we have to offer like restaurants, the Maritime Aquarium, Stepping Stones Museum and the shoreline.”
According to General Growth Properties (GGP), the Chicago-based development agency behind the proposed project, plans for the shopping center include 700,000 square feet of retail comprised of 80 to 100 small shops and restaurants supported by two major anchor tenants, Bloomingdales and Nordstrom department stores.
Acknowledging Norwalk”™s already well-established, rich diversity of unique restaurants, members of the GGP development team have designated the majority of the project to retail with a much smaller emphasis on restaurants.
Bisected by North Water Street, one 762,000-square-foot parcel is planned to include 506,705 square feet of retail space with 31,350 square feet designated for restaurants and cafés.
Another 302,000-square-foot parcel is slated to have more than 154,800 square feet of retail space with 13,000 square feet dedicated to food and beverage businesses.
On top of the retail and dining options the shopping center would include a 150-room boutique hotel.
At least 5 percent of the center will also be dedicated to open space that can be used for public events and leisure, though GGP Senior Director for Development, Douglas Adams told the Norwalk zoning commission on April 27, “we will be substantially over that.”
Click here for an animated tour of the proposed project.
The project is also expected to significantly add to the local and state economies.
The Manhattan urban development consulting firm HR&A Advisors estimates spending during construction would generate a one-time economic output of $801 million in the city and $1.002 billion in the state.
Additionally, the project could support 1,900 construction jobs in the first 3 years at an average salary of $74,000 with an additional 2,500 permanent full-time jobs at an average salary of $41,000. Ongoing operations could also generate $108 million in labor income each year in addition to benefits.
The project is estimated to generate $274 million in spending each year from retail and hotel operations.
Through permitting fees alone the city is expected to reap more than $5 million out of a total $41.2 million in one-time tax revenue to be shared between the city and state.
HR&A estimates ongoing tax revenue generated through state sales tax, state personal income tax from direct and multiplier employment, state room occupancy tax, and city real estate and business/personal property tax will amount to $327 million for the city and state over 15 years
“We will be the second largest taxpayer in the city of Norwalk behind CL&P (Connecticut Light & Power),” said Adams.
First proposed in December 2014, the project is currently before the city”™s zoning commission and undergoing a public hearing.
Rilling considers the project well on its way through the approval process with only a few permitting requirements left.
He does not expect significant pushback from the public.
“I know the Sono Collection developers and team have gone out into the public on an ongoing basis for well over a year and reached out to virtually every different neighborhood group an association and explained what they are trying to do. They”™ve taken a lot of feedback and incorporated recommendations as appropriate,” he said. “I don”™t expect there will be anything insurmountable.”
To date the loudest concern members of the public have raised regards GGP”™s proposal to relocate 11 unmarked graves in the more than 200 year-old Pine Island Cemetery to allow improved access to the shopping center by widening Crescent Street.
Rilling said he does not believe the issue has been resolved, though he states David Westmoreland, commissioner of the Norwalk Historical Commission, has spoken with the descendants of ancestors buried in the cemetery in an attempt to assuage concerns.
“I am not sure it has been totally resolved and I don”™t think it is really a done deal,” he said. “I know Mr. Westmoreland has met with some of the people who have ancestors buried there and has explained what the site is trying to accomplish and most people have started to feel a little bit relieved about that, but I am not sure how it is going to play out. If anything is done it will be done with dignity and total respect.”
Representatives for GPP could not be reached for comment on the matter.
According to Robert Jakubik, an associate developer with GPP, the company expects obtain all necessary local approvals by end of May followed  by a final approval from the State Traffic Commission expected this summer.
“We anticipate start of construction to commence in August,” he said in a statement.
Construction would be done in a single phase with Jakubik estimating a grand opening in 2018 at the earliest.
