Another void that manufacturing left in Bridgeport will be filled with a new development ”“ and the project is the first new construction on the city side of Commerce Drive in 30 years.
SSG Development L.L.C. is building a six-story climate-controlled self-storage facility on Commerce Drive. The company chose the site primarily because of its visibility and easy access on and off of Interstate 95, said
David Williams, SGG”™s director of market development.
To the community, the development is a symbol of Bridgeport”™s own development.
“Bridgeport has been better than ”˜holding its own”™ in a very tough economy,” said Donald C. Eversley, executive director of the Bridgeport Economic Development Corp. The new facility “will provide an active commercial presence on what is now an underutilized stretch of road.”
Running parallel to Interstate 95, the roughly one-mile of road between Bridgeport and Fairfield was once the worksite for at least 10,000 people. But as manufacturing declined, the condition of the area did as well.
The Fairfield side of the road has seen dramatic improvements in the last couple years, as a series of upscale auto dealers moved in. But for Bridgeport, Fairfield”™s success only made the decrepit state of its side of the road even more noticeable.
“SSG Development is always looking for real estate for new self-storage facilities that offer good visibility, high traffic counts and strong economic demographics,” Williams said. “(We) chose the Fairfield area because we believe there is a need.”
The company also has approval to build a 5,000-square-foot retail building and is currently negotiating with several potential tenants to lease the space.
Representing all of the automotive companies on Commerce Drive in some capacity, real estate agency Angel Commercial L.L.C. also leased the property to SSG.
“Although Commerce Drive in Fairfield has undergone new construction, the SSG project marks the first new construction on Commerce Drive (in) Bridgeport,” said Jon Angel, president of Angel Commercial. “I”™m proud to have helped.”
United Auto Group had buildings knocked down and rebuilt; Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Daimler Vehicle Innovations ”“ known for smart cars ”“ built new facilities; and Porsche, along with Infiniti, had large renovations done to existing buildings.
Also this month, Angel leased an acre of land on the road to Red Line Tech, an automotive modification company and there are two pending transactions on the land previously owned by Laidlaw Transportation and a GMC truck dealership.
In the future, Angel said he foresees more retail companies moving in on the road.
Accompanying all the development seen on the road, the city of Bridgeport has also chipped in. They”™ve repaved and widened the road, planted a median and built a fountain at the intersection of Commerce Drive and Fairfield Avenue.
To continue the city”™s development, Bridgeport Economic Development Corp.”™s Eversley said it was essential to continue aggressively addressing blighted properties, developing the city”™s quality of life and retail markets, as well as encouraging successful business sectors in the area such as life sciences, specialty manufacturing, marine services and engineering.
“(Bridgeport) will continue to benefit from being an easily accessible, yet affordable business location in an expensive region,” Eversley said. “The downtown renaissance will continue.”
