Mr. Stamford
The Authoritative Blog on Stamford Connecticut
Downtown Stamford is dead
Author: jr20 Jul
Don’t panic - I’m not talking about the nightlife, I’m talking about land. I can’t believe there are so many dead spots - empty lots, holes in the ground - all over downtown. It’s astounding that in a popular, vibrant city like ours there is so much land lying fallow; no disrespect to Bridgeport, but you’d expect this in a depressed city like our blighted neighbor to the north. I guess the tax write-offs are more valuable to the owners than any fruitful income the land might produce.
Here’s a rundown of the top “dead spots” in Downtown Stamford:
City Place
I’d be pissed if I had bought a luxury condo at the corner of Washington Boulevard and North Street, gone away to the south of France for three years expecting to return to my new digs, and come back to THIS:
Well, the upside is that you’ve got valet parking…
…and grocery delivery:
Broad Street, down the block from 122 Pizza Bistro
This corner has been empty for a loooong time, and Blog Stamford found an apparently dead proposal for it. It’s odd that this lot has sat for so long considering it has a huge parking lot already in place, plus great exposure on Broad Street. Maybe the McDonald’s crowd scares off any potential developers.
Broad Street, on the corner of Broad and Greyrock
How can Stamford have matching empty lots on one of its busiest downtown thoroughfares? Maybe that traffic cop knows the reason. Or maybe the “coming soon to this location” sign can tell me.
OH MY GOD, THEY TURNED HIM INTO A ROBOT! AND THEY STOLE THE “COMING SOON” SIGN!!!!
(Editor’s note: The coming soon sign used to have a rendering of a nice mixed-use building in, what else, gray and red brick.)
The west side of Washington Blvd., between Main Street and Park Place
This is the big grassy lot across from Trump Parc and the new Aria restaurant. I believe they razed some houses and small buildings here, but nothing has gone up in their place. I also read somewhere that this is intended to become part of the Mill River Park eventually.
Here’s a shot of the back side of Whittaker Place, a strange little street with one house on it that runs through the empty area and ends right next to the Mill River Styx.
Another shot from the other side of the empty lot. Looks like business is booming for Robert S. Weiss & Company.
Greyrock & Main Street, next to the AT&T building
The good news: this tiny parcel of land next to the mall sits quietly awaiting its rebirth as THE LUXE!
The bad news: it’s on the same block as…
THE HOLE
I’m not a fan of using eminent domain outside of transportation or other clearly public purposes, but is there some solution to this problem? Can the city and/or state create some sort of incentive package to get the owners to either develop this site or sell it?
It pisses me off that most of the owners of these sites are sitting on them and collecting their tax write-offs while they wait for their neighbors to improve their real estate values.
Honorable Mention
The west side of Bedford Street
I know we’ve griped about this at length, but the empty stretch of stores on Bedford Street is disheartening, embarrassing and just awful. I applaud the owner for wanting to attract high-end retail, especially in the shadow of the mall, but it’s been at least two years since the food market closed and at least a year since Temple closed. Get something in there, for cryin’ out loud!
The east side of Atlantic Street, south of Broad
I hate how the mall not only set local and mom-n-pop businesses back 20 years, but also how the whole Landmark monolith killed Main Street and Atlantic Street. And our veterans would be disgusted if they saw how trashed Veterans’ Park is.
It’s not the biggest picture, but Atlantic used to look like this:
It’s a typical 1950’s downtown, with Billy & Susie going to the local department store with Mom to buy school supplies. Then along came the big, ugly, brown turd that is the Stamford Town Center and Landmark Square, and now the block looks like this:
Of course the Palace is amazing, and there are some great restaurants (mmm…Galangal) and other spots, but overall, this stretch of Atlantic doesn’t even come close to Bedford and Summer.
Well, that’s my list of the lowlights of Downtown Stamford. Did I miss any? Any disputes with my gripes?
Living and loving the C-T-Dub,
JR
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30 Responses for "Downtown Stamford is dead"
did not miss any, but I am not really sure a bunch of bar hopping young twenty somethings qualifies for a night life so maybe the night life isn’t really hoping either.
Of course for me the question is, given the current state of affairs, whrn the tear up the old Mill River park, how long will it take them to get it back together considering all these other tear down work stoppages???
The empty gut GE building outside the downtown on Long Ridge and the whole foods/CVS fiasco are would be one of those corporate ghost town scenes that Stamford has been good at having during down turns.
Thanks for the tips we needed a new spot for our wiffle ball field.
Dude, I was going to do this same post. Let me see what I can add.
The fenced lot on Washington is actually not part of Mill River Park. The Urban Redevelopment Commission has been trying to build an “Archstone” Condo complex there forever. They are also involved in The Luxe & Park Square West Phase II (building set to go in a parking lot on between Twenty & the movie theatre on Summer) so you can see their track record of late sucks. The rest of the plots around it will be part of the park though, which should start in earnest next January when the dam comes down. The city still needs to buy that last remaining house. Its too bad that fenced lot can’t just be built out as part of the park instead.
Almost all of Bedford is owned by this dude named Mario who lets it sit empty with high rents.
I totally agree about Landmark Square. I just deleted everything I wrote on that though because I figured it would make a good post!
I’d like to see the furniture store on Atlantic (across from the church and the rub n’ tug) move out and have that complex become multiple stores.
The empty GE building is being redone for a new company moving it. I think the Advocate had an article the other day.
The downtown needs to get their shit together before Harbor Point opens otherwise they are done. Even the East Side is getting ready to steal their thunder with the development there. That said, I think other places are envious of the development Stamford has achieved in the last 10 years. Target, Trump, the Mall Plaza, UConn, Park Square (SBC building), RBS, Mill River & Addams Houses all aren’t that old.
No doubt there’s something in the works for each spot - and I’m sure the state of the economy has something to do with the timing of the same. Be patient I say!
patient??????
The famous “Hole in The Ground” has been there for more than twenty years…please!
I was being facetious
just seems that no one wants to go there…i.e. Trump rather’d build in the postage stamp to the west of Target. Can the soil be that bad?
“Almost all of Bedford is owned by this dude named Mario who lets it sit empty with high rents.”
Mario and his son Greg Lodato. They seem to have a plan(!) but in the meantime they should at least short-term lease out to a Grocer, like Mrs. Koo’s that used to be there…fresh fruit and flowers would certainly visually “brighten” up that side of the street; it would also be oh so logical and functional for the downtowners; and the property owners would be taking in some cash at the same time…why don’t they do that?
The reason no one has built on The Hole is that the owners want upwards of $20 million for it.
No gripes with yours. That long line of emptiness on Bedford is particularly disheartening. I can’t help but wonder just how high those rents are!
and is this not one of the problems in Stamford? Greed, maybe? Of course the area Stamford Hospital bought along Stephen St now has quite a few boarded up houses that used to be multifamily and now are empty. The redo of the old GE building has taken longer than the building of Trump Towers! I like Urban development, but lets get the development in on it. AT least the Est side had some quick tear down rebuilds!
“The reason no one has built on The Hole is that the owners want upwards of $20 million for it.”
they won’t budge? who do they think will pay that? not UBS, not RBS, not Trump, not the Ritz Carlton…well when it happens it will no doubt be very exciting!!!
I asked Mayor Malloy why the owners of The Hole would be content to just sit on it, and he told me that they have billions in assets. I figure they’re happy just taking the tax write-off.
On another topic, I know that Curley’s went to court to fight the city’s takeover bid, so why didn’t some developer just offer them a ton of money for the land?
Regarding the idea that the Lodatos should lease out their Bedford St. storefronts on a short-term basis–what sane person is going to put a penny into a business with only a short-term, non-renewable lease? As a long-time resident, I have to say that given the poor parking situation, Bedford Street shopping has little appeal for anyone other than those who work in the immediate neighborhood, so unless that’s enough of a customer base, I don’t know if there’s much hope for more retailing there. I do think that the city should adopt some sort of downtown anti-blight ordinances that require owners of property like the hole-in-the-ground to attractively landscape and enclose their dormant holdings–surely they can spare a bit of their billions for that. Weeds and garbage are just unacceptable. If nothing else, the city should clean up empty lots and bill the owners.
Citigroup..given their precarious position, they have been selling their properties globally. This could be up for sale at a lower price soon.
Regarding Bedford Street: I understand that the Lodatos want to foster a high-end retail atmosphere (Greenwich Avenue light), but if the rents are as high as everyone believes them to be, who the heck can afford to rent there besides more generic chain stores?? I’d like to seem them make it fun and unique by bringing in some different stores (Aghabumi, for example) rather than something like J. Crew.
MommaJ: I agree that the city should enact some sort of blight/appearance codes so that property owners have to maintain their land. It’s not just the abandoned lots; I see litter and overgrowth in businesses and parking lots all over the place (the Rite-Aid by the police station comes to mind).
JR - regarding Curleys - remember what I said about Greed?
The actual story - They were offered initially a paltry $1 Million for the spot, plus a condo in the development, plus a new restaurant. They countered with asking for $2.3 million, 12 condo’s and the new restaurant…the developer walked away.
Momma J, just curious why you think parking is bad on Bedford. The Bedford St garage has tons of parking. Why do the burbs hate garages?
Renovation work was underway today on the stores next to the Blown Glass place. Maybe something is getting ready to go in.
The city is uses the empty lots on Broad as a dumping ground themselves. The displaced “painter” statue from Columbus Park is laying there now.
Why do I hate to park downtown? The Bedford Street garage is a pain in the butt to use and a time waster. After cruising around level after level for a spot, you have to memorize your spot number, then deal with he ridiculous pay machines that take forever to finish their business (same applies to the other lots with these nasty contraptions), then either walk down the dirty, creepy stairwell or wait ages for the decrepit elevator. And all this to go to one or two stores! Not worth it. (I’ll do it to eat a meal on Bedford, but never to shop.) At least at the mall I can park, drop some change in the meter and be on my way to a multitude of shopping options. At Target, not quite so easy, but still, I just grab a ticket on my way in pay on my way out. And at any of the many strip malls in Stamford (High Ridge, Newfield) I can pull up close to my destination, park for free, complete my errand and be gone with a minimum of hassle.
I used to live in Manhattan and can certainly appreciate the virtues of urban retail, but I didn’t have to cope with a car then. Bottom line, Bedford Street/Atlantic Street just don’t offer enough to make the downtown trip worth taking. If I lived in the vicinity, I’d shop there on foot, but coming from North Stamford, it’s just not gonna happen, no matter what type of stores the Lodatos think they can entice there. It’ll never have the ambiance of Greenwich Ave. (which, incidentally, would be rather appalling), and rest assured, the Darien and New Canaan matrons aren’t going to want to cope with the Bedford St. garage any more this Stamford matron does!
“Regarding the idea that the Lodatos should lease out their Bedford St. storefronts on a short-term basis–what sane person is going to put a penny into a business with only a short-term, non-renewable lease?”
you’re right, it should be a long-term lease! Bedford Street would def benefit with a Grocer. In fact, it’s a necessity right now imo.
Joey K: $1 million seems rather generous for that tiny plot of land. No offense to the Curley’s people, but it’s not as if they have a fantastic building.
That was the offer to build something really nice in the area, instead of the parking lot it is. The plans were revised to build over and around Curley’s at some future point in time.
i was just thinking about this topic the other day: i was walking downtown over the weekend and realized how incredibly depressing some areas of downtown looks–especially around the mill river park area; disgusting.
it’s really unbelievable the amount of gross and abandoned space that exists in downtown.
I hate the concept of eminent domain, but for the “hole in the ground” I could make a moral exception. The owners have let it sit for over 20 years, and it’s a blight that I feel drags down the area. Even making it into a park until a developer comes in would be better.
I am hugely in favor of the blight code mentioned above for Bedford St. If the Lodatos want to charge extravagant rents, which end up keeping people away, they should have to work on the properties’ fronts for appearance sake.
As for parking, though, I can’t think of much that can be done for Bedford St. I’m fortunate enough to live within walking distance of downtown, so I’ll go to Target for a few items now and then - but if I need something bulky or a bunch of little things that I can’t carry at once, I’m more likely to drive up to Norwalk and go to WalMart. I don’t have to pay for parking there, there are a couple of supermarkets there so I pick up non-perishables on the same run.
or some kind of “surcharge tax” that will take effect if a property has been dormant/ignored for so long a period of time. If they’re not contributing to the city, they’ll have to pay!
StamfordTalk, are you from the future? Check out this date stamp on your post:
“September 6th, 2144 at 1:20 pm”
should deal with him on one of his ‘open’ talk nights. I tried finding out when that is, but it is not listed. There are rules of the books about blight, but mostly have to do with overgrowth and abandon items on them. Who we need to talk to is our representatives, they are the ones who pass ordinances
There is a logical solution to many of the problems you’re bringing up. Correct the incentives which currently enable and reward the owners of the Hole in the Ground, all the other vacant lots and the underused buildings on Bedford Street. (Harrisburg did this in 1972, with excellent results; their mayor continues to get re-elected, and he speaks glowingly of this.)
It would reinvigorate downtown Stamford, and lead to more housing, more job opportunities and more vendors competing for our business.
Staying revenue neutral — that is, not raising taxes in total — start reducing the millage rates on Stamford’s buildings, and increasing the millage rate on Stamford’s land values. The Hole in the Ground is roughly the same size as the Marriott property; the Marriott creates jobs, serves meals, provides hotel rooms and meeting spaces, while the HITG serves no one, creates nothing. And we penalize the Marriott for its building and garage. The HITG’s taxes and the Marriott’s taxes should be the same! Raise the HITG’s taxes, lower the Marriot’s taxes.
Entrepreneurs would flock here, because we would not penalize them for building a good productive building. Good productive buildings would house people, and employ people, and create venues for vendors eager to meet needs and wants.
Lower Bedford Street would be redeveloped into taller mixed-use buildings, supplying much-needed middle-income housing and affordable housing and a variety of vendors who meet the needs of residents. (I don’t think we need another Rodeo Drive East, and hope that Bedford Street would become a lively place for middle-income and working people, as well as for elderly drawn to downtown living by an affordable, walkable and even scooterable community.
Why penalize the people who are redeveloping existing buildings (e.g., on Long Ridge Road). I’d rather set up the incentives so that more of that sort of thing happens, rather than less.
At the same time, I’d like to keep more of the economic value of the land for use in Stamford, to meet Stamford’s needs, rather than watch it leave town into the pockets of REITS, corporations, family trusts, pension funds and endowments. Recycle the land rent here, and use it to make Stamford a healthy community with a lively economy.
What stands in the way?
1. We need the enabling legislation for so-called two-rate or split-rate property tax; Stamford is not the only CT city interested in this option.
2. We need to charge our assessor with valuing the land under condominiums, residential and commercial. Greenwich’s condos do not float in the air, and neither should Stamford’s. This will also nudge some of the older sprawling low-rise condo associations to realize that their buildings are an underuse of land which is very well-located, and to make good decisions for the future.
Wow–this is a GREAT blog. Just found it. The topics you have discussed on vacant land in downtown Stamford DRIVES me CRAZY. I want to see things built and developed on those plots of land asap! A few others worth mentioning:
*Washington Blvd and Cold Spring Road: 2 boarded up houses with high weeds on the west side of Washington Blvd that were to be demolished in ‘06. Now they sit and sit–total eyesores.
*The CVS “hole”: This has been excavated for what now–a year and a half??? The beautiful old trees were chopped down and the sign still reads “coming soon CVS.” Well apparently “soon” is measured in years at CVS.
*The land to the south and east of the train station: the land to the south sat vacant for years, but it has just now started to be excavated for an office tower. But, will it be built is the question? Will the one to the east be built? Hopefully….
*The church rectory on Washington Blvd across from the parking garage: It was boarded up early this summer. Are they moving it?? I believe so, but WHEN is the question. We now have to stare at that for what, another year or so???
*The building across from the Unitarian Church downtown: What’s happening here? Kudos for stripping down that HIDEOUS vacant children’s furniture store, but what’s up with the building now? Steel girders for miles…how long will this sit?? ugh.
*Moving north: The high ridge road shopping center has had a vacant Tower Records store now for what, 2 years?? I read they were “aggressively looking” for a tenant right after Tower Records left…uhhh…this ain’t aggressive.
Done for now.
MammaJ doesn’t know what she’s talkin about.
MommaJ, it’s so good to hear from you; while the guys are talking property values, you’re bringing up the practicalities of shopping and parking meters- and it’s so, so true. For the lack of amenities downtown, parking in a creepy garage just doesn’t feel worth it. I guess women have to think about safety more than men, unfortunately.
Can somebody email Malloy about the blight? You are all right; it’s embarrassing and disheartening to see abandoned buildings and lots in the middle of downtown. We’re a vocal bunch and I think he’d like to know that this- more than Trump!- is the hot topic we are talking about. I like the “blight code” idea, too.
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