Here are the Fairfield Developments to Watch for in 2023
FAIRFIELD — With a number of large projects approved by boards and commissions in town in the past two years, many of them have broken ground or will be in the new year. Of the sizeable developments in a town that has seen an increase in development over recent years, those in the works now include apartment complexes, commercial spaces and college dorms.
Here are the large projects that started in Fairfield in 2022 or will begin in the coming months:
Sacred Heart University Residence Halls
Earlier in the year, the Town Plan and Zoning Commission approved plans for Sacred Heart University to build two college dorms on a 15.48 acre property that abuts the rest of Sacred Heart’s campus on the east, south and west.
The proposed buildings would be three stories tall and connected by a bridge on the third floor. They would total about 133,600 square feet and would add 484 beds in the form of 115 four-person suites and 12 two-person rooms. The proposal includes building a single-story parking deck for a total of 219 parking spots.
While the proposal was approved by the TPZ, residents and one commissioner did raise concerns about the development possibly negatively affecting parking, traffic, lighting and flooding in the area.
“By allowing even more density, more height, more build out, more floor area by up to almost 500 students living there, plus support staff and everything else, I think it’s overburdening the neighborhood,” Commissioner Kathryn Braun said.
The Crossings at Fairfield Metro
A long stymied, large scale development also broke ground in 2022 after a developer from New Jersey took over the project. In September, shovels hit the dirt for one of the apartment buildings planned for The Crossings at Fairfield Metro.
Jack Klugmann, the president and founder of Accurate in New Jersey, said his company's development aims to build 357 apartments, a 118-room hotel, 70,000 square feet of office space and 40,000 square feet of retail space.
Known as building No. 4, the project that they began this year will result in one apartment building with 71 units. At the time of the groundbreaking, First Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick said she and other town officials were at first skeptical of Accurate, as it was the third company in approximately 20 years to take over the project, but found other towns that had worked with them gave the developer glowing remarks.
Kupchick said she told Klugmann she wants a rooftop bar at the hotel, and he said he would make it happen. She said the development is a big deal for the town.
"This is the largest piece of property that has been undeveloped," she said. "I'm looking forward to seeing this built. I can't wait to have a cocktail on the rooftop bar with anyone who wants to join me."
Fairfield University Regis Hall West
Sophomores at Fairfield University will have a new place to live in coming years after plans for a new dorm were approved this summer, albeit with some conditions.
The Town Plan and Zoning Commission unanimously approved Fairfield University’s plan to construct a 165-bedroom dorm, dubbed “Regis West,” which would be on the school’s campus at 1073 North Benson Road near Round Hill Road.
Along with the approval, the commission put a stipulation that the university had to work with the town’s tree warden to see if any more trees needed to be added when constructing the berm alongside the university property. Trees and the neighbors’ ability to see the new dorm were among the chief concerns by both residents and the commission.
Residents also voiced concerns about the proposal’s impact on the neighborhood, citing the possibility of light pollution and the plans calling for existing trees to be removed.
University officials said the project is part of the school’s master plan, which calls for $225 million in upgrades and renovations as part of a goal of getting enrollment up to 5,000 students. They said the dorm would help them in furthering that mission.
Those officials also said the nearly 46,200-square-foot building was intentionally “unremarkable” and was made to fit in with the rest of the residential quad, noting the dorm would be lower than the other dorms around it and that sophomores are not allowed to have vehicles on campus.
5545 Park Ave. Apartments
A large apartment building on Park Avenue also broke ground this year after getting approval in 2021 with the condition that the height was reduced.
Primrose Development LLC had applied to build a six-story, 120-unit apartment building, with 36 apartments qualifying as affordable housing. The property would rest on a 2.4 acre property with nearly 200 parking spots.
Primrose had first applied for a four-story structure with 80 units in late 2020. The project was denied, but when Primrose applied for the 120-unit building the new application was made under state law Section 8-30g, which dictates the only way the commission could deny the plan is to prove it poses a threat to public health, welfare and safety that outweighs Fairfield’s need for affordable housing.
The height change and other proposed conditions were in line with the changes members of the Merritt Parkway Conservancy suggested during a public hearing on the project. Conservancy Executive Director Wes Haynes expressed the exact same changes the he wanted to see happen, but also went on to say that there was “nothing beautiful” about the project. He believed the project would be an intrusion into the very essential architectural character of the parkway.
Joshua.LaBella@hearstmediact.com
Contact:
Mark Barnhart
Director, Office of Community & Economic Development
mbarnhart@fairfieldct.org
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