New Retail and Office Development in the Works

The Planning and Zoning Commission is slated to have a very busy month ahead, especially with several new retail and office development proposals in the works.

A public hearing has been set for 7 p.m. April 12 at on a proposal by DWD Partners Limited to build a 105-unit car storage facility at 496 River Rd.

Then, at 7 p.m. April 27, at City Hall, another public hearing is slated for the commission to hear plans by Howard Soffan, the owner of the on River Road, who has proposed building a retail shopping center, along with a five-story medical office building on property on River Road.

Regarding the car storage facility, Attorney Dominick Thomas, representing DWD Partners Limited, the initial proposal calls for construction of five separate buildings on a 1.9 acre parcel. According to Rick Schultz, the city’s planning and zoning administrator, the total building area proposed would comprise 31,635 square feet.

Thomas, during a recent public hearing before the commission, which has been continued to April 12, said his client is working on some modifications to the proposal. He said while the size of the project “may be modified slightly,” it will remain as five separate buildings.

Thomas said the car storage facility is something his client “firmly believes there is a market for,” especially in Fairfield County.

The facility, if approved, would be built on an empty parking lot, and house cars, particularly classic vintage cars, on the 1.95-acre parcel. The property was formerly used as a parking lot for school buses.

DWD is seeking a zone change for the property, changing the current commercial designation to a Planned Development District, or PDD.

As far as the retail development being proposed by Soffan’s company, Bishop Development, Soffan is also seeking a zone change to a Planned Development District. 

According to the application, Soffan would like to convert an old industrial building on nearly four acres next to the Sports Center into a five-story medical center, toward the back of the property. The proposal calls for the building’s exterior to be glass and granite, and includes 262 parking spaces. Soffan said his ultimate goal would be to one day see a boardwalk built along the Housatonic River stretching all the way to Sikorsky’s.

For the retail development, Soffan has proposed building on about 1.08 acres located across from the Sports Center. He has proposed a one-story building, with the potential for three tenants to move in there. A bank with a drive-through service could be one of the potential tenants, he said.

Soffan told commissioners he has no plans to market the space to a McDonald’s or Dunkin Donuts.

Soffan said that River Road where the Sports Center is located is prime development area, especially with the large volumes of traffic that come to the sports facility on a daily basis.

“I have a vision to get more people down here; this area is a jewel that is undeveloped,” he said.”The whole purpose of this development is to bring more traffic and more economic development stimulus to River Road.”