NORWALK, Conn. Building more housing in a half-mile area around the South Norwalk train station would help revitalize the city by providing affordable places to live near one of Fairfield County's key transportation hubs, according to a report released by the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency.
The study recommends the city implement transit-oriented development that would create affordable housing within walking distance of the train station and luxury housing along the waterfront.
"This initiative [would] unlock the next steps in the economic revitalization and redevelopment of portions of South Norwalk that are within easy walking distance of the South Norwalk Railroad Station," says the study, which was conducted by the Cecil Group of Boston.
Due to the access benefits associated with close proximity to a train station or transit center, this type of real estate investment, known as transit-oriented development, is gaining support around the region.
"We believe this kind of housing development would be perfect for the South Norwalk area near the train station, and the report not only confirms that but provides strategies on how to proceed," said Timothy Sheehan, executive director of the city's redevelopment agency. The study was commissioned by the redevelopment agency at a cost of $103,000 and approved by the Common Council.
"But there are obstacles," Sheehan said. "The city has 14 different zones, and much of the area identified in the report for this kind development is not zoned for housing. One of the first steps is to have discussions, which we have already started, with our zoning department about the possibility of allowing some of those zones to include housing."
Sheehan said while that and attracting private developers could take time, the agency is looking at both the short- and long-term benefits of planning for transit-oriented development in South Norwalk.
He says the report emphasizes the financial benefits of transit-oriented housing and adds that developers are motivated to invest in such projects.
"In an era of economic recession and real estate reversals, excellent regional access by commuter rail to and from jobs and homes in Norwalk is a fundamental competitive advantage," according to the report.
The nearly 100-page report describes actions the city can take to attract coordinated development and convert a neighborhood that is an "underperforming asset" and has existed in a "patchwork pattern of deteriorated and underused buildings and land."
Specifically, the report recommends redevelopment of parcels directly adjacent to the train station along Chestnut Street and its intersection with Monroe Street, and redevelopment of a vacant city-owned parcel at Day Street and Hanford Place.
"This corridor is expected to be the major pedestrian link between the train station and the redeveloped components of the Washington Village [housing project] and Norwalk's waterfront redevelopment sites along Water Street," according to the report.
The report concludes, "This area has the potential to be a vibrant, attractive neighborhood for both current and new residents and for private investment that will bring jobs, enhance real estate values and improve the quality of life for the entire community."
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