Celebrating Our Norwalk Portfolio
For 68 years, Redniss & Mead’s team of civil engineers, land surveyors, and planners has been contributing to development in Fairfield, New Haven, and Westchester Counties. We value the relationships we have built with our clients and partners, and we strive to provide thoughtful, creative, and effective solutions to each property.
Over the coming months, we will share a series of articles highlighting some of the towns and cities in Fairfield County where we’ve been working. The goals of each community are unique as are our clients’ approaches. A common thread tends to be revitalizing underutilized properties through diverse projects including mixed-use developments, adaptive reuse of existing structures, and a variety of residential projects, including affordable housing.
This article focuses on Norwalk, Connecticut. This vibrant coastal city aims to enhance its livability, foster economic growth, and improve the quality of life for its residents. Below, we offer a look at some of our ongoing work in Norwalk and the valued partners with which we collaborate.
Harbourside SoNo
Harbourside SoNo is a luxury apartment complex located in the vibrant South Norwalk (SoNo) neighborhood of Norwalk, Connecticut. This project transformed a previously underutilized parcel of land into a thriving residential community offering upscale living with a strong connection to the surrounding area. Our comprehensive approach included land use consulting to ensure compliance with local regulations and civil engineering services for optimal site planning, stormwater management, utility coordination, and construction documentation. This ensured the final design not only met resident needs but also adhered to all environmental and legal requirements.
We are pleased to have been a part of the team which included the developer, F.D. Rich, and Beinfield Architecture.
The Pinnacle at Waypointe
The Pinnacle being developed by Toll Brothers is the final phase of Waypointe, a major redevelopment along the West Avenue corridor and the fruition of a 20-year vision plan originated by Stanley Seligson. This mixed-use development designed by Barton Partners combines residential apartments with commercial spaces, creating a continuous pedestrian promenade with restaurants, shops, and public amenities stretching from the original Waypointe site all the way to Matthews Park. Redniss & Mead (R&M) played a key role in this project providing zoning consulting, land surveying, and site civil engineering services. We obtained the necessary approvals from the Planning & Zoning Commission and Redevelopment Agency for the mixed-use development and prepared the civil engineering designs, including grading, drainage, utility plans, and sediment and erosion control.
10 Monroe Street
These mixed-use residential apartment and commercial buildings are being developed by Spinnaker Real Estate Partners and designed by Beinfield Architecture. R&M’s Civil Engineers provided comprehensive site design services, including grading, drainage, utility planning, and sediment and erosion control. These services were crucial in obtaining the Coastal Site Plan approval from Planning & Zoning with supporting reviews from the Department of Public Works, Water Pollution Control Authority, and TMP (Transportation, Mobility, and Parking). R&M’s involvement extended beyond the entitlement process, and we are currently providing surveying and construction administration services to ensure the project’s successful completion.
Mill Pond, 1 Cemetery Street
The East Avenue Village District’s first project, Mill Pond, will significantly enhance the area. Replacing a largely vacant parking lot with a beautiful streetscape thanks to new zoning regulations intended to breathe new life into the East Norwalk TOD Zone. Selected by Spinnaker Real East Partners to be on the project team alongside Beinfield Architecture, Redniss & Mead serves as the lead land surveyor and site civil engineer. We are enabling this transformation by designing the site and surrounding street improvements to support the mixed-use development – residential apartments alongside commercial space – with careful consideration for the adjacent roadways and coastal floodplain. Our contribution included grading, drainage, utility plans, and sediment and erosion control plans, all crucial for navigating the entitlement process and securing approvals from Planning & Zoning. The development required local Coastal Area Management site plan approval, along with collaboration with the Department of Public Works, the Water Pollution Control Authority, and TMP (Transportation, Mobility, and Parking). Mill Pond will set a new standard for future development in the area.
32 Knight Street
In an adaptive reuse project for Seligson Properties, the former CS Gibson print house, a one-story commercial building on a 4-acre property at the intersection of US-1 and Knight St., was transformed into a modern 47,000-square-foot medical office building for Hartford Healthcare. Redniss & Mead, which served as the lead land surveyor, site civil engineer, and zoning consultant, was responsible for securing the local land use entitlements. The project included the addition of greenscapes, safe and accessible patient drop-off areas, and a garden terrace featuring a preserved portion of the original building facade.
South Norwalk Equitable TOD Infrastructure Improvement Project
Working with the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency and Department of Public Works, Redniss & Mead provided land surveying and civil engineering expertise for upcoming utility improvements in and around the South Norwalk Train Station. The utility and infrastructure upgrades are designed to support the continued growth of the South Norwalk Transportation Oriented Development District.
15-17 Chestnut Street
Long-time client Spinnaker Real Estate Partners continues revitalizing South Norwalk with another transit-oriented development adjacent to the train station. Redniss & Mead is a key member of their design team which also includes Beinfield Architecture.
This project is a mixed-use development featuring residential apartments and commercial spaces. Our expertise contributed to a smooth entitlement process, carefully coordinated with the Department of Public Works, the Water Pollution Control Authority, the Department of Transportation, Mobility, and Parking (TMP), the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency, and local utility companies.
The Boathouse
Designed by Beinfield Architecture, The Boathouse is a waterfront multi-family development that transformed a stunning coastal property in Rowayton Village into elegant condominiums overlooking the Five Mile River within walking distance of shops and restaurants.
R&M provided site civil engineering services helping the client successfully navigate the entitlement process and secure approval from the Planning & Zoning Commission. This development required local Coastal Area Management site plan approval and interaction with the Department of Public Works and the Water Pollution Control Authority.
637 West Avenue
A 1955 historic Norwalk bank building at 637 West Avenue was adaptively reused and transformed into a new state-of-the-art healthcare facility for Stamford Hospital while also accommodating a revamped bank branch office. R&M provided zoning consulting, land surveying, and site civil engineering services for this project, which required land use entitlement approvals and coordination with the Department of Public Works and the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency. This project is a successful example of breathing new life into an historic structure by giving it modern functionality and a refreshed appearance.
The Curb
Redniss & Mead provided land surveying services for long-time client BLT at The Curb, located at 150 Glover Avenue, Norwalk, CT which is a high-density multifamily community (548 units) within a master-planned transit village one mile to the Merritt 7 Train Station.
3 Elmcrest Manor
The vision of clients Anthony Gaglio Jr. and Sr. of Viking Construction was to return the Victorian home to its past luster and add sensitively designed new apartments that help support the rehabilitation of the home. At the beginning of the project, however, zoning regulations prohibited the best scenario for the developers. Redniss & Mead was brought on as a zoning consultant to work with regulating authorities and find a path forward. The solution was to create a new zoning regulation in the D-Residence Zone allowing Historic Preservation Incentive Developments. The result was the beautiful transformation of a unique property with an eye-catching street presence that offers an innovative residential experience with 19 residential units and views of Long Island Sound from a common rooftop terrace.
Key collaborators on the project were Michael Weissbrod at Crosskey Architects, Tod Bryant of Heritage Resources and Jason Klein of Carmody, Torrance, Sandak and Hennessey, LLP.
3 East Wall Street
The preservation and renovation of the historic manor house at 3 East Wall Street was the focus of this project for Viking Construction which included new construction of a podium-style building to the rear of the manor house. The increase in residential density provided the financial support needed to complete the renovation designed by Kenneth Boroson Architects.
R&M provided zoning consulting, land surveying, and site civil engineering services from inception through construction. This included leading the entitlement process for a Zoning Regulation Amendment related to the Historic Preservation Incentives, a Special Permit, and a Coastal Area Management Site Plan Review.
24 Berkeley Street
Redniss & Mead assisted the original property owner by leading a successful effort to Amend the Zoning Regulations and Zone Map to create a transitional zone between lower and higher density areas between West Avenue and Route 7. The result was a plan for five, four-story townhomes with associated site improvements.
Open Doors purchased the property, redesigned the townhomes to three-stories, and plans on providing affordable housing options for its residents. R&M continues to provide site civil engineering, land surveying, and zoning consulting services.
We are proud to be a part of Norwalk’s ongoing evolution and appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with the city and our partners on these important projects. We look forward to continuing to be part of Norwalk’s growth and development.
In our next articles, we’ll be highlighting projects in Wilton, Greenwich, Darien, Westport and Stamford, so stay tuned.
Learn more about our work in Norwalk and other Fairfield County communities by visiting our portfolio.
