At the base of Greenwich Avenue, where commuters and visitors arrive and depart each day by train, Greenwich Plaza serves as a key connection point between the town and New York City. Long owned by The Ashforth Company, the property has been part of Greenwich’s commercial fabric for decades. More recently, Ashforth undertook a comprehensive effort to reimagine the commercial spaces on the north side of the railroad tracks, transforming an aging cluster of buildings into a more welcoming and active entry to downtown.
The project focused on the stretch between Railroad Avenue and the Metro-North platforms, including the Greenwich train station building and the site of the former Bow Tie movie theater. The theater, a windowless concrete structure, was disconnected from its surroundings. In its place, a new restaurant and food hall building now opens to the street, creating space for outdoor dining and gathering.
The transformation extends across the site. The train station has been modernized, storefronts have been refreshed, and a new plaza and outdoor seating areas now provide space to linger, bringing activity to a part of downtown that was once primarily a place to pass through.
On one of Greenwich’s most visible and constrained sites, the work demanded a level of precision where every inch shaped how people arrive, move, and experience the space.
Redniss & Mead served as civil engineer and surveyor, working closely with the design team to navigate the site’s tight physical constraints between active rail lines and a busy downtown street. The work required careful coordination so that public access, station operations, and the design vision could function together seamlessly.
Given the station’s role as a primary point of arrival and departure, the team worked closely with the Town of Greenwich to maintain safe circulation, pedestrian movement, and station access throughout the redesign.
The broader team included Beyer Blinder Belle as architect, Eric Rains Landscape Architecture, and Michele Cronin of 41° North Land Use Advisors, LLC, who secured the land use approvals. Together, the team replaced an inward-looking structure with one that engages the street and contributes to the experience of downtown Greenwich.
Today, the plaza presents a more welcoming and active gateway, with a modern building, green roof, and public spaces that reflect both the character of Greenwich and its connection to the region.
