CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NEWS RELEASE 2800 BERLIN TURNPIKE P.O. BOX 317546 NEWINGTON CONNECTICUT, 06131-7456

FOR RELEASE: July 11, 2013

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS TELEPHONE: (860) 594-3062 FAX: (860) 594-3065 WEB SITE: www.ct.gov/dot

Connecticut DOT Selects Stamford Manhattan Development Ventures

As the ‘Preferred Developer’ for Stamford TOD Project

                After several months of rigorous evaluation of multiple proposals, the Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) has selected Stamford Manhattan Development Ventures LLC (SMDV) as the “Preferred Developer” for the transit-oriented development (TOD) project at the Stamford Transportation Center.

SMDV is a venture comprising the JHM Group of Companies, Ciminelli Real Estate Corporation, ECCO III Enterprises and the Gilbane Company. The DOT is now engaged in preliminary contract negotiations with SMDV on a formal plan of design and construction for the project which will transform the Transportation Center into a complex of commercial, residential and retail development at the city’s premier rail and bus public transit hub.

                “SMDV has quickly demonstrated its creativity and flexibility, and we look forward to fully rounding out a plan that will benefit the state of Connecticut and the thousands of commuters who come and go from Stamford on a daily basis,” said DOT Commissioner James P. Redeker.  “There is still considerable work to be done on the complex contracts required for this project, but we are well on our way toward a successful outcome and I am confident our commuters and other stakeholders will be pleased with the final result.”

               SMDV Principal, John McClutchy commented, “We are looking forward to working together with DOT as we design and develop this important and innovative initiative. The collaborative approach that DOT has established will result in a forward-looking, multi-use project that addresses the needs of all of Stamford’s commuter population throughout the future.”

               The Department expects to complete negotiations and sign a contract with SMDV this fall.  Construction would begin in the spring of 2014. New parking would be constructed and in service within three years of the contract.  The rest of the development would be completed in phases over the next few years.  It is anticipated that the project will total in excess of $500 million. The State of Connecticut will contribute $35 million in bonds specifically for parking facilities. Debt and equity financing for the balance of the cost of the project will be provided by SMDV.

                 As presently envisioned, the TOD will include approximately 600,000 square feet of commercial office space, 60,000 square feet of street level retail space, a hotel with approximately 150 rooms and about 150 residential units.

                  Parking will continue to be available in the two existing garages during construction, and at all times there will be, at a minimum, the same number of commuter parking spaces available during construction as there are today. The new parking spaces will be provided among three separate sites located at Station Place, South State Street and Manhattan Street all with direct access to station platforms. All parking locations will be well within the quarter-mile distance designated as the maximum distance from the station.

                The selection of SMDV was made with the support of the Stamford TOD Advisory Committee which was appointed last year to work with the DOT on the project. Committee member David Hendricks said, “The road to

this decision has been long and challenging for the proposers, the Advisory Committee and the public stakeholders – not to mention the DOT and the City of Stamford. As a Stamford resident, garage-pass holder, Metro-North commuter and Rail Commuter Council member, I support the choice of SMDV and look forward to the overall improved commuter experience and economic benefits that this project promises to produce.”

Joseph McGee, Advisory Committee member and Vice President of the Business Council of Fairfield County, said, “We are pleased that the commuter parking will be adjacent to the train station. Concerns that commuters would have to walk a quarter of a mile to the station have been addressed. That will not happen.”

In July 2012, the DOT issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the project, at which time it noted that the purpose of the proposed project is to:

·         Replace the aging 727-space original parking garage that services the Stamford Transportation Center with low maintenance, long service life facilities that accommodate a minimum of 1,000  spaces

·         Expand the availability of parking and improve multimodal traffic, bicycle and pedestrian flow around the Stamford Transportation Center and Station Place

·         Minimize the public costs for construction and ongoing operations and maintenance of the parking facilities serving the Stamford Transportation Center by promoting TOD, which leverages and enhances the multimodal public transportation services provided by the Stamford Transportation Center

               The Department received multiple responses to the RFP and has spent the last several months evaluating them. SMDV’s proposal emerged as the most responsive to the RFP’s requirements.

More on the Stamford TOD project at:

                https://www.ct.gov/dot