Bridgeport, CT – Mayor Ganim joined city leaders this week to announce the two development proposals chosen in response to the Downtown North Development RFPs for projects on Main Street and Congress Street. Primrose Construction has been selected to create a new housing complex and Park City Ice-Palace LLC Development Group will build a premiere hockey and ice skating training facility.
“We are excited in Bridgeport. This part of Downtown is the last piece yearning for development and will now have the type of investment that will recapture the vision we have for Downtown North. What once was serving as a parking lot, will serve the community even better as residential property. And the vacant lot where the Davidson building sits, will be restored into a state-of-the-art training facility. While we were struggling with investment, other cities would have knocked down their historic buildings. But what these developers have committed to doing is incorporating the history of the city into the city’s future,” said Mayor Ganim
The Office of Planning & Economic Development received a 100% privately-funded proposal to develop the “Park City Ice Palace” premiere hockey and ice skating rinks to be located at 1269 Main Street. The total budget of this privately funded venture is $9.5MM to $12MM. The proposal will include seating for 750-1,250 people along with up to 200 parking spaces. In addition, the facility will boast a fitness center, juice bar, coffee shop, sandwich shop, and hockey pro shop. The plans also propose restoration of the Historic Davidson Fabrics Building (known to some as The Old Middle Street Boys Club) into a restaurant/bar and health/training facility with a private extended stay residence on the upper floor. The developers are looking forward to begin construction in spring of 2019. The Park City Ice Palace will draw families and events into the north end of downtown and will complement the Majestic/Poli Theater project.
The second development is Congress Plaza which will take over the block now utilized for parking. This 100% privately-funded proposal valued at approximately $18MM will increase Bridgeport’s residential living selections by developing 92 units of market-rate rental housing. Congress Plaza will feature 7,000 square feet of street-level retail space and approximately 80 off-street parking spaces. The Plaza architecture is designed to complement the façade of the neighboring theaters. The developer Primrose Construction will break ground and begin construction within 12 months from the execution of LDA.
