Recognizing the opportunity to encourage business growth around a major transportation asset, the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency and the City of Norwalk engaged VHB to support transit-oriented development (TOD) around the South Norwalk Railroad Station through a neighborhood TOD study, community engagement, and grant support services.
Building on the Agency’s preexisting TOD redevelopment and the City’s rezoning of the South Norwalk area, VHB prepared a targeted TOD plan for Norwalk that informs land use and the build-out potential of public property and station area infrastructure needs and identifies near- and long-term strategies to encourage neighborhood investment. The community-driven plan preserves Norwalk’s historic and cultural roots, expands the district as a walkable community, maintains and expands affordable housing, promotes the use of green infrastructure and environmentally sustainable practices, and further connects the community to the station. Now that the study and planning process are complete, VHB is providing roadway, streetscape, and plaza design services to progress the recommendations of the TOD plan.
VHB has also supported the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency in securing grant funding to support the implementation of this TOD effort, including supporting successful applications for a Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) Communities Challenge grant and a Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant. The grants have collectively brought in $20 million to fund additional infrastructure design and complete streets improvements in the South Norwalk neighborhood to improve resident and commuter experience around the train station.
For the RAISE grant, which totaled $14.1 million, VHB developed a benefit-cost analysis, a key requirement of the grant, for the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency. VHB analyzed safety benefits, air quality improvements and greenhouse gas emissions reductions, amenity benefits including active transportation infrastructure, and travel time savings to prepare the cost-benefit analysis.
As an outgrowth of the South Norwalk Station Area Plan, VHB is currently preparing a Community Development Plan that emphasizes smart cities and digital equity planning.
