[lginlg]

Originally Posted by AntonioR

I also noticed a demolition notice on this house on Hubbard Avenue. I guess the owners of the little farm are going to expand their agriculture to where the house is. Such a shame that a stately and historic house will be destroyed.

The Hubbard Heights Farm sadly didn't plant this year and I suspect it's gone with the wind. The homes are part of the Sclafani homestead (the family that owns the San Marzano tomato empire). A couple of years ago, the Sclafani's had planned to put new houses on their grandfather's homestead. But when they learned New Caanan’s Randy Brown was looking for city land to grow an urban organic farm, their passion for food quality prevailed over their pocketbooks. The family invited the Cornell trained Farmer Brown to transform their Stamford estate into a farm. He had planned to replace the homes with farmland. But sadly, after two years, his City Farm Dream never came to profitable fruition.

The homes remain, but I hunch the Sclafani's are returning to their original plan.

[CTbrooktrout]

Whatever their plans, it's their land and I wish them luck with whatever they choose to do.

[wtby4000]

Originally Posted by AntonioR

I made that post on April 9 and today I passed by the area and noticed they razed the house. At the time I passed by there the house was completely destroyed and they were excavating debris from the basement and placing them on a large truck that was located backwards in that entrance visible in the last photo. A police officer was also there. I'm sure he stopped the traffic whenever the truck got out of there.

It's all gone:



Circa 1800s Stamford torn down for pizzeria parking - StamfordAdvocate

[AntonioR]

Entrance as seen on Google Street View.

The Zoning Board approved a long term expansion and improvement plan for The Stamford Museum and Nature Center on High Ridge Road.

The project includes:

• Adding a full planetarium to the observatory
• A new farm house
• Relocate the Maple Sugar House
• A new greenhouse and chicken coop
• Improve the Heckscher Barn
• A new museum and visitor center building
• Destruction of an addition to the Bendel Mansion

The changes would occur over the course of the next two decades, according to Melissa Mulrooney, the center’s executive director and CEO. Plans submitted to the city’s land-use boards show the work would be done in several phases.

Stamford Museum and Nature Center plans approved

[wtby4000]

Originally Posted by wtby4000

At 992 Summer Street, on the west side of the street between North and Hoyt streets, is a narrow empty lot between two low-rise office buildings. At one time this was the site of the Highgrove (Forest Street) luxury condo sales office.

Now there is a proposal to demolish Czescik Homes, an aging elderly/disabled public housing project consisting of two brick one-story motel-style buildings on both sides of I-95. One of them is across the river from RBS just south of the old burial ground at SE corner of Richmond Hill and Greenwich avenues. The other is just south of the railroad tracks along Greenwich Avenue north of Pulaski Street. The buildings are right next to the Rippowam/Mill River and came close to being flooded during Hurricane Sandy. Their addresses are 108, 172 and 186 Greenwich Avenue.

The residents would be resettled into a new building at 992 Summer Street, more than a mile to the north. This will be called Summer Place and will be a five-story 48-unit senior project.

Construction will begin in early 2015 with completion in mid-2016.

More info is in the news story here:
Money to replace elderly homes in Stamford | WTNH

There are some renderings here, but this firm is no longer involved in the project, so the renders are likely not representative of the finished product:

http://www.qa-architects.com/docs/ho...mford%2013.pdf

This one has groundbreaking scheduled tomorrow - 992 Summer St.



Inspirica CT breaks new ground! - Thehour.com: News

[howdydoody342]

is there really the demand in Stamford right now for all these apartments to be built? Is the hope to attract people out of the city to Stamford and then commute back in?

[richrf]

Originally Posted by howdydoody342

is there really the demand in Stamford right now for all these apartments to be built? Is the hope to attract people out of the city to Stamford and then commute back in?

Depends on the price point. If it is competitive with Westchester but new, there is lots of demand. Super-luxury stuff, i.e. like some in Harbor Point, can stand empty a long time.

[AntonioR]

I don't like that 992 Summer St will be set back from the street. The building should be right by the sidewalk. Downtown should be devoid of frontal parking.

[CTbrooktrout]

Originally Posted by AntonioR

I don't like that 992 Summer St will be set back from the street. The building should be right by the sidewalk. Downtown should be devoid of frontal parking.

Do you think it's for the benefit of the people who will be residing in the buildings? Maybe a little less street noise?

[howdydoody342]

Originally Posted by richrf

Depends on the price point. If it is competitive with Westchester but new, there is lots of demand. Super-luxury stuff, i.e. like some in Harbor Point, can stand empty a long time.

what's there angle? Come pay Manhattan prices for newer real estate in Stamford!