[MikefromCT]

A few weeks ago I drove down to Stamford to leave my car at the Metro North station for NYC. I got off the Merritt Pkwy and took some of the main roads to get there. As you approach downtown you can see some of the new construction projects - new office towers, new high-rise luxury condos and apartment buildings, a new Trump building of some sort - and they're huge. They're the kind you'd expect to see in Manhattan or, to a lesser extent, White Plains or one of those cities in Westchester.

I know Stamford is unique as it's so close to New York and there's a lot of hedge fund companies there, so naturally it continues to grow. When cities and towns expand, obviously so can their tax base (as it is in Stamford), but to those who live there, do you think the the quality of life will continue to improve or at least stay consistent as it is as the city grows? I mean, sometimes I wonder about that, because when towns/cities grow that means more services needed (policing, firefighting, maintaining roads and infrastructure), there's more a need to maintain public amenities (like parks, golf courses, pools, etc), sometimes it can put a strain on the budget especially where schools are concerned, sometimes it means an increase in crime. I guess I'm interested in what people think of Stamford in terms of how it's changed inthe past decade or so and if it's for the better. It's definitely gotten bigger, and I don't see that changing anytime soon.

And you know it's funny, I've been asking myself the same thing about my own town - it's not a city but it's still growing, with new residentail AND commercial properties still going up. The leaders of my town really know their stuff, but you still can't help but ask yourself where we may be 10 years from now, and I'm interested in what Stamford will look like a decade from now. Any thoughts?

[usmcfamily]

Stamford will continue to get better and better! It's a fantastic small city! There really is not much negative you can say about Stamford. I would worry more about the other cities in this state and what we can do to help them become as successful as Stamford.

[uconn99]

I don't think Stamford has too many large buildings, there are 2 over 200ft to my knowledge, I may be missing a couple.

The biggest building is Trump Parc at 350 feet.

In comparison, Hartford has I believe 12 buildings over 300 feet and too many to count over 200.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by usmcfamily

Stamford will continue to get better and better! It's a fantastic small city! There really is not much negative you can say about Stamford. I would worry more about the other cities in this state and what we can do to help them become as successful as Stamford.

I agree. If I could afford it, I'd do a reverse commute to Shelton and live in Stamford.

From what I understand, Stamford just redistricted its schools. I think the school system in the city is very progressive, or so I've heard.

Originally Posted by uconn99

I don't think Stamford has too many large buildings, there are 2 over 200ft to my knowledge, I may be missing a couple.

The biggest building is Trump Parc at 350 feet.

In comparison, Hartford has I believe 12 buildings over 300 feet and too many to count over 200.

I think what makes Stamford stand out is the very low crime rate in comparison to other cities similar in population.

[brasscitybluenwhite]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

I agree. If I could afford it, I'd do a reverse commute to Shelton and live in Stamford.

From what I understand, Stamford just redistricted its schools. I think the school system in the city is very progressive, or so I've heard.



I think what makes Stamford stand out is the very low crime rate in comparison to other cities similar in population.

I would love to know what makes Stamford so appealing. I think its just because its accessible (close to JFK, La Guardia) and it has the gateway feel (all new york-bound trains have to go through stamford before it gets they get to new york).

Kid, u know that I don't go to school for urban or criminal studies. But I'm wondering, do you think that the whole "stamford is safe" thing is just hype? I think there is a correlation between Stamford crime and its area. Look at the cities and land area in Connecticut.


Population Land area Crime Rate
Waterbury- 107,000 29 sq mi 364

Stamford- 118,475 38 sq mi 167

New Haven- 124,000 19 sq mi U/A

Hartford- 125,000 17 sq mi 662

Bridgeport- 137,000 16 sq mi 585



Generally, the more land area the city has, the less crime the city has. The difference between the crime rate of Waterbury and Stamford probably lies between the poverty rates (19% v 8%).
I think that Stamford is successful simply because it is more accessible, and I don't think it has anything to do with the crime rate, schools, etc.

[JViello]

Originally Posted by usmcfamily

There really is not much negative you can say about Stamford.

Except those pesky $500,000 starter homes.

Seriously though, Stamford's "it" is the fact that it's become a bedroom community to NYC and a tax haven (Can't believe I just said that) vs Westchester for a lot of companies.

So you have corporations moving in, and professional city workers moving in. It's not because the mayor rolled out a new development plan, that's for sure! Folks should thank Guiliani for making NYC grow so well which caused prices to skyrocket with people looking outside the city for housing (Ala Hoeboken too) and/or folks wanting to be close to the city as well. Same reason Providence has done well IMHO...Bostonian refugees.

[andthentherewere3]

I suppose it all depends on how you look at it. Personally, I think Fairfield County in general is way over-developed. And I'm not a fan of cities, so growth in cities doesn't appeal to me, either. But as cities go, Stamford is the best of them. We lived there for several years. There are still a few pockets north of the parkway where you don't feel like you are in a big city. In fact, we have friends who live there that feel like they live in a rural area which always makes me smile because it doesn't seem rural to me at all. Although, they aren't necessarily fans of the Stamford school system. The horror stories I hear from them always make me feel vastly relieved that we moved.

So yes, perhaps to some Stamford is getting too big, but I don't think most who live there would agree. It is after all a city, and with it's close proximity to NYC growth is to be expected. I think they are doing the right kind of development, too.

[jjbradleynyc]

I live here in Stamford, and have for 3 years. We own a house in the middle of the city, in the Bulls Head neighborhood area. I love the neighborhood and the city of Stamford as a whole.

It's exciting times for Stamford. In terms of residential, the Highgrove (with units starting around $1.2 million), the Trump Tower, several East Main St apt/condo towers, and the Harbor Pointe housing developments are incredibly impressive going up in this "down" economy. RBS coming to the city means a huge influx of people making over $200-$250k per year salaries. Harbor Pointe is a tremendous example of gentrification and the good change a well-planned retail/residential/office development can make.

NBC Universal is moving the Maury Povich, Jerry Springer, and a couple other shows to downtown Stamford in the fall. The Ritz-Carlton towers are planned but put on hold due to the economy, across the street. (going up in 2011, I think) Add in the Mill River park redevelopment, the study of a proposed trolley line, and the planned gentrification of old, rundown housing near the Stamford hospital and new RBS tower, and Stamford is definitely a city on the move.

To address your original question, I think if Stamford continues to adhere to the strict zoning policy that encourages big-box development and location of franchised stores downtown, it will minimize any sprawl or new big box on Long Ridge or High Ridge Roads.

Driving around Stamford, the city still feels like one of around 50k in population to me, and even smaller in some neighborhoods. The city has a huge amount of green and super quiet, safe, and gorgeous neighborhoods. The franchises, strip malls, and busy highways are few and far between. I'd like to keep Stamford this way, if possible, as it continues to grow.

I do think Stamford will most likely become CT's largest city in population within 20 years or so, maybe less. I think the key to Stamford keeping its quality of life while encouraging growth, is strict zoning and the continued enforcement of controlled growth.

[jjbradleynyc]

Originally Posted by indyainfo

I just opened few shops of UGG in Stanford.....


Uggbootsclassic

FYI, the city name is StaMford, not StaNford. Stanford is the university in CA. Plus, what's the relevance of ugg boots to the topic? just sayin'....

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by JViello

Except those pesky $500,000 starter homes.

Yeah, that is a problem. I truly think that Stamford's biggest problem is affordability and transportation (to/from more affordable areas). 35 years ago no one would have guessed how successful Stamford would become as a corporate center. Unbelieveable. Jay