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When you are wise to the areas where the drug dealing is going on you are smart.
All of you folks who have lived all your lives in the leafy suburbs don't get it. This is about safety and drug dealing. It's a dangerous business. It's a lot different than a few kids fighting at a mall.
I was born in Stamford on the West Side. The south end and the west side is where most of the drug dealing is in Stamford. My cousins own Pellicci's on the West Side. My other cousins own Rubino's in the more southern part of Stamford. I can tell you I still get a blow by blow description of what goes on in the West Side and South End.
I still have lots of cousins in Norwalk so I know what is going on there. It's just south of the mall.
I live in Trumbull and I read the CT Post so I know where the majority of the drug dealing is in Bridgeport. It's in the southern area of Bridgeport.
All I am saying is that be smart and know where the worst areas of the cities are. And it so happens that the Norwalk Mall is within walking distance of where the most of the drug dealing that is going on in South Norwalk.
Trumbull is the only small town with a mall in Fairfield County. It is hard for us to absorb all the petty crime and theft that happens at the mall with our small population so it appears Trumbull is unsafe. It's about math.
Malls
Trumbull.....population 36,018 (we are totally unique in CT in the fact we have a mall in such a small town in Fairfield County)
Stamford....population 130,824
Norwalk......population 89,005 (almost 3 times the population of Trumbull)
Only time will tell but IMO that is the dumbest location for a high end mall in Norwalk. I would have put that mall on the Post Road near Darien or Westport.
Only time will tell but IMO that is the dumbest location for a high end mall in Norwalk. I would have put that mall on the Post Road near Darien or Westport.
I'm not sure what this fear mongering is all about. Most folks aren't stupid. No one is hiding and running for cover at every turn.
Its a good thing you're not in the commercial real estate business. Don't quit you're day job.
That location was the perfect storm of opportunity and location at the crossroads of two major thorofares.
The other areas are residential and wouldn't have the space or land available. Doubt the zoning would allow such a a large project.
I hope those cousins don't show up in my driveway with baseball bats.
When you are wise to the areas where the drug dealing is going on you are smart.
All of you folks who have lived all your lives in the leafy suburbs don't get it. This is about safety and drug dealing. It's a dangerous business. It's a lot different than a few kids fighting at a mall.
I was born in Stamford on the West Side. The south end and the west side is where most of the drug dealing is in Stamford. My cousins own Pellicci's on the West Side. My other cousins own Rubino's in the more southern part of Stamford. I can tell you I still get a blow by blow description of what goes on in the West Side and South End.
I still have lots of cousins in Norwalk so I know what is going on there. It's just south of the mall.
I live in Trumbull and I read the CT Post so I know where the majority of the drug dealing is in Bridgeport. It's in the southern area of Bridgeport.
All I am saying is that be smart and know where the worst areas of the cities are. And it so happens that the Norwalk Mall is within walking distance of where the most of the drug dealing that is going on in South Norwalk.
Trumbull is the only small town with a mall in Fairfield County. It is hard for us to absorb all the petty crime and theft that happens at the mall with our small population so it appears Trumbull is unsafe. It's about math.
Malls
Trumbull.....population 36,018 (we are totally unique in CT in the fact we have a mall in such a small town in Fairfield County)
Stamford....population 130,824
Norwalk......population 89,005 (almost 3 times the population of Trumbull)
Only time will tell but IMO that is the dumbest location for a high end mall in Norwalk. I would have put that mall on the Post Road near Darien or Westport.
I grew up going to church, at friend's homes, and school at Cathedral in Bridgeport. My mom's family is from there. My high school bordered Bridgeport and many, many of my friends were on scholarship from other parts of the city. My (now) husband was a teacher there, actually, in more current times.
I also used to run right where you are talking about in Norwalk. Around the train station, the back streets all over there, just south of SoNo. For years. Early in the morning and late at night. I also now live in Los Angeles and in areas where shootings, hostage situations, drug deals, etc all take place. I get it. I still disagree with what you are saying....yes, some places have higher areas of crime, drug dealing, etc, but unless you are somewhere like Skid Row, generally (generally!) if you keep your nose out of other people's drug deals and people won't bother you.
Also, I still stand that the area walking from SoNo to the mall is fine. You have to walk past the Spread, then O'Neills, etc. etc. I agree with Steve85M...no need for fear mongering. I also agree there is no space for the mall in either of those locations you mentioned (sadly) and that what used to be that giant empty lot is a good spot for the mall. Other than the potentially holiday shopping bottleneck from the highway, of course!
Again, looking forward to hopefully finally checking out the interior this weekend!
I'm not sure what this fear mongering is all about. Most folks aren't stupid. No one is hiding and running for cover at every turn.
This is not fear-mongering. This is about smart development. Let me clarify.
NEW HAVEN
New Haven used to have a mall. I moved to Trumbull in the 1990's and I remember hearing about the New Haven Mall. I seem to remember that it had crime and lots of shenanigans going on in there. The mall was closed and either demolished or part of it demolished to make way for a different kinds of development where people come into the stores from the OUTSIDE and not park, go inside the mall and then go to stores.
To me New Haven is smart development in the downtown area. They are doing it right. They are not giving the criminals and kids a place to hang around and start trouble or commit crime.
NORWALK
South Norwalk (before the enclosed mall) is perfect development for that area that is closer to crime ridden areas. I don't think an enclosed mall in that area is a good idea. I would have rather seen a continuation of the original SONO walkable area. Even my friend who had never been to SONO said the same thing. He mentioned it as we were walking to the mall. He said "what happened to that cool area we were in". When we went into that mall we were the only ones on the street level walking and when we came out of the mall were then again the only ones walking near the mall.
TRUMBULL
Now that I am seeing all the problems going on in my mall I think it's time should come to an end. I now side with the new owners of my mall that want to change the mall completely and have apartments and stores to walk to from the outside. I was against it and wrote about it is this very thread a few months back. Now I realize the new mall owners are right. IMO the best thing for Trumbull would be to have something akin to SONO (without the mall) with apartments and stores you walk into from the outside.
This is a MAJOR topic of discussion on the Trumbull Facebook pages and many Trumbull residents are voicing they no longer go to the Trumbull Mall. Not good. At least I still go to my mall. Just to show you how strongly I feel about this I wrote this to the economic developer of my town. Below is my letter.
Hi "Mary"
You and First Selectman are doing a great job getting businesses into town.
You know I have been thinking about our Mall. I now agree with the new owners. It seems the mall has become a place for the kids to hang out and start fights. I won't go into the food court any more. I also mostly just park near the stores I want to go to so I don't have to walk around the mall that much.
Maybe Trumbull should rethink the entire area below the Parkway in the fashion that the new mall owners want. Have a series of walkable shopping centers and apartment buildings so there is not fast food located all in one spot and have higher end sit down restaurants (and some with music). I envision the area below the parkway as a cross between our Long Hill Green and South Norwalk (the arts district). It could have parks too.
I am just thinking out loud but wanted you to see my idea. Maybe the town residents could have meetings to discuss this possibility like we did when the Long Hill Green development was being talked about. I am a big supporter of the smart development that is going on at the Long Hill Green.
This is not fear-mongering. This is about smart development. Let me clarify.
NEW HAVEN
New Haven used to have a mall. I moved to Trumbull in the 1990's and I remember hearing about the New Haven Mall. I seem to remember that it had crime and lots of shenanigans going on in there. The mall was closed and either demolished or part of it demolished to make way for a different kinds of development where people come into the stores from the OUTSIDE and not park, go inside the mall and then go to stores.
To me New Haven is smart development in the downtown area. They are doing it right. They are not giving the criminals and kids a place to hang around and start trouble or commit crime.
NORWALK
South Norwalk (before the enclosed mall) is perfect development for that area that is closer to crime ridden areas. I don't think an enclosed mall in that area is a good idea. I would have rather seen a continuation of the original SONO walkable area. Even my friend who had never been to SONO said the same thing. He mentioned it as we were walking to the mall. He said "what happened to that cool area we were in". When we went into that mall we were the only ones on the street level walking and when we came out of the mall were then again the only ones walking near the mall.
TRUMBULL
Now that I am seeing all the problems going on in my mall I think it's time should come to an end. I now side with the new owners of my mall that want to change the mall completely and have apartments and stores to walk to from the outside. I was against it and wrote about it is this very thread a few months back. Now I realize the new mall owners are right. IMO the best thing for Trumbull would be to have something akin to SONO (without the mall) with apartments and stores you walk into from the outside.
This is a MAJOR topic of discussion on the Trumbull Facebook pages and many Trumbull residents are voicing they no longer go to the Trumbull Mall. Not good. At least I still go to my mall. Just to show you how strongly I feel about this I wrote this to the economic developer of my town. Below is my letter.
Hi "Mary"
You and First Selectman are doing a great job getting businesses into town.
You know I have been thinking about our Mall. I now agree with the new owners. It seems the mall has become a place for the kids to hang out and start fights. I won't go into the food court any more. I also mostly just park near the stores I want to go to so I don't have to walk around the mall that much.
Maybe Trumbull should rethink the entire area below the Parkway in the fashion that the new mall owners want. Have a series of walkable shopping centers and apartment buildings so there is not fast food located all in one spot and have higher end sit down restaurants (and some with music). I envision the area below the parkway as a cross between our Long Hill Green and South Norwalk (the arts district). It could have parks too.
I am just thinking out loud but wanted you to see my idea. Maybe the town residents could have meetings to discuss this possibility like we did when the Long Hill Green development was being talked about. I am a big supporter of the smart development that is going on at the Long Hill Green.
Your unwavering tenacity is shining through here and another fine example of many throughout your long and storied tenure here on City Forum.
I cannot agree with you more. My wife went to the Trumbull Mall once a couple of years ago and vowed to never go back.
Now she and her hoighty toighty friends love the new mall and will go now and then. The only thing victimized will be my bank account, unfortunately.
One time, they walked over to the Spread for lunch and walked back. Said it was lovely day out with the BFFs.
I too have to admit the (Trumbull) mall is a shell of what it used to be. Before the rise of online shopping it truly was a destination, but now the times have left it behind. I too am in favor of redeveloping it.
I too have to admit the (Trumbull) mall is a shell of what it used to be. Before the rise of online shopping it truly was a destination, but now the times have left it behind. I too am in favor of redeveloping it.
I think that is the fault of Westfield. The stores they allowed to move in catered to the lowest level of shopper. They brought a lot of cheap junk type retailers rather than going more upscale. Jay
I think that is the fault of Westfield. The stores they allowed to move in catered to the lowest level of shopper. They brought a lot of cheap junk type retailers rather than going more upscale. Jay
It very well could be. I don't know enough specifically about the Trumbull mall or Westfield's management of it but I do know malls are a dying trend and even building one in Norwalk was a dumb idea.
Here's the thing: Brick and mortar stores will always exist even if they cost more because of the special experience they provide.
But that's the thing. They need to provide the customer with a sense of "feeling good" while shopping there. I, and many other people, just don't get that "feel good" experience from a mall (especially with all of the negative press about malls recently).
Instead I get it from things like small business Saturday and one location restaurants - locations that are small and cozy where you can feel a relationship with the owner/management (even if there isn't one). Malls, meanwhile, were originally competed against that feel with efficiency and economies of scale. Now malls' greatest strength has become their greatest weakness against Amazon (who will permanently beat them at their own game).
It very well could be. I don't know enough specifically about the Trumbull mall or Westfield's management of it but I do know malls are a dying trend and even building one in Norwalk was a dumb idea.
Here's the thing: Brick and mortar stores will always exist even if they cost more because of the special experience they provide.
But that's the thing. They need to provide the customer with a sense of "feeling good" while shopping there. I, and many other people, just don't get that "feel good" experience from a mall (especially with all of the negative press about malls recently).
Instead I get it from things like small business Saturday and one location restaurants - locations that are small and cozy where you can feel a relationship with the owner/management (even if there isn't one). Malls, meanwhile, were originally competed against that feel with efficiency and economies of scale. Now malls' greatest strength has become their greatest weakness against Amazon (who will permanently beat them at their own game).
I agree that what retail lacks today is the experience. Stores are too busy trying to beat Amazon at their own game which is selection and price. What they should be doing is focusing on service, atmosphere, decor, style and feeling. By making shopping an experience, it becomes an activity rather than a chore. They should then tie it in with online shopping and home delivery. Thats what could bring shoppers in. Not jammed aisles of cheap crap falling all over the store. Jay
It very well could be. I don't know enough specifically about the Trumbull mall or Westfield's management of it but I do know malls are a dying trend and even building one in Norwalk was a dumb idea.
Here's the thing: Brick and mortar stores will always exist even if they cost more because of the special experience they provide.
But that's the thing. They need to provide the customer with a sense of "feeling good" while shopping there. I, and many other people, just don't get that "feel good" experience from a mall (especially with all of the negative press about malls recently).
Instead I get it from things like small business Saturday and one location restaurants - locations that are small and cozy where you can feel a relationship with the owner/management (even if there isn't one). Malls, meanwhile, were originally competed against that feel with efficiency and economies of scale. Now malls' greatest strength has become their greatest weakness against Amazon (who will permanently beat them at their own game).
Cozy Mom and Pops are cute but they'll all be the first to go. That's already started.
Malls depend on location. Trumbull and Stamford are at the end of the ropes. This new mall might be around a while once Apple, Amazon Store, Yard House, and Sally's are up and running. Malls out west will be around a while too. Malls in New Jersey will outlast humankind.
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