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Fairfield–Black Rock station

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Coordinates: 41°08′35″N 73°15′26″W / 41.1431°N 73.2573°W / 41.1431; -73.2573
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Fairfield Metro Center
(under construction)
General information
Location21 Black Rock Turnpike
Fairfield, CT
Line(s)
  New Haven Line
Construction
Parking1,500
Services
Preceding station   MNRR   Following station
Template:MNRR lines

Fairfield Metro Center is a planned 1,100,000-square-foot (100,000 m2) commercial development and regional commuter rail station situated on 35 acres (140,000 m2) in the town of Fairfield, Connecticut. At present the state of Connecticut has almost completed work on the bridge, station platform, and elevator towers. In late December 2009, State Senator John P. McKinney and Governor Jodi Rell announced a bond authorization for $20 Million wherein the state would assume the developer's obligations for infrastructure work and thereby continue the project. [1] [2] In late April, 2010, the developer's obligation for infrastructure improvements was reduced to $5.2 million with the balance being financed through the aforementioned state bonds. Responsibility for construction of the 1,500-car parking lot and access road at the town's third train station on lower Black Rock Turnpike was transferred to the town due as the developer's financial obligation was reduced. [3][4]

Controversy

The station depot itself was be owned by the developer and leased back to the state, which is in direct conflict with ConnDOT's long range plan to improve the governance of the train stations by having them all owned by the state. In this instance only the platforms will be owned by the state. The surface parking lot will be owned by the town will have 1,500 parking spaces built on top of material stockpiled as part of the remediation of the property that the developer will retain title to. The building complex will have its own parking to accommodate the expected automobile commuters. If the project is completed, it will increase the commercial space inventory in the town of Fairfield by 50%. The proposal includes a railroad station to be located between Fairfield station and Bridgeport station. Many expect that this station would become the new express pick-up from Fairfield heading toward Stamford and Grand Central thereby displacing the longstanding use of the downtown Fairfield station for that purpose. The complex will be accessible by exit 24 of I-95, through the traffic circle at Kings Highway, and a two lane road. As a special accommodation to the Metro Center owners, the town created a special high density / high volume zoning district just for this project. The special district will allow the planned buildings to tower higher than anything built to date in either the town of Fairfield or the neighboring Black Rock section of Bridgeport. The project has been designated as a "major traffic generator" by the CT State Traffic Commission with the proponents of the project representing that it will improve traffic conditions in the area. City of Bridgeport officials had called the traffic studies "woefully inadequate" during the review process.[5]

The completion date for the station had been expected to be late 2006 or early 2007 but those dates were never met.[6][7][8][9] A scaled down Phase 1 version of the project, which includes only the train station component is now scheduled for completion by 2010 but questions remain if that date will even be met because the lack of work by the developer.[10]

The project has been controversial for a number of reasons including the fact that it was originated by ConnDOT during the administration of the disgraced former Governor John G. Rowland [11] who was sentenced to federal prison for corruption. The contract for the project was negotiated by Rowland's Public Transportation Bureau Chief, Harry Harris, who was summarily dismissed by Governor Jodi Rell amid allegations that his government business practices intersected with his personal interests.[12] Other concerns with the project mention the negative impact on the adjacent neighborhoods of Grasmere in Fairfield and Black Rock in Bridgeport.[13][14] [15] And more recently in early 2008, local citizens are questioning mid-stream changes put in effect by the First Selectman to the well established and town charter mandated inland wetland regulatory processes with possible legal action against the town on the horizon.[16][17] [18] [19][20] [21] [22] An ethics investigation underway at the local level has already been met with contentious results.[23][24][25][26][27][28] The Ethics Commissioners, who were nominated for appointment by the First Selectman, a subject of the complaint, found no probable cause to proceed with an ethics investigation. That decision has been appealed by the complaintnats to Connecticut Superior Court and a pre-trial hearing is scheduled for August 2009.[29] Additionally, a Writ of Quo Warranto has been filed in CT Superior Court challenging the Conservation Commission's appointment of Gary Weddle, as Wetlands Compliance Officer to supervise consultants hired by the Commission on the Metro Center project, while at the same time excluding longstanding Conservation Director Steinke from supervising Weddle on the same project. The complaint maintains that the Commissions' actions were illegal in that there are no provisions within the Charter that allow the Commission to divide the supervision and duties of the office of the Conservation Director.[30][31] In early July 2010, a CT Superior Court Judge found the Commission's decsion to be illegal and ordered it reversed.[32] First Selectman Flatto promised the town would appeal the decision.[33]

References

  1. ^ Donna O'Keefe Saracco (2009-12-31). "Train Station gets a boost". Fairfield Minuteman.
  2. ^ Tim Loh (2010-01-20). "$20 million for Metro Center: "Bonding," not bailout, officials declare". Fairfield Citizen.
  3. ^ "Back on track". Fairfield Citizen.
  4. ^ Andrew Brophy (2010-04-30). "Bank Halts Foreclosure on Metro Center Developer's Property". Fairfield.Patch.
  5. ^ Chris Ciarmiello (2006-03-20). "Bridgeport tries to delay train station project". Fairfield Minuteman.
  6. ^ Eleanor Charles (2004-06-20). "Train Station Project Moves Ahead". New York Times.
  7. ^ Chris Ciarmiello (2005-08-25). "Metro Center plan hit with two lawsuits". Fairfield Minuteman.
  8. ^ Chris Ciarmiello (2006-03-27). "New train station wil be late". Fairfield Minuteman.
  9. ^ Brigid Quinn (2008-07-24). "Metro Center 'on hold'". Fairfield Minuteman.
  10. ^ Audrey Adade (2008-09-04). "Metro Center phase one may be done by 2010". Fairfield Minuteman.
  11. ^ Rachel Slajda (2008-05-01). "Rowland's Secrets". Fairfield Weekly.
  12. ^ Stacey Stowe (2004-06-08). "Inquiries Focus on Railroad Station Contract in Connecticut". New York Times.
  13. ^ AUDREY ADADE (2008-01-03). "Conservation removed from train project ". Fairfield Minuteman.
  14. ^ Erin Lynch (2008-05-08). "Neutral on a Moving Train?". Fairfield Weekly.
  15. ^ Erin Lynch (2008-04-08). "Flatto Publicly Called Out – Fairfield County Fair". Fairfield Weekly.
  16. ^ Audrey Adade (2008-01-31). "Environmentalists question Flatto". Fairfield Minuteman.
  17. ^ Andy Brophy (2008-03-02). "Metro Center Moving Forward, Despite Foes". Connecticut Post.
  18. ^ Brigid Quinn (2008-02-14). "Train delays". Fairfield Minuteman.
  19. ^ Jordan Fenster (2008-04-10). "Looking at legal action". Fairfield Minuteman.
  20. ^ Audrey Adade (2008-04-03). "Conservation meeting results in showdown". Fairfield Minuteman.
  21. ^ Erin Lynch (2008-04-10). "Railroaded?". Fairfield Weekly.
  22. ^ Erin Lynch (2008-04-24). "Flatto Fights Back". Fairfield Weekly.
  23. ^ Complaintants (2008-06-13). "Ethics Complaint". What's Up Fairfield.
  24. ^ Alison Walkley (2008-09-03). "Ethics Complaint Alleges Evidence of Collusion". Fairfield Citizen News.
  25. ^ Brigid Quinn (2008-11-13). "No probable cause for ethics probe". Fairfield Minuteman.
  26. ^ Brigid Quinn (2008-11-20). "Request to re-open ethics complaint". Fairfield Minuteman.
  27. ^ Alison Walkley (2008-11-18). "Residents Want Ethics Complaint Reinvestigated". Fairfield Citizen News.
  28. ^ Genevieve Reilly (2008-11-18). "Fairfield ethics complaint refiled". Connecticut Post.
  29. ^ Brigid Quinn (2008-12-18). "Ethics complainants to appeal to court". Fairfield Minuteman.
  30. ^ Brigid Quinn (2009-04-23). "Lawsuit filed against Steinke outster". Fairfield Minuteman.
  31. ^ Meg Learson Grosso (2009-09-24). "Judge upholds '8 concerned citizens' right to question". Fairfield Minuteman.
  32. ^ Andy Brophy (2010-07-06). "'Concerned Citizens' Claim Victory in Metro Center, Say Judge Agreed Flatto's Appointment of Wetlands Compliance Officer Was Not Legal". Fairfield Patch.
  33. ^ Andy Brophy (2010-07-07). "Flatto Blasts Metro Center Judge, Says Town Will Appeal, Judge Had Ruled Flatto Illegally Appointed Former Town Official as Wetlands Compliance Officer". Fairfield Patch.

41°08′35″N 73°15′26″W / 41.1431°N 73.2573°W / 41.1431; -73.2573

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