Danbury: Brookview Commons opens, downtown booms

[Lowerdeck]

About a month and a half ago, a five floor apartment complex on Crosby Street in downtown Danbury opened - Brookview Commons. It houses WestConn students, an alternative to campus dorm housing. While the city is not happy about having more college students downtown, the truth is... it's doing quite well for some downtown businesses.

The last time I was down in Danbury, the area around Ives Street was packed. Mostly college students as well. It's greatly helping out the economy of the city. As much as the city government and the News-Times loves to rip WestConn every chance it gets, the truth is... developments like Brookview are helping the city. As WestConn expands, it brings in more students from beyond the greater Danbury area and expands Danbury's profile throughout the region.

I just wish they hadn't put green paneling on the side of the building. The brick looked really nice and fitting with much of downtown. I also wish I had pictures, maybe next trip down there. But, it's definitely helping that area just west of Wooster Square.

[fivedayrental]

About a month and a half ago, a five floor apartment complex on Crosby Street in downtown Danbury opened - Brookview Commons. It houses WestConn students, an alternative to campus dorm housing. While the city is not happy about having more college students downtown, the truth is... it's doing quite well for some downtown businesses.

The last time I was down in Danbury, the area around Ives Street was packed. Mostly college students as well. It's greatly helping out the economy of the city. As much as the city government and the News-Times loves to rip WestConn every chance it gets, the truth is... developments like Brookview are helping the city. As WestConn expands, it brings in more students from beyond the greater Danbury area and expands Danbury's profile throughout the region.

I just wish they hadn't put green paneling on the side of the building. The brick looked really nice and fitting with much of downtown. I also wish I had pictures, maybe next trip down there. But, it's definitely helping that area just west of Wooster Square.

[Lowerdeck]

The westconn dorms does look pretty ok there, other than the green paneling. I have heard from my source that the 500 unit condo proposal on the former amphelonal site has been approved. Now if they could only redevelop the 1960s strip mall pretty much at the corner of White Street and Main Street into something that resembles what it surrounds..

[fivedayrental]

I'm not even really against a strip mall sitting on that position. Unless they could do major development on that site. That White Street plaza really just needs a facade to match the neighborhood. Right now it and the hardware/paint store in that block between White, Crosby, the Still River, and Maple looks really out of place. Considering all the brick buildings to the west in downtown and to the east with the courthouse, the Mexican restaurant, and the Midtown campus. Even the older Omaha Beef plant fits into the area better.

[Lowerdeck]

I meant the Sherwin Williams (and the Napa Auto Parts) on the White St. split towards Brookview Commons and Crosby St., in back of the White St. plaza. Those don't match the neighborhood either. If those places are gonna be kept, they should be more fitting to the brick of the rest of the City Center and the area it's in. I do agree though, I'd rather see something else on the site instead like a 5-6 floor condo building with stores on the bottom floor.

[fivedayrental]

I meant the Sherwin Williams (and the Napa Auto Parts) on the White St. split towards Brookview Commons and Crosby St., in back of the White St. plaza. Those don't match the neighborhood either. If those places are gonna be kept, they should be more fitting to the brick of the rest of the City Center and the area it's in. I do agree though, I'd rather see something else on the site instead like a 5-6 floor condo building with stores on the bottom floor.

[Lowerdeck]

I know exactly where that building is. I usually don't see it when I go in to town since I enter downtown from Main Street to White Street and on my way back, I just cut through ives street or patrioit road (where the ice rink is).

[fivedayrental]

Ah.

Maple, Balmforth, and Patriot was supposed to be part of a Danbury to Bethel expressway. It was supposed to be Exit 6 on I-84, then go highway through the east side of downtown and end outside downtown Bethel. It, like many highway projects, got cancelled in the late 50s and the 60s.

The Patriot Garage and the Danbury Ice Arena are some improvements to the area along that strip. But much of the rest looks like it's neglected... especially on the southbound Maple Ave stretch of what was built. Would really help the city if that got developed and dressed up. Maple Ave. is not a pretty area, while for some strange reason the northbound Balmforth is a lot better.

Then again, I'm pretty sure those of us who know Danbury agree with that last paragraph.

[Lowerdeck]

Got any plans for Maple, especially the western side of the street?

Or what he wants to do to bring more development downtown.

[fivedayrental]

Got any plans for Maple, especially the western side of the street?

Or what he wants to do to bring more development downtown.

[Lowerdeck]

I hope not any more condos. I got a letter on in the mail from the democratic candiate, which I am friends with her sons, saying the current has approved over 3000 condos since his election in Nov 2001. The candiate is pushing smart growth, real upgrades to transportation and preservation of open space. Over the last 5 years the site where I used to play paintball has been replaced with 150 upscale rental condos, 100 upscale townhomes and 90 homes built by Toll Brothers..

[fivedayrental]

Seems like there has been a lot of housing development heading towards New Fairfield and in Mill Plain in the recent years. The new condo complex on Route 37 looks out of place for the area, would have rather seen that closer to downtown than in the 'rural' woodsier part of the city.

[Lowerdeck]

What about that lot next to the News-Times building, behind the Concordia and the Subway? That needs to go.

[fivedayrental]

What about that lot next to the News-Times building, behind the Concordia and the Subway? That needs to go.

[Lowerdeck]

Danbury for a city of its size has a bit ridiculous downtown area. Aside from that small stretch of Main Street and along Ives, it's just weird. Condos and housing developments area. Small stand alone stores everywhere. Misplaced shopping plazas. That building with Cousin Larry's at the Main/Elm corner of Kennedy Park... why?

At least with this project going up by the Pulse Point and Brookview already up, downtown might change for better.

The Citgo station on Main by Franklin and Garamella didn't look out of place when the old Hip Hop Connection and the barbershop was across the street and the railroad tracks. With the lot cleared from the police station, the whole intersection is gonna be out of place.

[fivedayrental]

Danbury for a city of its size has a bit ridiculous downtown area. Aside from that small stretch of Main Street and along Ives, it's just weird. Condos and housing developments area. Small stand alone stores everywhere. Misplaced shopping plazas. That building with Cousin Larry's at the Main/Elm corner of Kennedy Park... why?

At least with this project going up by the Pulse Point and Brookview already up, downtown might change for better.

The Citgo station on Main by Franklin and Garamella didn't look out of place when the old Hip Hop Connection and the barbershop was across the street and the railroad tracks. With the lot cleared from the police station, the whole intersection is gonna be out of place.