Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's administration has ended talks to develop a $500 million transportation project in downtown Stamford.
The state had been negotiating with developers to convert the city's train station into a multi-use facility that would include office and retail space, hotel rooms and residential units.
But state officials announced in a brief written statement Wednesday that it would not be in the state's best interest to proceed further with negotiations. Little other explanation was given.
Stamford Mayor David Martin said he hopes to begin work on a new design plan for the station.
A key member of the development team for the Stamford project, L.P. Ciminelli Construction Co., was recently caught up in a federal investigation of bid-rigging in New York state.
Lawyers for Ciminelli executives denied the allegations.
“I continue to believe that high-intensity Transit-Oriented Development is the right use of that property, and I commend DOT and SMDV for their unflagging effort to bring this agreement to conclusion,” Office of Policy and Management Secretary Ben Barnes said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the negotiations failed to yield an agreement that benefits the residents of our state to the greatest extent possible. I look forward to DOT completing a replacement parking structure and thereafter redeveloping the Station Place property in a way that strengthens the transit system, the City of Stamford, and the State of Connecticut.”
Local
A statement from the Office of Policy and Management said the state Department of Transportation is initiating the design of a new 1,000-space garage that it will build on South State Street.
The new facility, expected to open in 2021, will have walkways connecting to all platforms at the station.
The current estimate to construct the new garage and demolish the existing garage is $53 million.
The site of the old garage will remain under DOT ownership and the existing garage will remain open until the new garage is completed.
