Fairfield Metro Center

Infobox Station
name=Fairfield/Black Rock Metro Center
(planned)
style=MNRR New Haven
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address= 21 Black Rock Turnpike
Fairfield, CT
line=Metro-North:
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platform=
tracks=
parking=1,500
bicycle=
passengers=
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pass_percent=0
opened=
rebuilt=
ADA=
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owned=
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Fairfield Metro Center is a planned and often controversial massive 900,000 square feet building complex and possible train station along Metro-North Railroad's New Haven Line in eastern Fairfield, Connecticut. The project has been heavily subsidized by state, federal, and local taxpayer funding. If construction ever commences and 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 make traffic conditions in the area. City of Bridgeport officials had called the traffic studies "woefully inadequate" during the review process.cite web|url=http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16338034&BRD=1653&PAG=461&dept_id=12717&rfi=6|title=Bridgeport tries to delay train station project|author=Chris Ciarmiello|publisher=Fairfield Minuteman|date=2006-03-20]

The street address of the site is 21 Black Rock Turnpike, just across form BJ's Wholesale Club. The station depot itslef will 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 platfoms 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 devoloper will retain title to. The building complex will have its own parking to accommodate the expected automobile commuters.Actual construction of the train station and associated commercial space has yet to begin. The completion date for the station had been expected to be late 2006 or early 2007 but those dates were never met. cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE3DC1639F933A15755C0A9629C8B63|title=Train Station Project Moves Ahead|author=Eleanor Charles|publisher=New York Times|date=2004-06-20] cite web|url=http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15095932&BRD=1653&PAG=461&dept_id=12717&rfi=6|title=Metro Center plan hit with two lawsuits |author=Chris Ciarmiello |publisher=Fairfield Minuteman|date=2005-08-25] cite web|url=http://www.zwire.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=16382912&BRD=1653&PAG=461&dept_id=12717&rfi=8|title=New train station wil be late |author=Chris Ciarmiello |publisher=Fairfield Minuteman|date=2006-03-27] cite web|url=http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19869247&BRD=1653&PAG=461&dept_id=12717&rfi=6|title=Metro Center 'on hold'|publisher=Fairfield Minuteman|date=2008-07-24|author=Brigid Quinn] The project has since been recast and a so-called phase 1 version of the project is now MAYBE scheduled for completion by 2010.cite web|url=http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20105440&BRD=1653&PAG=461&dept_id=12717&rfi=6|title=Metro Center phase one may be done by 2010 |publisher=Fairfield Minuteman|date=2008-09-04|author=Audrey Adade]

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 cite web|url=http://www.fairfieldweekly.com/article.cfm?aid=7612|title=Rowland's Secrets
author=Rachel Slajda|publisher=Fairfield Weekly|date=2008-05-01] 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.cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9502E7DB1F31F93BA35755C0A9629C8B63|title=Inquiries Focus on Railroad Station Contract in Connecticut|author=Stacey Stowe|date=2004-06-08|publisher=New York Times] Other concerns with the project mention the negative impact on the adjacent neighborhoods of Grasmere in Fairfield and Black Rock in Bridgeport.cite web|url=http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?dept_id=12717&PAG=461&rfi=6&newsid=19164600|title=Conservation removed from train project |author=AUDREY ADADE|publisher=Fairfield Minuteman|date=2008-01-03] cite web|url=http://www.fairfieldweekly.com/article.cfm?aid=7729|title=Neutral on a Moving Train? |author=Erin Lynch|publisher=Fairfield Weekly|date=2008-05-08] cite web|url=http://www.fairfieldweekly.com/blogs/home.cfm?aid=7151|title=Flatto Publicly Called Out|Fairfield County Fair|publisher=Fairfield Weekly |author=Erin Lynch|date=2008-04-08] 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. cite web|url=http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19249736&BRD=1653&PAG=461&dept_id=12717&rfi=6|title=Environmentalists question Flatto|author=Audrey Adade|publisher=Fairfield Minuteman|date=2008-01-31] cite web|url=http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1277771/metro_center_moving_forward_despite_foes/index.html?source=r_science|title=Metro Center Moving Forward, Despite Foes|publisher=Connecticut Post|date=2008-03-02|author=Andy Brophy] cite web|url=http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19294915&BRD=1653&PAG=461&dept_id=12717&rfi=6|title=Train delays|publisher=Fairfield Minuteman|date=2008-02-14|author=Brigid Quinn] cite web|url=http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19471245&BRD=1653&PAG=461&dept_id=12717&rfi=6|title=Looking at legal action|publisher=Fairfield Minuteman|date=2008-04-10|author=Jordan Fenster] cite web|url=http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19449690&BRD=1653&PAG=461&dept_id=12717&rfi=6|title=Conservation meeting results in showdown|publisher=Fairfield Minuteman|date=2008-04-03|author=Audrey Adade] cite web|url=http://www.fairfieldweekly.com/article.cfm?aid=7184|title=Railroaded?
author=Erin Lynch|publisher=Fairfield Weekly|date=2008-04-10] cite web|url=http://www.fairfieldweekly.com/article.cfm?aid=7463|title=Flatto Fights Back|publisher=Fairfield Weekly|author=Erin Lynch|date=2008-04-24] cite web|url=http://www.fairfieldcitizen-news.com/local/ci_10370004|title=Ethics Complaint Alleges Evidence of Collusion|publisher=Fairfield Citizen News|author=Alison Walkley|date=2008-09-03]

References

External links

* [http://www.fairfieldmetrocenter.com/ Fairfield Metro Center]
* [http://www.stationstops.com/2008/04/11/fairfield-metro-center-development-project-mired-in-embarrassingly-ugly-local-politics-video/ Metro Center public meeting event video]