Stamford Unveils New Downtown Plaza Focused On Safety, Outdoor Dining

STAMFORD, CT — The City of Stamford on Thursday unveiled a new public plaza at the intersection of Bedford Street and Forest Street that aims to increase safety in the area while providing a permanent space for outdoor dining and other activities.

A small parking lot on Bedford Street and Forest Street was previously transformed on a temporary basis into an outdoor dining space for the last five years.

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The Transportation, Traffic & Parking Department decided to turn the lot into a permanent 9,500-square-foot plaza with new raised crosswalks to slow nearby cars, new traffic signals, new green space, new trees, general public seating, and space for outdoor dining for restaurants.

The project received a $2 million state grant, with the city chipping in $1 million.

"About 12 months ago, this whole area was a parking lot - a parking lot, right in the heart of our downtown, space for vehicles. Now we're at a 9,500 square foot public plaza here for people to enjoy themselves, outdoor dining with restaurants, new green space, and really just a new place in the heart of our downtown for residents, visitors, to just interact with everybody and really show what the heart of Stamford is, which is community," said Luke Buttenwieser of the Transportation, Traffic & Parking Department during a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday.

Buttenwieser noted the area was one of the most dangerous intersections in Stamford, with one pedestrian death and several crashes over the years.

"This is a brand new raised crosswalk to slow cars down, connecting this new public plaza to Latham Park to support our parks. A new traffic signal is going to be coming in, new raised crosswalks on Bedford Street to slow vehicles down, all part of our Vision Zero program in the city," Buttenwieser said. "This is how we're able to combine roadway safety efforts as well as public and space improvement efforts as part of this project."

Mayor Caroline Simmons said the new plaza is "a wonderful addition to what is already a thriving downtown," and supports the goals of the city to create safe gathering spaces for families and children, promote sustainability with the addition of new trees and plantings, support small businesses, and support the Vision Zero initiative of eliminating roadway fatalities and crashes.

Simmons thanked the businesses along Bedford Street for their patience during the construction process.

"Congratulations to all," she said. "I can't wait to see all the families and the activities that are going to happen in this new plaza, and we hope all of our residents enjoy it for many years to come."

Stamford Director of Operations Matt Quinones called Thursday "a really exciting milestone" for Stamford, and he thanked various officials for helping the project come to fruition.

"This project highlights just how important it is to invest in downtown and how important it is for Stamford to continue to be the vibrant community and vibrant city that we all know and love," he said.

Chief Operating Officer for the Stamford Downtown Special Services District Marisa Rogo spoke on behalf of President Michael Moore, who couldn't be in attendance.

"For Stamford Downtown, this is much more than an intersection improvement and new plaza. It's our commitment to a safer downtown that's more connected and welcoming," Rogo said. "This intersection is an important gateway to Stamford Downtown. Thousands of people travel on it, and these enhancements create a more inviting experience."