Stamford Downtown District President To Retire After 26 Years

STAMFORD, CT — Sandy Goldstein has been working to keep Stamford's downtown area vibrant and thriving as president of the Stamford Downtown Special Services District for more than two decades. It is a job she has cherished every moment of.

Now after 26 years, she has announced she will retire on Dec. 31 and move on to another chapter in her life.

"I have been here for 26 years, and it's been an absolutely glorious time for me professionally, but it's time to move on to something else," Goldstein said to Patch. "I now am planning what the next part of my life will be like."

Though she does not know what's next for yet, Goldstein said she is excited about the prospect of being a "work in progress" as she figures it out. She also said she does not have a replacement in line yet.

Despite her excitement, Goldstein admitted she is a bit emotional about leaving her beloved job after so many years.

"I'm very sad to leave this position," Goldstein said. "This has been an essential element of my life for 26 years, but I know it's time for me to turn another page."

Goldstein said her job utilizes every skill she has, including management, strategic planning and event planning. She also gives credit to her staff for helping the DSSD accomplish all it has during her time as president.

"All this was done with a remarkable staff," Goldstein said. "I have people who work with me who are gems; people who are creative, visionary, talented and know how to get a job done."

Since she started the position in 1993, Goldstein has had a lot to be proud of. She helped bring the University of Connecticut's Stamford campus to the downtown area in 1998, and later lobbied for getting the campus dorms.

"I'm proud of the fact that, through different zoning regulations [DSSD] lobbied for, we were able to change regulations and made it easier for developers to build housing," Goldstein said. "We always knew that housing was critical to the downtown's vibrancy, so we more than tripled the number of housing in the downtown."

Along with creating and implementing events that have branded Stamford, not just the downtown area, one of the things Goldstein is most proud of is that the downtown remains the center of Stamford; a place for entertainment, as well as office, hotel and major retail development, she said.

It's all been a labor of love, as her passion extends to the city of Stamford as a whole.

"What I love most about Stamford is its 'urban plus small town' feeling," Goldstein said. "It's diverse and is home to multiple ethnicities, languages and churches. It's what makes a city great, and yet we're fortunate enough to be a city and rural. You have that rural feeling if you're up north, and you have that urban feeling if you're in the downtown."

As she prepares for the last six months of her job, Goldstein will continue to cherish every last moment.

"This is the most rewarding and challenging job one could have," Goldstein said. "I feel as if I was blessed to have this job."