Residents give input on 'Heart of Norwalk' redevelopment plans

Project manager Phillip Burns explains the Heart of Norwalk revamping plans to residents during the open house workshop. (Photo by Vincent Medina)

NORWALK - The Heart of Norwalk Specific Plan Community Workshop was held this week to receive concerns from Norwalk residents on the city’s revamping project.

Project leaders from the Arroyo Group and city officials guided community members through their plans and received feedback on which ideas they favored or disapproved.

Project manager Phillip Burns from the Arroyo Group said he heard community members express concerns over their ideas for affordable housing.

“There were concerns about the density around the affordable housing district,” Burns said. “Oftentimes, higher density is often a prerequisite for affordability.”

Norwalk planning commission member Richard Legaspi expressed concerns over how vendors will be acquired for the revitalization of Front Street.

“They want to go through the development, other people on the properties right now,” Legaspi said. “They’re proposing these ideas, but it’s basically other people’s property right now. So are they going to buy out the other people? That’s going to take time and money and the city doesn’t have the money.”

Members from the Norwalk activist group “Norwalk Unides” attended the workshop to observe the plans and determine if the project would be beneficial or detrimental to the city.

Norwalk Unides member Sairy Gil said he was pleased that the project is being environmentally conscious and involving the community in their plans.

“On the far south corridor, they’re adding more trees and the trees do really help people slow down,” said Gil. “You mentally feel like you need to go slower when you see obstructions to your left and right you want to maintain the speed.”

Gil also expressed concern over the affordability of affordable housing.

Norwalk Unides has not expressed a formal opinion on the overall project, but plans to after their monthly meeting.

The plans for the Heart of Norwalk revitalization project are still in development as project leaders take community feedback into consideration.