Andres Duany, the noted architect and founder of new urbanism, has been described as the most charismatic Cuban since Ricky Ricardo. He used all his charm, and considerable skills, in leading a weeklong design charrette in late October for the proposed Georgetown Land Development redevelopment of a 55-acre former wire factory, located about 50 miles northeast of New York City in Redding, Connecticut.

In a community noted for land trusts, 5-acre zoning, and vigorous preservation of its rural nature, the plan calls for a pedestrian-oriented neo-traditional village of approximately 600 residential units, its own train station with service to Stamford and New York, 290,000 square feet of commercial (both office and retail) and civic (theatre, YMCA) space. The total value of the development could exceed $350-million.

The property is a brownfield, with heavy metals such as zinc and lead left from the wire fence manufacturing. The redevelopment incorporates the remediation of the site, including some soil removal, but largely encapsulation (“capping”) to be subject to review and approval of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection and the EPA. Almost all the encapsulated areas will rest beneath buildings or paved areas. During the charrette, a $100,000 Targeted Brownfields Site Assessment grant was announced by the EPA to the town of Redding to assist in the clean-up and redevelopment.

The new retail development is meant to complement the thriving retail and restaurant row located across Route 107 on Georgetown’s Main Street, featuring the famed Georgetown Saloon restaurant and music venue. The plan also uses the embankments of Norwalk River as it curves through the site, with at least one restaurant overlooking the existing waterfall, now hidden but to be opened. Some existing uses, including a carpentry shop, facilities for the nearby Weir Farm National Park, and a facility where replica steam autos are assembled, will remain.

Stephen Soler, the principal of Georgetown Land Development LLC brought in Duany because of the unique nature of this property, the former Gilbert & Bennett wire factory, after having acquired the property via a tax lien purchase and foreclosure, taking control from the Kuwaiti group that had purchased the company in 1985 and had declared bankruptcy. A manufacturing facility from 1834 to 1989, the property includes historic brick mill buildings and stone office building (both of which will be reused) its own pond and waterfall (actually part of the Norwalk River) and numerous warehouse buildings. The property was used as a factory set in the Danny DeVito movie “Other People’s Money”.

In addition to neighbors, many if not most town officials, including the First Selectman (the equivalent of a mayor), a number of state environmental, transportation and economic development representatives, and Congressman Chris Shays attended at least part of the workshop. The entire process was open to the public, with numerous meetings on specific topics such as the environmental remediation, transportation, historic preservation, and tax and school system impact. The plan prepared will now be officially submitted to the Town of Redding, for approval as a master plan and special zoning district. The proposal, also calls for the creation of a special tax district to help finance infrastructure, the proposed train station, parking facilities and other municipal services.