Barry’s, a fitness chain with over 70 locations across the U.S. and around the world, is planning to open its first Connecticut studio in Darien, according to an announcement from commercial real estate firm Saugatuck Commercial Real Estate (SCRE) on Monday. Barry’s has signed a lease at The Corbin District to open in a 4,373…Read Complete Text

DARIEN — Boston-based eatery Tatte Bakery & Café will open its first Connecticut location in Darien’s Corbin District. The Corbin District announced the news Wednesday morning in a post on Instagram, saying Tatte has been a frequent request over the last five years and adding, “This beautifully designed space is certain to become a Darien and regional…Read Complete Text

DARIEN — After months of digging down after demolition, construction on the Corbin District’s second phase is now beginning to take shape along Boston Post Road. After completing the first half in late 2023, the ambitious redevelopment of downtown Darien is on track to welcome brand new businesses in summer 2026 and new residents that fall. Work on…Read Complete Text

The pandemic ushered in a work-from-home trend that has caused office building vacancies to soar in many cities and towns, but that doesn’t scare Darien commercial property developer David Genovese. The CEO of Baywater Properties will grow Darien’s office space footprint by 22% as a result of his mixed-use development called The Corbin District. The project, which is…Read Complete Text

Abilis, the nonprofit organization providing services and support to more than 800 individuals with disabilities and their families throughout Fairfield County, is excited to announce the grand opening of The Cohen Abilis Advancement Center at 78 Harvard Avenue in Stamford. The Center was officially opened on January 30th with a ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring Alex Cohen,…Read Complete Text

Global management-consulting firm McKinsey & Co. announced this week a plan to relocate its lone offices in Connecticut, which are located in the south end of Stamford, to a new mixed-use development in downtown Darien. McKinsey has signed a lease for about 12,000 square feet at 1 Market St., an under-construction building in The Corbin District that is expected to be…Read Complete Text

Barings, one of the world’s largest diversified real estate investment managers, announced today that it has provided a $102 million construction loan alongside $63.3 million in C-PACE financing from Counterpointe Sustainable Real Estate for the development of The Corbin District – Phase II in Darien, Connecticut. Baywater Properties, which completed Phase I of the project…Read Complete Text

  Sleepy Darien is expanding its downtown to accommodate more offices for people looking to stay close to home.   By Nacha Cattan and Katia Porzecanski   (Bloomberg) — Darien is a postage stamp of a little town. The richest in all of Connecticut’s Gold Coast, it’s packed densely with multimillion-dollar homes and is an…Read Complete Text

DARIEN — Long known for its coastal waterfront and top-rated schools, Darien may soon be adding dining destinations to its menu of amenities. Dozens of new restaurants have opened in the last few years, offering hungry residents everything from short rib nachos at La Taqueria to eggplant zucchini lasagna from The Granola Bar. And at…Read Complete Text

New Center at 78 Harvard Avenue in Stamford to Support Abilis’ Growing Population, Programs and Services for Individuals with Disabilities throughout Fairfield County STAMFORD, Conn., Feb. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Abilis, the nonprofit organization providing services and support to more than 800 individuals with disabilities and their families, is thrilled to announce a $3.78 million grant from the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation. The…Read Complete Text

Construction is booming in Greenwich, Stamford and the surrounding areas. It’s not just apartment buildings either. Big projects are underway — many with completion dates earmarked for 2023 — that can mean more dollars in city and town coffers. “We have had a significant continued development in the city which has allowed us to have…Read Complete Text

DARIEN — A new collaboration with the Darien YMCA marks the latest venture in town for Abilis, a Greenwich-based nonprofit that provides job opportunities and training for young adults with developmental disabilities in Fairfield County. A local version of Project SEARCH was launched in January. Now, four interns in the program are stationed at the…Read Complete Text

  WESTPORT — Two office buildings along the Saugatuck River in Westport have been purchased for $43 million — among the top deals in Connecticut in the past year based on price per square foot. The offices at 285 and 355 Riverside Ave. have several tenants, totaling about 95,000 square feet of space between them….Read Complete Text

Baywater Properties CEO David Genovese speaks Nov. 22 near the construction site for the Corbin District in Darien, with co-developer Penny Glassmeyer, left, on hand.   As he readied for his final semesters at Norwalk Community College, Andre Denunzio took a job this past September moonlighting as a cashier at Whole Foods Market in neighboring…Read Complete Text

Days before the Monday groundbreaking ceremony for The Corbin District redevelopment downtown, Baywater Properties on Saturday formally announced the expansion and reallocation of members of its business’ staff as a result of the project. The Baywater team now includes Kate Perez and Marysa Fiorita, who will directly work on The Corbin Project, as well as…Read Complete Text

  The 285 Riverside Ave. office building along the Saugatuck River in Westport, Conn., which Baywater Properties has listed for sale as of October 2021 along with the nearby 355 Riverside Ave. WESTPORT — With a downtown office building garnering a sale price well in excess of its appraised value, the Darien developer that owned…Read Complete Text

Visitors sample food at Crepes Choupette, a kiosk-like eatery on the Broadway Island at the Broadway Shopping District in New Haven after ribbon cutting in 2018 that officially opened the new business. DARIEN — A new eatery in town just got the green light and is bringing in some French cuisine. The Planning and Zoning…Read Complete Text

Work is beginning on the first phase of the Corbin redevelopment project. Developers have spent years working to make sure all the businesses in the Corbin district will remain open, finding each new locations for when their specific building is to be rebuilt. DARIEN — Downtown Darien’s transformative project, the Corbin District project, is finally…Read Complete Text

New Haven, Connecticut – Thursday, February 1, 2018: Visitors sample food at Crepes Choupette, a kiosk-like eatery on the Broadway Island at the Broadway Shopping District in New Haven. Plans are before the Darien Planning and Zoning Commission for Crepes Choupette opening a location in downtown Darien.Peter Hvizdak / Hearst Connecticut Media DARIEN — Adil…Read Complete Text

Folks pose together at the opening of the new Cafe at Greenwich Library on Dec. 14, 2020. The cafe is a partnership between the library and Abilis to provide employment for young adults with special needs. Abilis plans to open a similar one in Darien. Tyler Sizemore DARIEN — New programs aimed at assisting people…Read Complete Text

DARIEN — Tucked in the grand plans for The Corbin District is a smaller project that developer David Genovese and his partner, Penny Glassmeyer, have created to fill what they feel is a void in the housing area. Genovese, chief executive officer of Baywater Properties, is using an inclusionary zoning requirement to create a home…Read Complete Text

DARIEN — A fresh food alternative appears to have found a happy home in Darien. A new franchise of Playa Bowls opened at 1029 Boston Post Road this weekend. Given the long lines of happy customers, it appears it’ll be a healthy success. The restaurant offers fresh juices, smoothies and a variety of “bowls” based…Read Complete Text

So, there is a building in Darien scheduled for demolition in the coming weeks. But before this structure gets the wrecking ball, the property owners have given an artist a chance to have a little fun with it, transforming it just in time for halloween! The house, which was built in 1920, will be demolished…Read Complete Text

Dec. 5, 2018 It  was during the home inspection on their 1920s colonial in Darien, Conn., that Josh Peschko got the sense that he and his wife, Kristy, had chosen not just the right town, but the right neighborhood. “School had just let out, and there were kids coming out of every nook and cranny,…Read Complete Text

From restaurants to fitness studios to clothing shops to everything in between, Darien has seen an increase in new business in 2018, according to Susan Cator, president and executive director of the Darien Chamber of Commerce. “In the past year, there has been new commercial development that has brought in new business, which has stimulated…Read Complete Text

After a long process and much community input and discussion, the downtown Corbin redevelopment has finally gotten the green light. By a unanimous vote of 5 to 0, the Corbin Project was approved at Tuesday’s Planning & Zoning special meeting. The Corbin Project is a mixed-use redevelopment of downtown Darien proposed by Baywater Properties. It…Read Complete Text

As a part of its obligations to local zoning, Baywater Properties must provide at least a dozen affordable apartments in conjunction with its downtown redevelopment, the Corbin Project. However, rather than setting aside units in the project’s site area between Post Road and Corbin Drive, Baywater is proposing a separate assisted living facility for adults…Read Complete Text

DARIEN — The redevelopment of downtown Darien is a step closer to becoming reality. If approved by zoning, the Corbin Project will increase office space downtown from 45,961 to 81,200 square feet, while retail space would increase from 52,279 to 81,730 square feet. After an attorney for developer Baywater Properties recited a long list of…Read Complete Text

July 30, 2018 by Lindsay Westbrook To the Editor: After seven wonderful years, I have decided to close my clothing store Spree.  I wanted to take a moment and thank the community for all the support they have shown me each and every year.  It was a privilege to be a small business owner in…Read Complete Text

Darien’s Planning & Zoning Commission has begun its review of the Corbin Project, a mixed-use redevelopment of downtown Darien proposed by local developer Baywater Properties. The project aims to transform downtown Darien into a pedestrian-friendly community with a vibrant blend of restaurants, shopping destinations and social spaces. In early 2017 the commission approved zoning regulations…Read Complete Text

After spending roughly a year working to redesign the Corbin Project, Baywater Properties has revealed a full site plan for the downtown redevelopment venture. Baywater Principal David Genovese first introduced the redesigned project with Beinfield Architecture in December, but with the site plan now complete, local residents and town leaders will soon have an opportunity…Read Complete Text

  The Connecticut Main Street Center  Founder’s Award is presented in recognition of individuals and organizations who dedicate themselves to promoting an awareness of the necessity of a comprehensive management approach to the revitalization of Connecticut’s historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts. The award is sponsored by Eversource. CT Main Street Center and Eversource recognize…Read Complete Text

Two years ago, when his company was looking for an office property in Westchester County, Matthew Kiamie said all it took was a tour of Acadia Realty Trust’s airy headquarters at 411 Theodore Fremd Ave. in Rye to know he had found his building. Kiamie, vice president and chief operating officer of Manhattan real estate…Read Complete Text

Baywater Properties and Principal David Genovese have been working for years to ensure that their planned redevelopment of downtown Darien is a project that both modernizes the design and aesthetics of the town’s central business district and also looks towards the future needs of the community. The Corbin Project, which has adopted the name “Your…Read Complete Text

Local developer Baywater Properties has revealed a new design for the Corbin Project, a proposed redevelopment for downtown Darien spanning 11 acres of property from the Bank of America on Post Road to the Darien Post Office on Corbin Drive. The project, which has adopted the moniker “Your Downtown Darien,” would transform the existing properties…Read Complete Text

The big downtown redevelopment proposal for Corbin Drive and the Post Road, with its huge underground parking garage, some high buildings and a showcase “Village Green” park in the center of town, is being scrapped by the developer. The new proposal, being presented to the Planning and Zoning Commission on Tuesday night: Much more above-ground…Read Complete Text

Following several years of moribund activity, commercial office sales in Fairfield County look to be on the rise. Several notable deals have closed this year and brokers are viewing 2018 with optimism. “You never want to be too bullish,” said Kevin Welsh, an executive managing director at Newmark Knight Frank in Stamford. “But I think…Read Complete Text

TNREF III High Ridge LLC, a joint venture between Darien-based Baywater Properties and an investment fund managed by True North Management Group LLC of White Plains, has bought 225 High Ridge Road in Stamford for $22.5 million. The property is an 81 percent leased, 244,104-square-foot Class A office building on the northern border of the Stamford…Read Complete Text

DARIEN — For the developer who proposed a bold new redevelopment for downtown Darien, the second time in front of the Planning and Zoning Commission was the charm. “We are very encouraged by the response of P&Z to our recent application for a text amendment and we believe that the adjustments made will work overall,”…Read Complete Text

  Kristen Geisler gets takeout from the new Darien Shake Shack. Photo Credit: Sandra Diamond Fox Shake Shack opens in Darien. Photo Credit: Sandra Diamond Fox Shake Shack’s newest location is at 1340 Post Road in Darien. Photo Credit: Sandra Diamond Fox Shake Shack’s cheeseburger Photo Credit: Shake Shack website Custard and desserts from Shake…Read Complete Text

DARIEN — In an entreaty for forward-thinking on downtown redevelopment, Jon Zagrodsky asked the town to take a look into the past. Rather than focus on established issues like height of buildings and density, Zagrodsky — speaking in a private capacity and not on behalf of the Board of Finance, of which he is chairman,…Read Complete Text

A rendering of Baywater’s downtown proposal, offering a view looking south on Boston Post Road. For Darien’s Planning & Zoning Commission, 2016 was a year focused on looking towards the future. The commission was asked to consider major zoning changes in two of the town’s core business areas and updated a new town plan, mapping…Read Complete Text

DARIEN — Shake Shack is inching toward its Darien debut. After months of back-and-forth regarding signage, Shake Shack was officially approved in July and, according to David Genovese of Baywater Properties, could be on pace to open in December at 1340 Post Road, the site of the former Chuck’s Steak House. “We are cranking on…Read Complete Text

To the Editor: In the last 10-plus years Darien has become more vibrant, and many exciting new merchants and restaurants have opened in downtown Darien.  Grove Street Plaza, envisioned and built by Penny Glassmeyer, has become a wonderful center in town for concerts, arts fairs, and gatherings.  1020 Post is an elegant building built by…Read Complete Text

The following is an open letter to Darien developer David Genovese. It is reprinted here with the author’s permission. To David: Just a few lines to tell you again how lucky Darien is to have you and your partners planning such a wonderful project for the downtown area. As you probably know, my husband and…Read Complete Text

A developer hopes to reinvigorate downtown and is seeking zoning changes to do so. Darien, CT     DARIEN, CT- A large crowd turned out Tuesday to the Planning and Zoning meeting to discuss proposed zoning changes to downtown. Baywater Properties is seeking a zoning change that would allow buildings up to six stories, according…Read Complete Text

A rendering of the development project looking east on Corbin Drive Darien’s Planning & Zoning Commission held a public hearing regarding Baywater Properties downtown redevelopment project on Tuesday night, inviting the public to comment on proposed zone changes. A large crowd turned out to discuss the project, with dozens donning baseball caps provided by Baywater…Read Complete Text

Some of the support for the massive downtown Darien redevelopment proposal between Corbin Drive, the Post Road and the highway is coming from businesspeople who worry that the downtown businesses district, for whatever reason, may be losing its competitive edge. BEFORE (currently): Where the half-acre “Market Green” would go in the Corbin/Post Road proposed redevelopment. (picture…Read Complete Text

Building height and concerns about traffic and parking were the objections most discussed at the public hearing Tuesday for the Planning & Zoning Commission at Town Hall Auditorium. But most of the speakers and most of the 90 or so people attending the meeting indicated they were there to support the proposed project and didn’t bring…Read Complete Text

  A rendering of Baywater’s downtown proposal, offering a view looking south on Boston Post Road. Baywater Properties has big plans in place for downtown Darien, and the developer has begun seeking the necessary approvals to make its proposal for redevelopment a reality. The project focuses on the area between the Bank of America building…Read Complete Text

On Wednesday, April 6, 2016 at 7 p.m, David Genovese, founder of Baywater Properties, will present to the public an overview of the downtown Darien redevelopment project proposed by Baywater Properties and its partner, PG Properties. A full presentation of the project will be given to attendees, with significant time available for questions and comments….Read Complete Text