Building up Norwalk
as published by The Stamford Advocate, 06/11/2004

A redevelopment plan for the Wall Street area of downtown Norwalk may soon be a reality. New residential, office and retail complexes, parking and lifestyle improvements are part of the proposed mix to be developed by private-public partnerships. Objectives include restoring the area as the traditional center of community life, stimulating economic development, augmenting housing and creating an attractive, safe setting, according to a draft report. The Maritime Garage opened earlier this year, and one residential project is nearing completion.

Stamford-based RMS Construction is finishing The Phoenix on Isaac, a 27-unit, four-story condominium building in downtown Norwalk. The Phoenix is the first privately funded housing development undertaken to conform with the proposed redevelopment of the Wall Street area, according to RMS owner, Randy Salvatore.

Most of the units have been reserved, leaving only a single one-bedroom, one-bath condo at $198,900 and two one-bedroom, one-bath, powder room and den units at $258,900.

Bathrooms, kitchens and laundries have ceramic-tile flooring, with carpeting elsewhere. The wood kitchen cabinets are raised-panel, and the countertops are covered in granite. Bathroom vanities are topped in cultured marble. Crown moldings line the living rooms and kitchens, and each condo has a private balcony. All units are pre-wired for Cat-5 Internet access, and an elevator will transport owners from the garage to all levels.

The maintenance charge on the 735- square foot one bedroom units is expected to run about $185, with taxes at $2,355. Add a den to the 905-square foot condos, and maintenance rises to about $228, the taxes to $3,149. Occupancy is projected for the summer.

Since 24 units were sold within little more than a month, RMS is looking at the possibility of an 18-unit condo project in the same area.

“We’re also doing Margaret Court, eight condos on Virgil Street on the west side of Stamford, 1,800 square foot, three-bedroom, 2.5 bath units, in the $400,000s”, Salvatore said. “At 6th and Summer Streets, we’ll be starting nine two-bedroom, 1.5 bath, 1,300 square-foot condos in July”.

RMS has built everything from high-end custom single-family homes to multifamily developments, such as the Glenway Court townhouses, the Laddins Rock apartment rentals and Vine Meadows on High Ridge Road won 2003 Homebuilders Association of Connecticut award as “Best Small Attached Community”.

RMS commercial division recently renovated the ballrooms, common areas and meeting spaces of the Stamford Marriott and Westin Hotels.