Downtown Danbury Transformation Brings New Businesses, Streetscape Upgrades and More

According to a release from the City of Danbury, downtown Danbury could be heading into a pretty exciting new chapter, with major construction, new businesses and improvements to the streetscape all happening at the same time.

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One of the biggest projects on the horizon is the new Ives Bank headquarters, which is expected to represent an investment of more than $20 million. On top of that, the downtown area is getting upgraded sidewalks and streetscape improvements, while several new businesses are reportedly looking at opening their doors.

And we're not just talking about another pizza place. The list includes a dentist, a veterinarian, a boutique, a café and other businesses that could help bring more foot traffic and activity to the heart of the city.

The CityCenter Danbury Economic Development Committee recently continued its ongoing walk through downtown, checking out existing businesses, empty storefronts and commercial properties that are available. The idea is pretty simple: figure out what spaces are available and help connect those opportunities with people who actually want to open or expand a business.

The latest walk included Mayor Roberto Alves' Economic and Community Development Advisor Farley Santos, Greater Danbury Chamber of Commerce commercial Realtor Joe Wrinn, Ives Bank's Doug Hensal and CityCenter Danbury Executive Director Laz Chavez.

The city's approach under Mayor Alves is to be proactive instead of sitting around waiting for businesses to magically appear. That means creating partnerships, identifying opportunities and trying to turn vacant storefronts into places people actually want to visit.

So, if you've ever thought about opening a business downtown, now might be the time to start looking. The city says assistance is available for entrepreneurs and business owners interested in making a move.

And judging by what's already in the pipeline, downtown Danbury isn't standing still. There's apparently a lot more on the way.