STAMFORD, CT — The proposed German beer hall, food truck lot and coffee shop plan for Pacific Street in Stamford moved another step closer to becoming a reality last week with the Board of Finance approving $2.5 million in grant funding.
In April this year, Gov. Ned Lamont announced that Stamford was one of 12 municipalities to receive funds from the newly established Connecticut Communities Challenge Grant Program, which aims to boost community vibrancy and livability.
About $2.5 million was earmarked for Stamford which will be used with Scrap Works LLC to retrofit underutilized properties on Pacific Street (553, 571, 575, 583 and 670 Pacific Street) to create a year-round beer garden and food truck lot, an authentic German beer hall, coffee shop, social coworking space, pilot brewery and tasting room and event space.
The project will also create affordable retail opportunities by building the baseline infrastructure required for future prospective retail tenants such as furniture, fixtures, equipment investments, rent credits, art and more.
The award was given to this project and Stamford based on its focus of creating a lively commercial area that increases foot traffic, prioritizes streetscape improvements while also preserving and reinvesting in the historic buildings on Pacific Street.
Connor Horrigan, who owns Half Full Brewery on Pacific Street, pulled together five other private business owners in the South End with a desire to undertake some economic development renovations, according to Anita Carpenter, Stamford's grant officer.
In April, Horrigan said in a news release that a South End neighborhood study commissioned in 2018 found that a neighborhood "Main Street" was desired.
Horrigan then started Scrap Works LLC specifically for the project.
"The Scrap Works Initiative is designed to bring this vision to life by taking existing and often vacant buildings and properties on Pacific Street that ooze character and history, cleaning them up and retrofitting them, and bringing in small scrappy businesses that give that community feel and vibe," Horrigan said in April.
The Stamford Board of Finance unanimously approved the grant funding last Thursday, with board chair Richard Freedman absent.
Carpenter explained that there is no financial commitment from the city of Stamford. However, the grants office is responsible for monitoring the project and making sure work is being done according to state requirements.
Monitoring is already underway on the old Pacific Street parking garage where the beer hall will be, Carpenter said. The property has gone through an environmental assessment, and reports are beginning to come in.
Overall, the grants office will be involved with the project for about two years, Carpenter said.
Board member Dennis Mahoney asked if Carpenter can ask for a reimbursement of time.
"You would think there would be some sort of ability to charge back some reasonable amount of time to process all of this for them?" Mahoney asked.
Carpenter said it's possible, and it could be looked at in the future.
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