Gov. Dannel P. Malloy today announced a partnership with the Xerox Corporation that secures the company’s headquarters and 150 jobs in Norwalk, where it has been located since 2008. 

As part of the project, Xerox may add between 20-40 new jobs over the next four years, the governor’s office said in a news release.

“The Xerox Corporation’s announcement removes all uncertainty regarding the location of the company’s headquarters,” said Malloy. “Today’s news guarantees that Xerox will continue to invest in the state, contribute to the community, and create high-paying jobs where it has called home for nearly five decades.”

The Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) will provide a 10-year, $4.4 million low-interest loan to support the project. Xerox, which was at 45 Glover Ave., will use the funding to purchase new equipment and make leasehold improvements in its new headquarters in building 201 in the Merritt 7 Corporate Park in Norwalk, the announcement said.

Chico’s, 61 Main St., part of the clothing chain offering women’s fashions, will close on Jan. 25, according to store manager Donna Begler.  “Our lease expired,” she said.  She added that there are three other nearby Chico’s in Fairfield, Milford and Stamford Town Center. Chico’s Westport location closed temporarily four times due to flooding in 2011, twice in 2012, and once in 2013. A real estate source said a number of Main Street stores are considering leaving because of past flooding issues and eyeing a new mall planned to open in Norwalk at I-95 Exit 16.  (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Sperry Top-Sider, a shoes and casual apparel store at 56 Main St., is closing next month after two and a half years in the location. No reason was given for the closure. When the store opened in April 2014, it was the only one in the state that was standalone. Shoppers are being offered 60 percent off on all merchandise with all sales final.  (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

By James Lomuscio

The highly touted Elm Street land swap that would have netted the town nine additional parking spaces and have been a boon to the downtown and the Bedford Square project was scrapped last week for economic reasons, developer David Waldman said today.

Under the scrapped plan, this building housing the Villa Del Sol Restaurant at 35 Elm St. would have been razed and swapped for part of the town-owned parking lot across the street. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

“The economics just didn’t work for me, and as a developer I had to let it go,” said Waldman, principal of David Adam Realty who is heading up the nearby Bedford Square Project.

Waldman’s plan to put up a $7 million building on a piece of the town’s Baldwin Parking Lot at 36 Elm St. in exchange for property he had an option to buy at 35 Elm St. across the road had been supported by First Selectman Jim Marpe.

Pitched as the last leg in the revitalization of the downtown, the planned land swap received a positive report from the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) at its Sept. 29 meeting. (See WestportNow Sept. 29, 2016)