By James Lomsucio
Westport’s Downtown 2020 Committee today chose the RBA Group, a company one of whose principals is a Westport resident, to be the consultant to design a master plan of development for the downtown.
Lou Gagliano, chairman of the committee called it a milestone in a very long process.
“It’s a very good decision, and we’re very pleased,” Gagliano said. “It’s a milestone in a very, very long process, and we look forward to working with the Planning and Zoning Commission.
“We will met with them on Sept. 12 to talk about our decsion and the process together,” he added.
The other candidate, one of three that responded to the RFP (request for proposals) was Milone & MacBroom of Cheshire.
“I think they both were qualified groups, each with their own individual strengths and weakneses, but in our meeting, after what was aired, we felt RBA was a better choice,” Gagliano said.
A strong selling point was that one of the firm’s principals, David Lapping, lives in town, Gagliano said.
Unlike the P&Z, an elected body, Downtown 2020 is an advisory committee appointed 17 months ago by First Selectman Gordon Joseloff to help plan for current and upcoming projects downtown.
They include Bedford Square, replacing the Westport Weston Family Y, a movie theater on Main Street, redevelopment of National Hall, rebuilding the Westport Public Library and the Levitt Pavilion, possible redevelopment of Save the Children, and a desire by the Westport Arts Center to possibly move to Jesup Green.
Gagliano, who was not at today’s meeting but participated via phone, has repeatedly stated that his group’s mission is to create “a vital, livable and pedestrian friendly downtown.”
