Watch: Waterfront Housing Phase Of Steelpointe Harbor Goes Vertical – Local Residents And Contractors Benefiting

Loaded with amenities, the housing phase of Steelpointe Harbor is going vertical, a strong vantage point from I-95 featuring The August, 420 housing units, plus retail, covering 6.5 acres of the 52-acre site slightly east of Downtown, across the Pequonnock River.

Property owner RCI Group, led by Bobby Christoph, has partnered with Midwest-based builder Flaherty & Collins Properties. The project includes 10,000 square feet of commercial space, fitness center, swimming pool along the harbor, saunas, pickleball, outdoor balconies, pet park, co-working cafe lounge and five-story parking garage.

Among the housing units 160 are classified as work force housing to open up opportunities for professionals such as public employees and healthcare workers whose income levels would be out of reach for this type of luxury housing.

State housing officials engineered the housing set aside. The work force apartments will include studios to three-bedroom units, with rents starting around $2,000 per month, an average of roughly $400 per month savings from market rate.

The $190 million project includes a financial collaboration of $111 million with local and national lenders led by Old National Bank.

A Residence Inn by Marriott is scheduled to commence construction this spring on adjacent property, according to developers, a much-needed asset in Connecticut’s most populous city without a hotel since the former Holiday Inn was converted into housing.

Christoph issued this statement about the construction progress.

“A lot is happening at Steelpointe these days thanks to years of hard work, dedication, and, most importantly, community support and your support!

Construction at Steelpointe is well underway on the first 420 housing and retail units. Past, current, and future construction at Steelpointe has included union labor, local minority contractors, and workers from the Greater Bridgeport community. For this phase of construction, we have worked with KBE (the construction manager) to engage the local community, hosting local hiring fairs and conducting direct outreach to local contractors. As a result, several local residents and contractors, including local minority contractors such as McBride Electric, are working on the current construction phase. A number of union contractors and members of the re-entry community are also working on this phase of the project. As Steelpointe progresses to future phases, we will continue to encourage local minority hiring practices, hosting local hiring events and conducting outreach to local minority contractors to ensure that the community benefits from this economic development.

Miguel Martinez, with Structura, highlighted the importance of local engagement, noting how hiring fairs gave Bridgeport residents the chance to build something meaningful in their community. Jonathan Llanos, a plumbing apprentice, expressed pride in his role, saying, “When I get older, I’ll probably tell my family, ‘Oh, I did this, like I was part of something that now is good for the community.’”

Similarly, James Longua emphasized how his employment directly benefits Bridgeport’s economy, explaining, “The money that I get paid, I use in Bridgeport to support my family.”

Andrea Perez, who manages materials and assists fellow workers, shared how the collaborative environment has helped her grow, saying, “I tell them I want to improve, and they help me. They teach me.”

These testimonials illustrate how Steelpointe is creating opportunities, fostering skill development, and uplifting the local workforce.”