From Nathaniel Rosenberg, CT Insider:
A Bridgeport landscape photographer has joined the push to preserve the city’s landmark red-and-white smokestack ahead of its looming demolition, and has launched an online demolition to support those efforts.
Black Rock resident Harrison Gordon, 22, posted the petition titled “Save the Smokestack, Bridgeport!” online on Nov. 28, where it has racked up just shy of 200 signatures as of Thursday afternoon. Gordon’s goal is 1,000 supporters, so that he can push local leaders to preserve the towering industrial edifice at the now-demolished Bridgeport Harbor Station power plant, which he described as the “face of the city.”
“If you look Bridgeport up on Google, or see flyers, or artwork, the smokestack is there. For 60 or 70 years, it’s been an icon of the city,” Gordon said. “It is part of our collective identity.”
The young photographer, who realized he was frequently drawn to the 500-foot smokestack while turning his lens on his hometown, is just the latest Bridgeporter to express support for keeping the towering industrial symbol, a group that also includes local architect Mark Halstead as well as Mayor Joe Ganim.
A representative for Bridgeport Station Development, the New York-based company that bought the site of the former coal-powered electric generation facility in 2024, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The company leveled most of the industrial facility in September as part of a yet-to-be-revealed housing-centered redevelopment, with the help of $22.5 million in state funds.
the coal plant smokestack represents a terrible thing to many Bridgeport residents. It was a significant source of local pollution for decades. It emitted harmful pollutants like nitrogen oxides, particulates, and carbon dioxide, which contributed to higher rates of asthma and respiratory illnesses in nearby low-income and minority neighborhoods. The long-term environmental and health impacts of its operation are still with us. Taking down the symbol of that devastation is an act of environmental justice !
Agreed. Sack the stack. We will be better off looking into a new future.
I realize the significance of the stack and its “landmark”value to some Bridgepoters,but the reality of it is the thing is 70 years old,and will need an overhaul to make sure it’s safe for the longterm future,and will need maintenance as well.Bpt can’t even fund its schools year to year,putting any $$ into that stack seems like a waste..knock it down and start a new beginning.
EXACTLY,STOP HOLDING ON TO THE PAST AND SEE THE FUTURE