The Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat Company has been tugged in opposite directions the past few years regarding a proposed relocation of its confining downtown terminal to a potentially larger facility across the harbor in the East End. Many business leaders want to keep the terminal downtown because of the traffic the ferry service generates. Mayor Bill Finch had not taken a hard line about the future of the ferry service, but now a federal grant application by the city seeking $14 million shows mayoral support for the move across the pond.
The city has filed an application through the federal grant program called Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, or better known as TIGER. Dubbed the Barnum Landing Ferry Improvement Project for CT I-95 Traffic, the request seeks a port infrastructure investment in an “economically disadvantaged urban area.”
From the application:
This project includes the development of a new passenger ferry terminal for the Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat Company. The terminal will be situated in a mixed use development which will combine ferry operations with community oriented commercial and retail uses. Site features include ferry traffic staging areas, parking, community access pedestrian boardwalks, street hardscape improvements, and appropriate traffic controls. Along the shore improvements will include bulkheads, loading ramps (link spans) and dolphins. Strategies for implementation include sustainable storm water retention and restoration of shoreline habitat. The facility will also preserve and enhance an existing commercial cargo facility, warehouse facilities, and result in a domicile for new Bridgeport-based tug and barge operation.
The total grant request from the city’s Department of Central Grants & Community Development Office seeks $14,250,000. More from the grant application:
Project Description
This Barnum Landing Ferry Improvement Project for CT I-95 Traffic Mitigation (Barnum Landing) includes the construction of a new ferry terminal in Bridgeport, Connecticut for The Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat Company (BPPJ Ferry). Founded in 1883, the BPPJ Ferry provides year round ferry service across Long Island Sound between Bridgeport,Connecticut and Port Jefferson, New York for vehicles, passengers and freight. The BPPJ Ferry operates 20-30 trips per day (178 trips per week) in each direction using three vessels, and carries over 400,000 cars and trucks, and more than 800,000 passengers per year.
Barnum Landing Terminal
Barnum Landing will be situated in a mixed use development which will combine ferry operations with community-oriented commercial and retail uses. Included in the approximately 18.3 acre site will be a variety of buildings which enhance and support ferry operations (16,000-20,000 SF) including a ferry passenger terminal and restaurant, a ferry administration building and call center, and crew quarters. The community-oriented commercial and retail facilities (12,000-14,000 SF) will incorporate a grocery store, small retail storefronts, and commercial offices. Incorporating retail establishments like these into Barnum Landing is consistent with the City of Bridgeport’s community development goals.
In addition, Barnum Landing will include improvements to land-side structures at a commercial cargo facility adjacent to the new ferry terminal. The existing bulkheading, berth, and mooring facilities will also be retained and rehabilitated. Under the proposed plan a freight berth could remain available for ships at Bridgeport.
There will be adequate space for a tug to moor at Barnum Landing. Tugs, which are an important component in the safe movement of ships and barges in and around the port, currently have limited space to moor in Bridgeport Harbor.
Site features at Barnum Landing will include ferry vehicle staging areas, parking, community access pedestrian boardwalks, street hardscape improvements, and appropriate traffic controls.
Shoreline improvements will include bulkhead repairs, and the addition of loading ramps (linkspans) and dolphins. Strategies for implementation include sustainable storm water retention and restoration of shoreline habitat. Particular attention will be given to concepts of economic, environmental and aesthetic justice for the East End community in which the project is located, an economically distressed urban area.
Existing Terminal
Sitting on just 1.5 acres, the current Bridgeport ferry terminal has insufficient space for vehicle staging and parking, particularly during ferry unloading, which effectively constrains the number of passengers that can be carried daily/annually. To date, 8.9 acres of prime waterfront have already been purchased and an adjacent 9.4 acre parcel is available, which will allow Barnum Landing to provide additional capacity over the existing site and eliminate existing capacity.
In addition, the current site has poor roadway connections to I-95, the main travel corridor through Bridgeport and the region. The establishment of Barnum Landing on the much larger parcel will reduce travel times for current ferry passengers, will remove facility constraints on daily and annual ridership, and will greatly increase the attractiveness of ferry service and increase ridership. The additional daily and annual riders attracted to the ferry will remove significant traffic from the highly congested, and over capacity, I-95 corridor through southern Connecticut and the New York City metropolitan region. By reducing traffic on already congested roadways, Barnum Landing is consistent with the goals of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC) 2010-2035 Regional Transportation Plan. To support this assertion, NYMTC has provided a letter stating that development of Barnum Landing is consistent with their goals as well as aligned with the recommendations of the Long Island Sound Waterborne Transportation Plan. A copy of this letter is provided in Attachment A.
The adjacent property, that is available for purchase and development, could be developed for cargo operations. Negotiations are ongoing to purchase the property. The BPPJ Ferry would use the second berth only as an emergency backup terminal for the ferry. The BPPJ Ferry currently has no backup berth in Bridgeport. This second berth could be used by barge or other cargo operations.
A. Project Location & Context
This project is located in the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut, in Northeast Fairfield County, on Long Island Sound. Bridgeport is known as the “Park City” with 1,375 acres of park land in a 19.4 square-mile urban area. With 139,529 residents, Bridgeport is the largest city in Connecticut and the fourth largest in New England; with a density of 8,720 people per square mile; Bridgeport is also the most densely populated City in Connecticut (2000 Census).
Bridgeport is a diverse community with 31.9% of residents of Hispanic origin and 30.8% of African American origin. Bridgeport is an economically disadvantaged community; the city-wide poverty rate is almost 25%, with certain census tracts demonstrating poverty rates approaching 80%. In the second quarter of 2011 the Connecticut Department of Labor reported a 14.5% unemployment rate in Bridgeport, compared to 9.1% for the state of Connecticut as a whole. Over the last five years unemployment in Bridgeport has typically been at least two percentage points higher than the U.S. average unemployment rate.
The city of Bridgeport identified the revitalization of the city’s East Side with a new rail station as its anchor as a path out of poverty for that section of the city and as an economic driver of a city-wide renaissance. Utilizing private funds, several large property owners in this portion of the city including Dupont and General Electric have been working diligently to remediate and plan for the repositioning of approximately 500 acres of brownfields so that they can be restored to productive elements of the city.
1 Stena Lines, the world’s largest car and passenger ferry operator has written a report on the existing terminal and has concluded that the new terminal will eliminate the current capacity problems and related delays. Stena Lines will be consulted in connection with final plans for the Barnum Landing terminal.
Additionally, this proposal is connected to the regional and local context and will leverage collaborative relationships and support existing investment in the project area. Necessary collaboration is occurring with federal, state, and regional public agencies, including DOT, FTA, Port Authority, HUD, Housing Authority, EPA, CT DECD and CT DEEP. Collaborators in the private sector include the Seaview Avenue Business Alliance, a non-profit whose membership consists of businesses and institutions located in the upper East End. GE, Dupont, and the State Dept. of Economic and Community Development (DECD) have committed significant resources to demolish buildings, conduct remediation, and prepare sites for redevelopment. The proposed actions will lay the foundation for a new and stronger walkable, mixed-use and transit-oriented neighborhood; one that will reduce automobile trips and greenhouse gases, reclaim brownfield sites and create a sense of community and place. With an emphasis on higher density and mixed-use land patterns, the project will support municipal, as well as regional, efforts to promote equitable and affordable housing, work-force price housing and a variety of household types and needs.
With a combination of commercial and residential uses and institutional anchors, the city’s East Side presents the foundation for economic revitalization unparalleled in the city’s recent history. Though many aspects of the final development mixture are still in the conceptual stage,of greatest importance is the economic development and demand basis for the vision.
Barnum Landing will be built in the East End neighborhood of Bridgeport. The project site is an industrial waterfront facility located at 567 Seaview Avenue. The 18.3 acre site is bounded to the north by Seaview Avenue and to the South by Bridgeport Harbor. The site is just south of the Steel Pointe peninsula, and across the harbor from the downtown business district and the existing ferry terminal. See Figure 1.
Over the past 10 years the City of Bridgeport has been struggling to attract new business to generate both jobs and tax revenues. In particular the Steel Pointe peninsula and parts of the surrounding East End neighborhoods are in a deteriorated or blighted condition. The East End neighborhood is also one of two significant “food deserts” in Bridgeport – areas without a local supermarket or even small retail markets. Since many residents don’t have a car, shopping for groceries can mean a 45 minute bus ride or a $13 cab ride 2. Bridgeport has had a challenge attracting business because of these economic and social conditions.
In addition to significantly increasing the attractiveness of the existing ferry service, Barnum Landing will help to spur the redevelopment and improvement of the East End neighborhood by bringing employment and retail activity. A TIGER grant will provide the essential ingredient to develop the crucial interconnection that will move the City and this economic development enterprise forward with crucial private investment.
See the full application here.
So Lennie, what happened to the intermodal transportation center Joe Ganim wanted to create that intertwined the ferry, metro north and the buses? Wasn’t the old Mechanics & Farmers Bank building supposed to be involved?
*** Steps in the right direction no doubt, however “don’t believe the hype.” In Bpt “seeing is believing,” no? *** TIME TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX ***
Wow–this should be a big fat wake-up call to all the downtown business leaders (and I use that term very loosely) and property owners who worked so hard to keep the ferry connected to downtown. They kept their mouths shut during the primary, donated tons of money and dutifully supported Finch even though many believed Foster would have been a better mayor. And now … Finch releases this plan to move the ferry, just days before the election.
You reap what you sow–ain’t that so? Read it and weep, boys.
This will turn this “desert” area into a “dessert” area.
Fascinating that 17 months ago the administration was against this move. Just think of all the AB’s La Reina Lydia will be able to churn up by serving some crème brûlée!
www .rep-am.com/news/elections/596880.txt
This is a fantastic proposal. Downtown Bridgeport has never been the beneficiary of any activity related to the ferry. Individuals coming in from Long Island either drive on the ferry site to any destination outside of Bridgeport or area residents looking for a weekend getaway. The new proposal will help spur development. The business community needs to be supportive. This is good for Bridgeport!
I agree with Steve.
Totally agree … even thought the only reason I moved to downtown B’port from Port Jeff was the inter-modal hub. Once the inter-modal hub (the only thing downtown has going for it) I can start looking further west on the New Haven line. SoNo (with its social restaurant, bar, art atmosphere), Westport (with its lively retail atmosphere) and Stamford (who doesn’t love a “city that works”) were always appealing and look that much better once Finch breaks up that dumb inter-modal center. Why not think about moving the bus terminal and then get Amtrak to drop B’port?
It’s never too late to take five steps backward in B’port.
Does no one take exception to the fact Bridgeport is completely reliant on Federal and other governmental funds? How about we decide to put our own money down and move the harbor?
Oh yeah, we have no money. Looks like we’ll keep on the government teat!
TIGER III GRANTS: TIGER stands for Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery. It’s part of the Federal Stimulus money to get people back to work. It is a highly competitive discretionary grant process through the Federal Department of Transportation. If you recall, Connecticut did not get any TIGER I awards. The second round awarded Bridgeport $11-13 million(?) for the infrastructure work and realignment of Stratford Avenue across the Steelpointe peninsula. That made a lot of sense because the retailers will not announce they are going to build on Steelpointe until they know exactly when Stratford Avenue’s storm and sewer lines will be separated; the road realigned and construction completed. New Haven also got a huge TIGER II grant for the state’s rail yards in support of the new Metro North rail cars. The work on the Merritt Parkway in the Fairfield area was also TIGER II funding. By the way, we are still waiting for those retail announcements for Steelpointe Harbor development that were promised last May or so.
October 31st, Halloween, was the deadline for round three of the TIGER funding applications. The regs can be found at
edocket.access.gpo.gov/2011/pdf/2011-20577.pdf
Eligible projects are: (1) Highway or bridge projects eligible under title 23, United States Code; (2) public transportation projects eligible under chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code; (3) passenger and freight rail transportation projects; and (4) port infrastructure investments.
I am told Bridgeport submitted several applications for TIGER III funding to CDOT. The first set of questions should be: what were all of Bridgeport’s applications? What was the funding asked for each project? What was the projected job creation–both construction and permanent? AND what priority did the City assign to each project? I don’t recall the City Council agenda dealing with any of this so I don’t have a clue as to how the City has prioritized the transportation needs of the City.
Second set of questions deals with project readiness of the proposed projects. In order to win the competition, the projects have to be shovel ready so the federal stimulus money actually creates the jobs to spur this economy in a positive direction. So, is the zoning in place? Are the designs done? Are the permits in place? You get the picture.
As for this particular application, I am stunned $14,250,000 is needed for a private company to have a second ferry terminal built for them. Remember the first terminal on the western side of the harbor was also built with CDOT funding. This is the same private company that told the PZC they would be building their own $10 million ferry terminal on the Coastline property on the east side of the Harbor. Remember that PZC petition? The one where the CDOT Commissioner weighed in strong opposition as it was in direct contradiction to the goals of the Intermodal Transportation Center that was funded with state, federal and City dollars; Most of Bridgeport’s state delegation weighed in opposition; the Port Authority weighed in opposition because it violated the Harbor Management Plan; DEP’s Office of Long Island Sound Programs weighed in opposition for a lot of reasons including the fact the ferry boat doesn’t have a deep draft and therefore is not a deep water port use; the Downtown property owners and stakeholders weighed in opposition because the connectivity between the IMTC and Downtown has to be done by the City. They have had the $3.2 million from Congressman Shays for at least three years to make those improvements but haven’t started implementation; the economic spinoff from the 1 million passengers hasn’t been realized due to the lack of making those connections but that doesn’t mean it won’t ever happen. The South End NRZ also weighed in opposition given the important connections between the ferry passengers and the South End. PZC also heard testimony from about a dozen other entities that were also opposed. The East End NRZ came out in strong support. They saw the 40-50 jobs as important and weren’t worried about the high child asthma rates from the cars and trucks. The Planning and Zoning Commission denied the petition for the Ferry Boat Company to move their operations to the other side of the harbor. It wasn’t in conformance with the Master Plan nor the zoning regs.
The Ferry Boat Company appealed the denial and the court case is to be heard in Appellate Court starting on November 18th. So how is this application shovel ready? How is it going to be competitive? Who is kidding whom here? It raises expectations of the East End and East Siders without substance.
Now, if there is an application with CDOT that will handle the multimillion railroad underpass issue at Seaview Avenue, you know the one that floods with almost every storm, that would make sense and should be a very high priority project. Fixing that flooding underpass can open the way to an actual Seaview Avenue Transitway between I-95 and Route 1 so the second train station becomes viable with a true transit way. Then there is substance for the East End and East Siders to get true transit oriented development with hundreds of jobs at Barnum and Seaview Avenue. Think about developing the remaining Father Panik Village site, the former health department site, the southern portion of the RemGrit site. Hundreds and hundreds of jobs from that project.
This Barnum Landing application makes absolutely no sense. It is an insult to our intelligence and an embarrassment.
Come on Nancy. None of that matters. Here is the weight that moved this grant ap:
Letters of support from:
James Holloway, Councilman – 139th District, Bridgeport City Council
Ralph R. Ford, Ph.D., Democratic District Leader – 139th District, Bridgeport Democratic District Leader
If you had gotten Ralph Ford to support the Downtown location it would have been a done deal.
You couldn’t even get a letter of support from Mitchie Robles!!!
Nancy,
What do you mean by this:
“They have had the $3.2 million from Congressman Shays for at least three years to make those improvements but haven’t started implementation; the economic spinoff from the 1 million passengers hasn’t been realized due to the lack of making those connections but that doesn’t mean it won’t ever happen.”
I guess we need to push more to get our sewers separated, since most are combined in the city. With all the Obama stimulus, I thought some might have benefited our infrastructure. I hope in the bill on the table now we are included in that.
Meanwhile, let me just say the ferry company is seeking to expand and would have easy I-95 access at exit 29. Some time ago City Council members submitted reports with data showing only 5% of ferry riders get off from the train meaning that’s a small benefit for being close and so can take a van from the other side.
If the ferry does move, I suggest putting a restaurant and cafe in the ferry building. The view is great and could even be a catalyst to getting Steelpointe going. My point is the exact location of the ferry building is a focal point for the city’s port yet the benefit is for cars passing through and not something else that brings people here to stay, enjoy, spend money, and in addition, the stadium crowd might start to stay in Bridgeport if the ferry building were a restaurant and had live music. I mean what percentage of all stadium-goers actually go downtown? What is the percentage? Probably single digit, despite all efforts.
Bridgeportmeow,
What are you talking about???
If I were the city I would lease the entire ferry location for $1 a year to the right developer but you need more than a restaurant. You need to turn the site into a destination. A club, a restaurant, a catering facility. You need ancillary shops built. Boutiques, art galleries, craft shops. You need docking facilities for pleasure boats.
But more important you need a real developer, with real money and more importantly, real deadlines that are met or they are tossed in the harbor. And you need a letter of support from Dr. Ford.
We paid $4.5 million to have PYC sail out of town. Union Square Dock could provide a nice spinoff to Barnum Landing with water taxis. An indoor-outdoor water festival bazaar site.
Bridgeport Now, that is an excellent idea. How about a nice seafood restaurant. That could really work with Marketing from both the stadium and arena. Downtown Bridgeport could use a nice seafood restaurant.
I am not just talking seafood. I am talking about a place that has twin lobsters at a reasonable price, whole belly clams and the like. The type of a place a family could afford going to concerts. Always packed with entertainment and festive environment. I’d be satisfied with a modest place as simple as my favorite stomping grounds in Westport, Westfair Fish Market. The best whole-belly clams in the area. The Best homemade chowders and a very small quaint sitting area. It’s all about the food and deal!!!!!!!!!
Bridgeport Now, I live downtown. I signed my fifth lease during the summer. I believe Downtown is becoming stronger and stronger with each new investment. My 6th-floor livingroom windows look down to Harbor Yard and past I-95 to Steelpointe. This is my neighborhood and I am proud to live here. That being said, I spend a lot of time walking around Downtown, over to the RR station, under that funky Water Street underpass to a boardwalk that needs to be connected north and south of the train station and down to the Ferry Terminal. Visitors, passengers, commuters, downtown workers and residents should be able to walk or bicycle along the water from the Ferry Terminal over the Stratford Avenue Bridge, past Steelpointe and over to the East End Konover/Car-Tech site and down to the new East End Fishing pier and projected water taxis to Pleasure Beach. I’d also like to see those water taxis depart from the Ferry Terminal.
I watch the horrible I-95 traffic congestion when there are Harbor Yard events knowing full well the Ferry Terminal passengers are yet again caught in that web. It doesn’t have to be that way. The 2006 Downtown Plan showed specifically how the Harbor Yard/downtown traffic congestion could be alleviated but the traffic control signs and the interceptor plan haven’t been put into effect.
Congressman Shays was responsible for getting Bridgeport millions of federal earmarks that allowed the new regional bus station to be built; the overhead crosswalks that connect the train station and transit garage constructed and many other upgrades related to the Intermodal Transportation Center. The last earmark was a $9 million shot that was supposed to be the ‘intermodal transportation center’ private sector phase which meant a new train station platform within a third private sector office building that was to go between 10 Middle Street and the new Peoples Bank Building. The entrance to that new office building was to be through the Mechanics and Farmers building with staircases up to the new train platforms. Well, when Mayor Finch sold the M & F building a couple of years ago to a private party, his administration announced the private IMTC phase was dead.
So a bunch of Downtown stakeholders started asking where that $9 million earmark went. The last I heard, about $3 million was to go to finish the final floors of the transit garage behind the Arena; another $2.8 million was to go to upgrade the train Station including a new weather protection covering on the east side of the tracks; increased security, signage and lighting; utility upgrades, and uplighting on the outside of the building. The last $3.2 million was to do the essential connectivity items that will let the commuters and passengers on the train, ferry and bus know there is actually a Downtown within a three-minute walk; upgrade the ugly railroad underpass on Water Street; spruce up the Peoples Bank Garage wall with murals and ‘Welcome to Bridgeport’ signage; realign the traffic to go out that underpass during peak Harbor Yard events so the ferry passengers aren’t trapped; have signage and technology that connects the train, bus and ferry terminal with the Downtown venues; get lighting and crosswalks that actually work; improve the sidewalks; street furniture and the like. Walk around downtown Norwalk and New Haven. They have the connections in place. Bridgeport has the money but hasn’t done the work.
Over a year ago, the City issued an RFP; selected the design consultant but none of that money has been put under contract with the CDOT. I pray Congress hasn’t rescinded that money.
Think about it. On a nice day, you can take the ferry to Port Jeff and have lunch and visit the shops. There is all kinds of marketing to have folks go to Port Jeff. The Ferry Boat Company pays for that marketing. Well, with boardwalk upgrades, sidewalks with proper wayfinding signage, proper interactive signage to let folks know what is going on Downtown the passengers and commuters will ‘connect’ with the Downtown venues. That is economic spinoff. Every town with an Intermodal Transportation Center does it and it works. Bridgeport can do it but the $3.2 million has to be implemented.
I can’t tell you how many times I sit at the Ferry Terminal tables as people come up to say hi to my dog. That starts a conversation about where I am going. I tell them I live here. Then we engage in a great conversation about all the good things that are going on Downtown. Those good things need to be translated into urban design enhancements the passengers and commuters can see, touch and walk. I have seen couples eating in Amici Miei and having a good time. When I ask them where they are from they say that they are from Long Island or got off the train. They just wandered in and by chance found the restaurant. This isn’t rocket science. It shouldn’t be left to chance. The City’s designers need to design and the construction crews need to construct so everyone learns what I know. There is lots to do Downtown and more will happen if these connections are made. I don’t want a better restaurant in the Ferry Terminal. I want those folks to come Downtown. I don’t want them jumping on Exit 29 just to get out of river city. I want something to pique their interest to come back and have a good time. When they do come back I don’t want them to get a stupid parking ticket because they can’t add money to the meter from their smartphone. I want them to have a good time and tell their friends. If that happens, more investment will happen and Bridgeport becomes a destination just like SONO, New Haven or Stamford only we have something better. We have great waterfront views on the East End, Downtown and South End! Remember what SONO was like 10 years ago? Stamford 20 years ago? Providence 30 years ago? Don’t tell me this can’t happen. Of course it can. The City has to get their act together, stay the course, and get it done, not switch gears for short-term political gains. We are rebuilding a city here.
So Nancy, where do you shop for your food, go to the movies, park your car, or buy your clothes?
Have you walked around downtown after 7 or 8PM to see the sights? Do you walk from the train station or bus terminal to your newly leased home?
The monies you talk about came out of the pockets of taxpayers not from the private sector and therefore will not do anything positive for the economy. The trouble with career politicians is they don’t do anything with their money. They do it with the public’s money.
Well, Nancy knows without a car I food shopped at Rite-Aid and walked to Stop & Shop, but will soon have Bulls Head Market in the Arcade, and can go to the movies at The Bijou. I walk home from The Bijou, Harbor Yard, restaurants and Metro-North, as well as the last ferry of the day coming into the Ferry Terminal, sometimes even on the days I commute to the City on Metro-North.
Thanks Nancy for using your reasoned methods for paving the way.
It is 9:55 pm. I decided to head downtown Bridgeport for a pizza at Two Boots on Fairfield Ave. The place was packed and great energy. Living in the North End I am surrounded by some of the best pizzerias. However sometimes you have to go out your way to see what’s really going. Two Boots pizza is excellent and the Bijou block is looking good. I went to the Bijou Theater last week to see an excellent German film. One thing I can see, I know I never ever ever see any political figures downtown patronizing any of our venues and supporting the investments. I did see a very hip New York-style boutique close their doors and that is sad. But Kuchma will find the right tenants. Fairfield Avenue is hopping and with some new apartments for market-rate housing the current business may be able to hang on. Let’s get them started!!! Eric Anderson, what happened? Let’s go!
Phil Kuchma is a great guy who has fought the good fight against the minions of a corrupt government. Bridgeport’s past as a commercial and industrial center is just that, past.
And … residential apartments with no substantial surrounding commerce or off-street parking is a negative tax dollar situation. You’re looking at a myopic response to a huge problem.
I suggest you get in your car and drive south to New Rochelle. Check out New Roc City. See what a cooperative government can do. They brought in commercial establishments, provided substantial and reasonable parking, restaurants, arcades, movie theaters (including a commercial IMAX), and a police precinct on site. All this was done within a couple of blocks of the Metro-North train station for New Rochelle. Lo and behold, here comes Donald Trump who puts up middle-income highrise apartment buildings right next door. Next thing, here comes a supermarket, tailor shop and other commercial establishments. Take a trip and see for yourself.
You don’t put up housing before there is a reason or a substantial commercial plan. And that’s what these non-business politicians are doing in Bridgeport.