Redevelopment Progress At Old Power Plant, Smokestack Implosion Likely This Fall

Six months ago Governor Ned Lamont announced a state commitment of $22.5 million for the demolition of the decommissioned power plant in the South End, featuring the candy-striped smokestack on a 33-acre parcel along the waterfront many view as a symbol of the city’s shadowy industrial past and environmental wreckage.

Bridgeport Station Development LLC, a brownfields specialty group whose principals have experience imploding smokestacks, was introduced as the new owner of Bridgeport Harbor Station Unit 3, with the responsibility to demolish the power plant, remediate the site and develop it with a mixed-use of housing and complementary waterfront engagement in the South End neighborhood.

The state grant solely covers the demolition. The developer is responsible for any other costs including repurposing the land under conditions set froth by the state.

“Work will begin this week, and while a lot of the activity will be on the interior to start and so not always visible, you will indeed start to see a skyline changing over the coming months with ongoing demolition,” said Chad Parks, one of the partners in the development group, at the November 2024 announcement

Officials from Bridgeport Station Development including David Kreutz addressed roughly 75 stakeholders this week during the annul meeting of the Downtown Special Services District at the new Soundview Apartments that features views of the development site.

— The smokestack will be imploded at 4 a.m. on Sunday, September 28th.  This odd time was chosen because it will conflict with neither ferry service nor train service. It will necessitate closing the Connecticut Turnpike for about ten minutes at the time of the implosion. (I’ve attended other implosions. It’s amazing how quickly the dust will settle after the stack falls down.) I do not know where the landing pad will be for the stack, but the stack will likely fall into a zone as long as the stack is tall. A simple look at the map tells you the landing zone is probably to the south-southeast, but I have no confirmation on that supposition.

— The plan to demolish the entire generating station is about a year ahead of schedule. All asbestos remediation will be completed by August 31st. The boilers and the associated structures and offices will be completely flattened to the ground by the end of the year.

— Beginning in 2026, redevelopment can occur during the next ten years including housing, shoreline access, integration into the South End, and maybe a hotel as well as retail and commercial spaces.

— By a show of hands, about one-third of the audience favored retaining the stack. The redevelopers said that vote was typical of other meetings at which they have spoken.

— Retaining the smokestack is impractical. It’s a huge expense going forward on a non-revenue structure.  Moreover, as development proceeds, the land slated for the landing zone for the imploded tower will become redeveloped so there will be no landing pad for a future implosion should it become necessary. The best time is now.

— The redevelopers have done this before, in New Jersey I think. They held a “Say Goodbye to the Smokestack Day,” allowing people to come onto the property, shoot selfies with the stack, and other festivities. I think they’d plan to do the same thing in Bridgeport.