Corbin's Groundbreaking Week

A great article to share from the Norwalk Hour (link below) as well as a significant speech made by Bruce Beinfield at last week's Ground Breaking ceremony...

https://www.thehour.com/business/article/What-towns-all-over-CT-need-to-have-can-16673929.php

Throughout America, downtowns have traditionally served as the heart of their communities. Our goal is for the Corbin District to become the heart of Darien. The mix of restaurants and shops have been curated to serve Darien’s family-oriented community and create a vital streetscape with inviting public spaces.  

The Corbin District’ features two major elements of traditional New England towns. A town square and a Main Street.  Corbin Drive is being reconceived as Darien’s Main Street and a new town green is envisioned as the heart of the community. 

The architectural design is influenced by place, culture, and history.   For inspiration we looked toward the coast of New England.  One of the most enduring charms of New England is its collection of small coastal towns that were constructed hundreds of years ago and continue to resonate.   Places like Stonington, Mystic, Essex, and Nantucket are living museums in which you can feel the rich early history of colonial America, and in which the spirit of small-town America still resides. 

The architectural goal is to endow this district with the spirit of an early coastal New England town. The Architecture is designed to read as an assemblage of small buildings that were constructed incrementally over time.  The design bridges between the distant past and the 21^st century through the abstraction of traditional New England forms. 

What truly makes this project exceptional is that David Genovese and Penny Glassmeyer have totally aligned their interests with the Darien community.   Their vision is informed by their deep connections to the town, and they are passionate about creating a wonderful place. 

David’s positive energy is contagious, and it has been an honor for me and my team at Beinfield Architecture to work with him.

I want to thank Seelan Pather and James Wassell in my office for breathing life into this project.   Most importantly, I want to thank David Genovese.

-Bruce Beinfield