Bloomfield is looking for a developer to rebuild the six-property core of its town center, and proposals are due Sept. 15.
The town issued a combined request for qualifications and proposals last month, seeking a partner to carry out the Town Center Master Plan, adopted by the Town Center Economic Development Commission in May 2025. Written questions from potential respondents are due Tuesday at 4 p.m., with the town’s answers to be posted online Thursday.
The development area includes the town-owned Town Green, Wintonbury Mall property, a Bank of America parcel, a gas station at Park and Jerome avenues, a package store on Wintonbury Avenue and the former depot property across Jerome Avenue. All but the green are privately owned.
The master plan envisions 120 to 160 apartments above a roughly 300-space parking garage on the depot block, along with 75 to 100 townhouse-style units in an area called “Brownstone Row.” It also calls for two restaurant buildings facing an expanded green and 65,000 to 75,000 square feet of retail space. The development would include about 825 parking spaces overall.
Respondents must show they will have immediate access to up to $15 million in capital if selected, according to the RFP. The site sits in the Bloomfield Center District, where most uses require a special permit, and in one of the town’s three tax increment financing districts.
The town has applied for a state Community Investment Fund grant with the aim of potentially acquiring some of the private parcels, Justin LaFountain, senior vice president of planning and economic development at Goman & York, told prospective bidders during an Aug. 20 virtual presentation. The firm serves as Bloomfield’s on-call economic development consultant and helped write the master plan.
Town officials told developers at the session they are not wedded to the plan’s renderings.
“We put a schematic vision out there of what type of development we would like to see,” said Jon Colman, the town’s director of planning and zoning. “We are not committed to a specific design more than we are committed to a scale and mixture and potential location of uses.”
Town Manager Alvin Schwapp Jr. said the town has “been struggling in this town center for decades” and encouraged respondents to bring their own concepts.
“Give us your best shot,” he said. “Give us your vision.”
Proposals must be delivered on paper, with three copies and a thumb drive, to Purchasing Manager Joseph A. Muraca Jr. at Town Hall. Emailed submissions will not be accepted.
