Settled in 1641, Stamford is a dynamic, diversified, and growing community. Strategically located in southwestern Connecticut, Stamford is less than one hour from midtown Manhattan by commuter rail or interstate highway. Stamford is located directly on the major rail and highway routes between New York and Boston, and is within easy driving distance of the major New York airports.
Stamford boasts an extraordinarily diverse economic base, and serves as the business center of Fairfield County. Many major U.S. companies have located their corporate headquarters in Stamford, including General Electric Capital Corporation, Pitney Bowes, Clairol, Xerox Corporation, Gartner Group, Omega Engineering, Cadbury Beverages, Circon/ACMI, General RE Corporation, and Hyperion Software. Stamford is also home to UBS, a Swiss-based international investment bank which will soon be joined by the Royal Bank Of Scotland, one of the world's largest financial firms.
Stamford currently has approximately 15 million square feet of office space under rent, with additional space planned for the future. Moreover, precision manufacturing maintains a significant presence in Stamford. Total employment in the Stamford Labor Market Area stands at 205,700 non-farm jobs.
Stamford is also a major residential community within the New York metropolitan region. With a resident population of approximately 122,000 and growing, Stamford offers a broad range of housing opportunities. From Stamford’s waterfront neighborhoods located adjacent to Long Island Sound, to downtown luxury rental housing, to the wooded hills of North Stamford, Stamford provides housing options to suit all tastes. Moreover, with an abundance of nearby recreational and cultural opportunities, Stamford affords its residents an unparalleled quality of life.
Central Business District
Much planning and effort has gone into the improvement and maintenance of Stamford's downtown. Various City agencies and agencies affiliated with the City have been instrumental in the continued revitalization of the downtown area.
Among the agencies currently involved in Stamford's downtown development are the following: The Downtown Special Services District, a free-standing body which works in cooperation with the City to promote the downtown, continues to promote Stamford's downtown and improve the quality of life overall in downtown Stamford. The agency maintains a separate DSSD Website which has many useful resources related to Stamford's downtown area.
City Economic Development is instrumental in the development of Stamford through its efforts to attract and retain businesses in Stamford.
The development and redevelopment of the land and buildings in Stamford's Central business district is under the jurisdiction of two city agencies, the Planning Board and the Urban Redevelopment Commission (URC).
The Stamford Town Center, the retail center for the City and region, has 1,000,000 square feet of retail space on four levels, served by seven levels of enclosed parking that accommodate 4,000 vehicles. Over $175 million has been invested in this center which generates between $200 to $250 million in annual sales. A major renovation of the mall is presently underway.
In addition to the above, housing, retail and office space is currently in construction, including high-end luxury housing and market rate condominiums and new rental units. Mixed use projects are in planning stages and land use review for the South End, the Downtown, and the Route 1 Corridor. According to the Master Plan for this area, the new development will take on a re-configured block which will provide space to promote and enhance pedestrian movement. In addition, the City is actively planning for the development of the Mill River Corridor area, directly adjacent to downtown.