I would like a world full of love and puppy dogs. How about some problems that can actually be fixed in less than 5 years?

Not only a New Downtown, but at least fix the down town redevelopment camera which was found here: http://www.derbyredevelopment.com/
It been dead since 9-9-10
Was nice to look at weather conditions too!

Coming up on 4 years since I posted this. Zero progress.

To answer your question, NO.

The town of Derby fell into the same trap many small cities/towns fall into. A developer comes along, promises a massive new downtown development with shopping, new residential units, etc. The town gets all excited. The developers demands X, Y and Z in order to proceed and if the city/town are smart they DON'T spend a penny until they are certain the developer has tenants and funding lined up.

Derby, sadly, fell for this hook line and sinker. But only after buying up a big chunk of downtown and tearing it all down, only to be left with a big vacant lot and not a single new building as the developer would not do what they promised.

The ONLY way Derby is going to get new development downtown is if a MAJOR retailer wants the land across 34 from Home Depot and signs on the dotted line. However, who would this be? Lowe's, Walmart, Target, the major supermarket chains, etc. already have stores in this area and some are nearly new. Who is left to anchor a major new retail development in downtown Derby and, no IKEA isn't coming. (You need to look at demographics here.)

The only long shots are either Costco or perhaps Walmart will decide to replace it's smallish old Caldor site on 34 with a Walmart Supercenter there. The site is big enough to hold a Walmart Supertcenter and people would travel to visit it.

Otherwise, Derby is out of luck.

A big box development is quite possibly the worst and most short-sighted idea conceivable. Better to grow grass

Well, then... Grow grass at least. We're not even doing that. If the developer isn't coming back, someone should squat it and get the rights back the way we used to hundreds of years ago.

Planner, I agree. However, that land was cleared and is an eyesore. There is no way QUALITY residential properties are being built there nor does anyone want to live on the side of a highway and busy entrance and exit ramp system.

The only use for that property is to leave it a vacant mess or put up a new shopping center, which means big box. I welcome other viable suggestions.. but a big box retailer is really the only tenant that would find that location attractive.

Commercial development that supports the needs of the 600 new residential units in downtown Shelton does not have to be a shopping center or a big box. Smaller-scale complementary businesses that support residential development can include office space (not ClassA), retail, restaurants, and entertainment. The Valley Council of Governments is working with the two cities and the Shelton Economic Development on a new connection over the Derby-Shelton Bridge that will tie together Howe, Canal, and Main Street in Derby with new pedestrian promenade on the bridge and integrated bikeways to the train station. Its in early stages but there was a public meeting on this a month or so ago.
Interesting that Shelton has the vision to see new development in Derby as a positive step for downtown Shelton. The two downtowns have always been linked and always will be.

When you have a site on a major state road (34) with a major highway (8) looking right onto the site with established exit and entrance ramps to lead vehicles to said development site (Downtown Derby) you WLL get big box retail. That site is perfectly located for such development and Home Depot will draw a similar retailer.

Brace yourself for Costco or Super Walmart in Downtown Derby people.

Hope not. Plus it's not allowed under current zoning.

4 years and nothing on this status. Shame on Derby.

I agree. Derby was scammed by a developer claiming a grand vision for downtown Derby they probably knew was a long shot. The problem is small towns want to revitalize their downtowns, developers come in claiming to have a plan if only they can get tax breaks, etc. and because there are not urban planners or those with major experience in development on the boards in these towns they (while well intentioned) get very excited and often approve things they shouldn't not realizing it's a game.

You have to have lots of experience in commercial development to know to scratch your head and say "Um, no... you're not going to be able to build this is downtown Derby and get funding and tenants".

Sadly, Derby didn't realize what they had gotten themselves into before taking a number of buildings and demolishing an entire side of a street.

Nothing against these towns, but I believe Seymour almost got scammed and those claiming to have major plans for the abandoned factory buildings in downtown Ansonia are also dreaming. There is not a market for upscale retail, housing or office development in any of these cities. They can much more easily go to Shelton or Trumbull where open land and infrastructure already exist.

I think one plan in Derby included a movie theater and entertainment complex. Movie theaters are dying these days, not opening and there are already entertainment venues with plenty of availability in Waterbury, New Haven and Bridgeport. No need to build more in the Valley.

I hear the comments above, but Home Depot already being in that area along with highway exits makes that area of downtown Derby a PERFECT big box retail spot. There are truly not many other realistic uses and you don't want affordable housing which is the only other option.

Wow, this was posted FOUR YEARS AGO and not a single solid plan is in place for downtown Derby. SAD!

Well, the good news is it's only been 2,074 days since this was listed. Way to go, Derby.

Scary huh? Downtown Derby continues to sit there. There are some rumors a retailer wants to put up a 100,000 foot store (which can only be a Super Walmart or a Costco at that size) but nothing ever starts.

Over 2250 days and all Derby's come up with is to tear out the cobblestones. Brilliant.

I see this thread is popular. The only thing that Derby can do with that open space is retail. Big box retail. There are exit and entrance ramps to 8 right next to downtown and you are not going to get residential housing on that site.

Plant pretty trees. Put in fancy sidewalks and street lights... they will still be wrapped around a Costco or similar store. That is why the original developer failed. Anything else can't get financing.

It will be 8 years soon since I opened this with zero progress other than destroying Cobblestone Hill.

Sad. Very, very sad. I’m almost sorry I opened this back in 2010, but it’s eye opening each month to get the app’s update to remind me its still open and to realize that our leaders have done absolutely nothing to move Derby forward.

See you with my next comment in 2 years.

Derby requires professional leadership and economic development expertise. Penny wise and pound foolish, your city is unwilling to pay professional staff who know both the public and private side of the development business. Not volunteers, retirees and “a guy who knows a guy”. Pay your leaders and staff the right salaries and you will attract the right talent. Stop worrying about these salaries – it’s pennies when you’re running a $50 million corporation! You pay your mayor, your chief executive - nothing, you have no economic development director, no development operation whatsoever, you have no coordinated planning & development operation whatsoever, you don’t even have an economic development commission or a redevelopment commission or agency – nothing! What do you people expect if you invest nothing in yourselves or your economic future?

As for all of the self-proclaimed experts who keep posting on here about big box retail being the answer - you really need to stop saying that. Downtowns succeed when people live there and can easily get to and from their places of work - or best yet, work in their own downtown. Good downtowns today will provide attractive rental housing and condominiums and the bars, restaurants, entertainment and other diversions that make living there pleasant. The highway location is great for a hotel and the demand for another hotel is still being generated from Shelton and vicinity.

Downtown Derby can have a future and it’s not a big box! But it needs professional management on the city side. On the spending side they need to stop being so cheap and the people need to give a new mayor more than two years to develop a real plan that will work. I have worked with successful developers all along the mid-Atlantic and Northeast coast. Derby’s downtown has development potential in spades! You have waterfront property and transportation connections other towns would kill for!There are plenty of well-heeled developers who will invest in your town. What needs to happen is that the city needs to figure out how to provide what is needed to allow the private sector to have the confidence to invest. When a developer shows interest they have to get the feeling in return that the town’s own professional development team understands its assets, understands its potential and demonstrates that it knows what it takes to bring a large, complicated deal together. It’s about confidence and it’s about professionalism and it’s about not acting like you’re afraid to spend 10¢ to make a buck. When that changes then Derby’s future will change. Everything else is just an excuse.

Three thousand. Three hundred. Thirty. Three.

That’s how many days ago I posted this and still... same situation. I’m saddened for the city.

I thought that Cobblestone Hill was so cool when first got here..Nicest thing in ...It was like someone liked it tear it down...now ya see it , now ya don't

Happy Anniversary, Derby! 10 years and zero progress! At least we have a nice football and softball field, those will surely want to make people move here.

So, eleven years since the first whiny and uninformed post about this. Now the infrastructure is in, the land cleaned and cleared , and new residential developments are going up! These things take time and realistically a decade is not that long.

The city would even be further along if it wasn’t for the collusion between the sheister lawyer on Main Street and the City Attorney who tried to line their own pockets by blackmailing the residents over the Rubino scrapyard and giving away the land behind BJ’s at a $10 million loss to Derby’s beleaguered taxpayers. These lawyers should be in jail for raping the city’s residents. The Main St Lawyer has been screwing Derby for 30 years and now expected the payoffs to be coming. He did this in Shelton and managed to stay out of jail by squealing on his “partners” - and since the US Attorney let the Main St. Lawyer off without even so much as a slap he is free to give and take payoffs in Derby.
The Main St Lawyer robs the taxpayers again!! At least with the crooked and incompetent City Attorney gone you have a chance to have a successful development because the Main St Lawyer will have trouble with the new sheriff in town!!

Investment in downtown Derby is finally happening and it’s not just big box retail.

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