How the Metro Center became such a mess

I'm not sure whether Fairfield residents have been kept fully apprised of the serious status of the third train station project in Fairfield known as the Fairfield Metro Center. In short, the project has been plagued with mismanagement and failures to perform many critical areas of responsibility that have left the project in a state of "limbo" to quote the Connecticut Post front page of Friday, March 6, 2009. In addition "How the Metro Center Became Such a Mess" was the title of a CT Post article on March 15th, 2009. This article can be found at http://www.connpost.com/fairfield/ci_11915138

The critical areas that have not been performed by the developer, Blackrock Realty, together with a recent foreclosure action filed against it, have created an extremely complicated mess that threatens the project.

I have enclosed two articles that were published in the local media that explain the situation as well as possible.

The state has committed some $48 million to build a bridge over the tracks in Fairfield as part of the project. However, in view of the complications pointed out in the following articles, we may find ourselves with a "bridge to nowhere" if some competent authority does not take charge of the project.

Fairfield’s First Selectman Kenneth Flatto has asked for $28 million in stimulus funds to do the work that Blackrock should have done. As you can see from these articles the "shovel readiness" of the project is very much in doubt.