Sean McDonnell, who was involved in the Wilton Wellness Center project as a principal at commercial real estate firm Avison Young, emphasized Wilton’s ideal location for medical tenants. “Wilton should be applauded for finding creative ways to grow its Grand List.” It’s a real victory when commercial office space can be repurposed to attract new tenants,” Denious wrote in an email to GMW. “The commercial real estate market is in a massive transition given work-from-home trends. Peter Denious, CEO of AdvanceCT - a nonprofit that works in collaboration with the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development to attract and retain businesses throughout the state - called the growing medical corridor “a real victory” for Wilton. “Wilton’s location is a great advantage for satellite offices for the medical professionals from Norwalk, Stamford, and Danbury hospitals,” she wrote in an email exchange with GMW. ”Ĭamille Carriero, Executive Director of the Wilton Chamber of Commerce, also believes a medical corridor makes sense in Wilton. “We knew that things needed to change to encourage what is happening now, which is the commercial office space is being converted to medical or it’s being converted to residential. “We all knew what was happening in commercial office buildings,” Vanderslice continued. “It’s evident that the message is out there.” “That was a big part of when I first came into office, trying to get that message out there,” Vanderslice said. Vanderslice said the Town’s economic development efforts made it clear to commercial developers and building owners that Wilton welcomed development, especially when it came to medical uses. The POCD further identified an economic development goal to “enhance the strength and diversity of the local economy and its connections to the region” through branding Wilton as a preferred location for businesses in “targeted clusters” - including healthcare, among others. “Danbury Road is the central artery of the community… Over the next 10 years, the Town seeks to develop the corridor with a diverse mix of uses with the highest intensity uses in the southern portion of the corridor.” Wilton’s 2019 Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) did not call for a “medical corridor” per se, but it highlighted the commercial opportunity created by Wilton’s unique location and the Danbury Rd. “ were all expanding, but was a perfect central location for that to happen,” Vanderslice continued. “The vacancies were really starting… and here we were halfway between Norwalk Hospital and Danbury Hospital.” “This could be the start of something,” Vanderslice said she realized at the time. ( Sunrise Senior Living) were the early milestones in the vision for a medical corridor. (the Wilton Wellness Center, which was completed in 2018) and 211 Danbury Rd. Vanderslice said the Town’s approvals for the redevelopment of 249 Danbury Rd. Vanderslice credited efforts by members of the Economic Development Commission (EDC) and Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) among other Town officials who saw the potential several years ago.
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