Image courtesy of Granoff Architects
A New York State developer wants to convert the two northern office buildings in Norwalk’s Merritt 7 office park into apartments.
Saber-Hightower said in filings with city officials that it’s under contract to purchase 101 and 201 Merritt 7, and that it can carve 300 apartments out of the 206,774-square-foot and 214,890-square-foot, 8-story buildings.
The developers’ application calls the 1.4 million square feet of office space in the six-building Merritt 7 complex “unsustainable.”
“Converting Buildings 101 and 201 to multifamily housing serves the dual purpose of facilitating the development of much-needed housing while increasing the demand for the office space that remains,” the application states.
Research by commercial brokerage CBRE puts the Fairfield County office market availability rate at 24.7 percent, slightly lower than the “central Fairfield” submarket centered on Norwalk where the availability rate is 26.4 percent thanks to 2.43 million square feet of vacant or available-for-rent space.
The submarket saw 60,875 square feet of net absorption and 105,519 square feet of leasing activity in the third quarter, CBRE said, and an average per-square-foot asking rent of $35.16.
Built in 1980 and 1982, the buildings’ upper floors are 166 feet by 176 feet, making much of their interiors too deep to use for housing. Instead, much of the interiors would be filled by tenant storage lockers, plans filed by Saber-Hightower show.
Amenities would be split between the two buildings’ ground floors: a weightlifting gym and yoga room, a “cardio gym,” a “play room” and connected, fenced outdoor playground, a game room, a club room and a “library”/coworking space. The ground floor of 101 Merritt 7 would also include an apartment for the property’s superintendent and five one-bedroom units.
The buildings would be serviced by existing structured parking spaces underneath both buildings and the nearby Merritt 7 Metro-North train station. However, 163 spots on the parking on the upper level will be removed and converted into a 55,000-square-foot, tenants-only outdoor amenities, including an outdoor gym, playground, putting green, dog park, games lawn, “community garden,” pool and a “great lawn.”
In addition to interior renovations and updates to the grounds, Saber-Hightower is proposing to reclad the two buildings in “textured marble finish and wood textured panels” and operable windows will be added at various points in the facades.
The developer’s application argues the project will be compliant with existing zoning and will only need site plan review.
Image courtesy of Granoff Architects
