SAVE THE DATE: June 8th

PLACEMAKING SESSION IV:

WALKING TOUR & NETWORKING

RIDGEFIELD, CT.

Please join ULI Westchester/Fairfield Women’s Leadership Initiative on a narrated walking tour of Ridgefield, CT. on June 8th, which concludes our four-part series on placemaking.

Come see why day-trippers from nearby communities, those seeking a weekend getaway from NYC, and those looking to relocate to this vibrant Fairfield County town visit Ridgefield.  Hear from local public officials, community arts advocates, and developers about how the downtown contributes to placemaking,  the challenges encountered and the opportunities uncovered. Best practices and lessons learned will also be explored.

Ridgefield, founded in 1708, is the perfect mix of classic New England town with the sophisticated cultural offerings of a big city. The town retains a quiet elegance and has maintained much of its 19th and early 20th-century charm. It is consistently listed as one of the top ten places to live in the state, including for retirees.

Ridgefield is the first town in Connecticut to have a State-designated Cultural District. The State’s designation assists Ridgefield in its economic development by raising awareness of the town’s cultural assets, by promoting local and regional tourism, and by strengthening the distinctive character of the community.

The District is walkable and hosts a multitude of assets with ample public infrastructure and amenities and includes parts of the Central Business District and the Historic District. There are also single-family and multifamily housing units within it and along its boundaries.

Our tour, along tree-lined Main Street, will pass late Victorian and Colonial homes, and more than a dozen cultural institutions and venues including museums and theaters.

We will visit new housing developments and hear about the development process, things the town has done to facilitate development, and obstacles to development.

The tour consists of a loop of approximately 2  miles along relatively flat sidewalks. Please wear appropriate footwear. At the conclusion of the tour, a networking cocktail event will be held at a local venue. For those of you interested in dining in Ridgefield following the tour or the networking event, please consult Ridgefieldct.com for a complete listing of restaurant venues.