Sarah DeStefano, ENV SP

The redevelopment of Ryan Park and Soundview Landing in South Norwalk, Connecticut (“SoNo”) transformed nearly seven acres of environmentally impaired and flood-prone land into a climate-resilient public park and a vibrant mixed-income housing community. Once home to Connecticut’s oldest public housing development and the only recreational public space in SoNo – which was closed in 2016 due to elevated PCB levels - the area has been reimagined as a sustainable neighborhood anchor that now offers safe housing, green space, climate resiliency, and economic opportunity.

Historic maps of SoNo show the area was originally mud flats and marshland near Norwalk Harbor, filled and developed into a mixed industrial and residential neighborhood in the late 1800s. Its low-lying geography, however, made it vulnerable to flooding and contributed to decades of disinvestment in this historically distressed and disadvantaged neighborhood.

By 1940, a portion of the area was cleared for what would become Washington Village (since renamed Soundview Landing), a city-owned residential complex of 11 buildings. Over time, surrounding areas were converted into storefronts and office space, most of which were demolished by the late 1950s. The neighborhood continued to suffer from recurring flooding, including severe damage from Hurricane Irene in 2011 and Superstorm Sandy in 2012, prompting the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency to secure a 2014 HUD Choice Neighborhood Grant to help address these issues.

The vision for SoNo emerged from an 18-month community planning process supported by the Choice Neighborhood Grant. Residents, businesses, and elected officials collaborated to shape a roadmap for neighborhood improvement, focusing on environmental justice, housing equity, and economic opportunity. The Norwalk Redevelopment Agency subsequently secured a U.S. EPA Community Wide Brownfields Grant to assess contamination and plan a fair and equitable cleanup and revitalization process. In addition, multiple cleanup grants totaling $5.7 million were obtained from the Connecticut Department of Economic Community Development (CTDECD) to address contamination at both the Ryan Park and Washington Village project locations.

Remediation and design strategies included:

• Removal of over 30,000 tons of contaminated soil
• Construction of engineered soil caps
• Petroleum recovery and underground infrastructure upgrades
• Elevation of streets and greenspace by 2–6 feet above the 500-year floodplain, exceeding FEMA standards

Ryan Park was restored and elevated to provide dry egress during storm events and now features modern recreation facilities, walking paths, and flood protection, along with new playgrounds and landscaping. Adjacent to the park, the new Soundview Landing development was raised by more than eight feet above the flood zone. The regulatory closure of Ryan Park was documented through state and federal approvals, while Soundview Landing was enrolled in the Connecticut Voluntary Remediation Program, with environmental land use restrictions and Site Verification Reports confirming compliance with the state’s Remediation Standard Regulations

All 136 affordable housing units were preserved and 137 additional moderate-income and market-rate units were added, promoting income diversity and expanding access to better health, education, and employment outcomes. The redevelopment was one of the first in Connecticut to blend 9% and 4% Low Income Housing Tax Credits, creating a replicable financing model for future projects.

Additionally, the project was driven by robust partnerships across local, state, and federal agencies, catalyzing over $1 billion in additional neighborhood investment. It increased the local tax base, created hundreds of construction and permanent follow-on jobs, and earned sustainability certifications including LEED-ND Silver. 

This multi-year, multi-partner initiative stands as one of Connecticut’s most impactful brownfield-to-community asset transformations. The revitalized Ryan Park and Soundview Landing now draw residents and visitors to the growing SoNo neighborhood, demonstrating how environmental stewardship and inclusive design can help communities thrive.

The project addressed the legacy of environmental and social injustice through:

• public/private partnerships,
• creative funding strategies,
• innovative engineering and design,
• environmental leadership, and
• meaningful community impact.

In recognition of its innovation, impact, and community-centered approach, the Ryan Park and Soundview Landing redevelopment was honored at the 2025 National Brownfields Conference in Chicago with a Phoenix Award, one of the nation’s highest accolades for excellence in brownfield redevelopment.  In addition, the project won the Brownfield Coalition of the Northeast’s (BCONE’s) Brownfield Sustainable Communities Redevelopment Project Award of Excellence.

It took many years and required the resources and partnerships of many individuals to provide a roadmap to move SoNo forward.  The Ryan Park and Soundview Landing redevelopment exemplifies the best of brownfield revitalization: 

• public/private partnerships,
• creative funding stacks,
• innovative engineering and design,
• environmental stewardship, and
• meaningful community impact.

By integrating regulatory requirements with climate resilience strategies and community aspirations, the Ryan Park and Soundview Landing redevelopment has become a model for transformative brownfield revitalization across the northeast.

The Author:

Sarah DeStefano, ENV SP, Weston & Sampson Sarah is the Environmental Practice Leader at Weston & Sampson. She can be reached at destefanos@wseinc.com.