January 2022 Chamber Newsletter
JANUARY 2022 CHAMBER NEWSLETTER
Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies and Open Houses are being held at the following locations. These establishments are opening their doors to all Darien residents to visit their exciting
new locations:
January 5th, 5-7pm
New member and business to town, Evolution Physical Therapy & Fitness, 349 Post Road Darien. Refreshments will be served.
January 13th, 4-8pm
A Little Something White, 987 Post Road Darien, is hosting an open house to welcome Darien residents to their new space.
All are welcome!!
The Chamber's State of Darien with Monica McNally has been pushed back to March 23rd, 7:30 am breakfast, 8am address. If you would like to hear Monica's address to the RTM on December 6th, please click here.
The Corbin District Breaks Ground
Repost from CTMainStreet.org: Congratulations to David Genovese and Baywater Properties on the recent groundbreaking of The Corbin District in downtown Darien. This development is notable for its scale, with 11 new buildings and a town green on seven acres requiring extensive demolition and site preparation for new construction.
DECD Commissioner David Lehman called the development “transformational” for its impact on the town, saying this is exactly, “what towns all over Connecticut need to have, in terms of investment and bringing mixed use and residential and retail — more vibrancy in downtown.”
Recognizing the Corbin District’s potential and Baywater’s other projects in Darien, in 2018 CMSC awarded Mr. Genovese our annual Founder’s Award. He remains the lone private-sector developer to receive this award in its two-decade history. The Corbin District is a great example of the challenges and perseverance needed for downtown revitalization, with Mr. Genovese and his partners changing hearts and minds in Darien that dense mixed-use development was the right thing to do. It took Baywater Properties 16 years to assemble the properties through land purchases or adding landowners to its partnership team for the project, and to win approval from Darien’s planning and zoning department. Photo Credit: Alexander Soule/Hearst CT Media
HAYVN PRESENTS:Roots and Wings: Launching Career Workshop for Early Professionals
January 4, 2022 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm $595
Academic Lecture Series at the DCA:“THE ARCTIC – FROM DEEP FREEZE TO HOT SPOT” January 6, 2022 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am
The Waters Edge at Giovanni’s presents wines by Masi vineyards.
January 20, 2022 @ 6:30 pm - 11:30 pm $80.00
Non Profit Corner
Chamber member The Darien Foundation (whose mission is to fund technology and capital initiatives that create opportunity for our town’s youth, support our town’s safety and security and enhance the overall quality of life in Darien) funded a $213K grant for a new K-12 Robotics initiative in partnership with Darien Public Schools, which will support the District’s efforts to build innovative STEM programming! The program will officially kick off this winter and it is already being met with a wave of interest among students, parents and faculty! To learn more click here.
Back row (left to right): Ward Glassmeyer (The Darien Foundation Board Chairman), Karolyn Rodriguez (MMS Principal), Robin Nelson (The Darien Foundation Board Member), Sarah Woodberry (The Darien Foundation Executive Director), Sarah Hathaway, (MMS 6-8 Advisor), Susan Shannon, (MMS 6-8 Advisor), Dr. Joan McGettigan (DPS Director of Instructional Technology), Dr. Alan Addley (DPS Superintendent)
Front row (left to right): Chris Thurlow, Oliver Lefkowitz, Luka Zhou, Isabelle Haire, Kehara Morton, Jane Baum, Robert Garcia, Drew Sharron, Stella Absolonne
Photo Credit: Calderwood Photography
ICYMI
Join the planning committee to help put on Darien's Town Party! Email execdirector@darienctchamber for details.
Now We're Talking Darien Podcast
The Chamber was featured on Now We're Talking Darien podcast! Tune in and listen as we discuss our function and role in making Darien a better pace to live and work. Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Chamber Board Cheryl Williams of COMPASS and David Wagner of Sipstirs, and Kesti Aysseh, Executive Director, sit down over a glass of pinot noir with Liz Geiger and Taylor Carter and talk about the importance of shopping local for the holidays, surviving COVID, our Charitable Foundation, the community app launching soon, the Town Party the Chamber is planning for 10-8-22 and more!!
