I viewed several different plans for downtown Derby over the years and as of this point I have not seen one that is actually Derby.
Because there has been progress in the past and the potential for the present plan, I want to say it is not my intent nor purpose to trump anyone’s hard work.
I just want to express what I think would have been fantastic, albeit expensive for Derby.
Here is how I see the potential for Derby.
My vision would be a plan to create a combination of beauty and enticement utilizing the existing Derby Green with its surrounding churches and the Sterling Opera house as an appetizer for a grand awakening of the senses prior to reaching Main Street, where a panoramic of imagination would exist.
It is already very pleasant to walk down Elizabeth Street in the spring, summer and fall. I would have hoped that part of the plan would to at least have turned the Sterling Opera House into a museum on the lower floors with the hopes of the playhouse ultimately opening.
The location of downtown Derby is perfect for its access from many locations, Route 34 and Route 8.
I am picturing the site from Route 8 to the old Derby-Shelton bridge as a whole host of ideas.
The sidewalk along Main Street would have to be widened for pedestrian traffic and this walkway would include numerous semi-circular viewing points with benches and turn of the century street lights sitting in the center of each.
This walk area would be a lookout over the new complex.
Appropriate vendors would also work in the area. Who does not like the smell of fresh pretzels, coffee brewing and flowers within walking distance?
What you would be observing from this vantage point sitting in the center of the downtown would be a huge New England Light House with a beacon on the top and a circular restaurant below it.
It would be several stories high and the winding staircase would be on the outside instead of the inside so that people could enjoy the walk up where they would find a place to sit and have a tea or coffee while viewing the river, walkway and downtown.
The actual building itself would be modern on the inside and could be used for offices or businesses.
There would be a landing in front of the light house made of wood, much like a boardwalk that approaches a large duplicate of a sailing vessel that would be placed slightly to one side of the light house so as not to block it from the view from Main Street but to give it the look of a ship passing.
The ship would come complete with sails and all. The body of the ship would actually be a building and the deck would be an outside restaurant where the patrons could view the area from a lofty height.
Because this portion reflects the sailing days of Derby I would add Brownstone homes, three and four stories high in the general vicinity as actual apartments.
I would have just enough Brownstones to give a feeling of Boston but not enough to overwhelm the area with the look.
To the left of this portion would be a building that would have a huge waterwheel right in the center that would actually turn and have water running through it and in the center would be a large working clock.
The building facade could mimic the industrial age of Derby. The water that would be running through the waterwheel would come from a meandering man made brook that would also pass by the light house and ship.
The sidewalks in this area would be made of bricks with cobblestone edges. Small trees and turn of the century light poles would line the street.
I would also include a whole series of Victorian style buildings that would be a study in styles of architectural designs from the gilded age to the closing date of these styles, with widow walks and all the painted ladies look.
The buildings would actually be apartments and the top story of each Victorian building would be loft apartments with the mystique of the upper floors of the historical past.
The present Greenway would be revamped and widened in some areas with several openings that would access the downtown area where people could stroll in the evening while enjoying the company of others or just leisurely walking alone.
To finish the project I would attempt to place several small clusters of ethnic styles to reflect our heritage of the people, Italian, Greek, Polish, Irish, Hispanic, African, French, whatever would interest the general public. I would have loved to see this portion of the project between Main Street and Pershing Drive where it would separate Route 8 and Naugatuck river greenway, where the present Beard property exists presently.
I would find a way to make these different designs flow into each other without overwhelming each other and above each style could be apartments or condominiums.
The writer is a Derby resident.
