The architecture and urban design firm Cooper Robertson has announced the debut of its new riverfront master plan for the city of Middletown, Connecticut.
Unveiled in a public event in July, the eagerly anticipated scheme results from a yearlong planning process reflecting decades of community interest in reimagining Middletown’s waterfront. The plan, called Return to the Riverbend, lays out a vision for transforming a 220-acre stretch of land along the Connecticut River as a vibrant and accessible new city district with major open spaces, a resilient design, and a broad mix of uses — including restaurants and entertainment venues, mixed-use housing, bike and pedestrian trails, parkland, and a pedestrian bridge offering direct connections to downtown.
According to the project team, led by Cooper Robertson in conjunction with Karp Strategies and Langan, the new Return to the Riverbend plan also offers a powerful case study for how similar cities can prioritize the creation of new regional recreational, economic, and environmental opportunities while preserving their historic legacy.
Long separated from the surrounding community by industrial uses and urban renewal projects including a major state highway, Middletown’s riverfront plan area lies less than a mile from Wesleyan University and just south of Middletown’s existing Harbor Park.
The 2024 virtual Men’s Round Table will be held Q4, 2024, date TBD.
