Economic Development

Mission 

The mission of the Office of Economic Development is to support and oversee the health and growth of existing businesses in Danbury and to facilitate and champion for future growth within the city. 

Together, with the City department teams, this office’s mission is to help keep Danbury as a flourishing business community and to offer a sustainable and dependable foundation for the City and its residents. 

Department Goals 

The focus of the office is to deliver services designed to stimulate business and community development including: Workforce Development, Transportation, and Infrastructure Improvements. 

The department understands there’s a growing need to encourage policies, technologies and behaviors which promote citywide sustainability and allow for the simultaneous provision of economic growth, environmental protection, and social equity. 

Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Accomplishments 

  • Danbury ranked 6thin the state for the number of new business registrations. This past year, we received over 1,359 new business registrations from January 2021 through Dec 31, 2021.
  • Facilitated/supported the interest in Danbury to new business opportunities, highlights include: 
  • New construction: Clancy Relocation’s new 215,000 sq. ft. facility on the Westside; The Savings Bank of Danbury’s new facility downtown; Caraluzzi’s Food Market on the Westside
  • New market rate housing of 150 units by BRT is nearly complete downtown 
  • National restaurant chains: IHOP, Sonic, Crumbl Cookie, 7/11 and Laredo Taco, and Jersey Mike’s. 
  • The Danbury Fair Mall’s new tenants, which include Golf Lounge 18, Bowling, Athleta, Shake Shack, Longhorn Steakhouse, Charming Charlie and newly announced Target, Round 1 Bowling the Danbury Family Diner, to name a few. 
  • A new addition to Danbury schools, the Career Academy will be house both a new high school and middle school in the former Cartus building.
  • Opened a new police substation within the Summit Development’s 1.2 million sq/ft corporate campus. This 100-acre site has over 90% of its commercial space currently leased. 
  • Encompass Health development of a 100,000 sq ft inpatient rehabilitation hospital on the westside will result in 70+ full-time jobs. 
  • Developing, with our Airport Administrator, a comprehensive business development strategy for Danbury Airport.
  • Developed and executed strategies to help serve and facilitate the growth and sustainability of area businesses. Initiatives include: ‘Business Wednesday’s’ which highlights businesses within the community; Restaurant Week, which encourages consumer spending with local establishments; and Business Roundtables which provide businesses with a platform to voice concerns and suggestions.
  • Implementing Danbury’s Transit Focus Initiative whose goal is to coordinate, expand and improve the entire city’s mass transit infrastructure. This initiative includes Metro North Rail, Housatonic Rail, Housatonic Area Regional Transit bus, multiple long-distance/commuter bus lines, cab/limo, and our Danbury Municipal Airport. 
  • Creating a new program aimed at businesses who continue to struggle due to the lingering effects of the pandemic. A proposed Small Business Assistance Program will help to place crucial funding into the hands of businesses who need financial support. 
  • Danbury’s luxury auto corridor on the westside continues to expand with new additions of Bruce Bennett Nissan/Infiniti, North American Motor Cars and Mercedes Benz. 
  • Initiated and led, in cooperation with other Danbury, Putnam County and Federal partners to champion the need for instituting MTA Harlem Line passenger rail service between Danbury and NYC Grand Central Terminal; receiving a $2,000,000 Federal and regional grant to fund the environmental study for the project. 
  • Member of the 2023 Plan of Conservation and Development Oversight Committee (POCD) 

Major Objectives 2022-23

  • Maintain focus on retaining and attracting industry/leading businesses to the City, including companies such as Macerich, Parker Medical, Fuel Cell Energy, Clancy Relocation and Logistics, Nuvance Health, Summit Development LLC, Encompass Health and Rizzo Corporation. 
  • Continued work on development of downtown initiatives: Danbury Downtown Core Development, Danbury Innovation Center, and CityCenter Danbury. Support and lead events like job fairs, Downtown Chow down the Farmer’s Market, Summer Concert Series, and the San Gennaro Festival.
  • Transit Focus Initiative, whose focus is the development of the Danbury to Grand Central via Southeast, NY station 

Danbury's Pro-Business Climate 

Ranked the best small city in Connecticut to start a business, Danbury is the place where your company will shine. Local businesses are leveraging our unique combination of assets to gain a competitive advantage in today’s global marketplace. These assets and resources include a pro-business climate, a creative, educated and talented workforce, an excellent education system, transportation advantages, a superior quality of life, and much more.