Additional Floor Approved to Meet Area Demand for Modern Medical Space

In a deal that will create Fairfield County’s latest state-of-the-art medical facility, Avison Young, the world’s fastest-growing commercial real estate services firm, today announced that its Fairfield/Westchester office has arranged a new long-term 15,000-square-foot lease with the Western Connecticut Medical Group, Inc.,an affiliate of the Western Connecticut Health Network, to serve as anchor tenant for the new Wilton Wellness Center currently under development at 249 Danbury Road in Wilton, CT.

Avison Young Fairfield/Westchester Principal Sean P. McDonnell and Vice President Lori Baker represented the owner, Cambridge Hanover, a New Canaan-based privately held national real estate investment firm, in the transaction. The tenant was represented by Gerry Lees and Maureen O’Boyle of Cushman & Wakefield.

Western Connecticut Medical Group will provide primary care services at the new location including internal medicine, family care, women’s services and urgent care, according to Avison Young.

McDonnell, who is a co-leader of Avison Young’s National Healthcare Affinity Group, and Baker, are currently marketing an additional 35,000-plus square foot of medical space on the second and third floors at the new medical center, scheduled to be completed in the first quarter of 2018. The building, which will be demolished down to its steel, has been specially designed for medical use and will undergo a multi-million dollar renovation. Two leases for additional tenants are currently out for signature, and the brokers expect several more commitments in the second quarter as tenants seek to modernize their business and relocate to a facility that offers distinct market advantages over their competing practices’ locations.

The signing of an anchor tenant dedicated to primary care was a key component of the Avison Young marketing plan for Wilton Wellness Center, as these doctors generate referrals for specialists and diagnostic practices looking for opportunities for new business in a state of the art medical office building.

“Demand in the market has been so great that the developer secured town approvals for the addition of a third floor to the new medical center,” said McDonnell. “There is such a strong need for newly designed, state-of-the-art medical space in Wilton and the surrounding area, where with little exception, medical facilities are dated and inefficient. Upon completion, the new Wilton Wellness Center, which is equidistant from Norwalk and Danbury hospitals, will be the premier medical office property in lower Fairfield County.”

The redevelopment parcel at 249 Danbury Road is the ideal site for medical space. The parcel is flat with abundant parking, terrific visibility and signage, direct access from Route 7 with two existing traffic lights and turn lanes for easy access and egress. More than 28,000 vehicles pass by the location each day, as Route 7 is the major thoroughfare connecting I-95, I-84 and the Merritt Parkway. Located near the center of Wilton, convenient to all the area’s major hospitals, this project will provide much needed medical services not only for Wilton, but surrounding towns such as Ridgefield, Weston and New Canaan.

“Wilton has a severe lack of medical services right now,” said McDonnell, who was also pivotal in bringing the iPark Medical Center to nearby Norwalk. “Demographics have shifted, with an increase in families with young children requiring both the primary care services and urgent care access to avoid unpredictable emergency room waiting times. It is extremely gratifying to see this project become a reality.”

Along with Principal and Managing Director Sean Cahill, McDonnell also arranged the acquisition of the site for Cambridge Hanover in the summer of 2016 that made the project possible. In addition to the new medical center, Cambridge Hanover purchased an adjacent 1.3-acre parcel at 241 Danbury Road and is exploring developing a multi-use project which will complement the medical center.

The six-acre site, which was previously owned under a long-term land lease by Stop & Shop and subleased at various times as corporate headquarters of HomEquity and Bran Blau, had been largely underutilized for the previous 15 years.

Avison Young is the world’s fastest-growing commercial real estate services firm. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Avison Young is a collaborative, global firm owned and operated by its principals. Founded in 1978, the company comprises 2,400 real estate professionals in 79 offices, providing value-added, client-centric investment sales, leasing, advisory, management, financing and mortgage placement services to owners and occupiers of office, retail, industrial, multi-family and hospitality properties.