Renderings of the completed Fairfield Metro property [image credit]
Many of the stations that I feature on this site have a rich history that I really enjoy to dig in to. There is nothing that I love more than to unearth old photographs or drawings of stations from nearly a century before I was born. Today’s featured station is the complete opposite of that, as it is brand spankin’ new. In the years since Metro-North’s takeover, a handful of new stations have opened on all three of the main east of Hudson lines. The Harlem Line has pushed further north, reclaiming once-lost territory up to Wassaic. The new Yankee stadium station is the Hudson line’s gem. But the newest station of them all is Fairfield Metro – the first new station on the New Haven main line in many, many years.
Former Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell at the site of the under construction Fairfield Metro in April 2010 [image credit]
 
 
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Construction photos of Fairfield Metro in May 2010 [image credit]
Construction at the Fairfield Metro site in September 2010 [image credit]
Although the opening of a new station is not greeted with quite as much pomp and circumstance as yesteryear, people are still convinced that this new station is “transformational” for Fairfield. Unfortunately, the project has lingered and has been surrounded by controversy for many years: the soil at the site was contaminated, the developer went into foreclosure, the project was millions over budget, and the residents of Fairfield absolutely hated the station’s name.
And months before even being scheduled to open, Fairfield Metro was already covered in graffiti [image credit]
Eventually, everything did manage to fall into place, and an opening date of December 5th was announced. An official ribbon-cutting ceremony to symbolically open the station was held last Friday, and was attended by Connecticut’s governor Dannel Malloy. Train service commenced yesterday, marking the official opening of Metro-North’s newest station.
 
 
 
Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy and Fairfield Selectman Michael Tetreau at the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday. [Image credit, credit 2]
Two days before train service officially began, I got a chance to check out the new station. It is situated between the original Fairfield station and Bridgeport, and 53 miles to Grand Central. The average travel time to and from the city is around an hour and fifteen minutes. Fairfield Metro is the third station for the town of Fairfield, and will hopefully alleviate some of the parking difficulties at the original Fairfield station, where the waiting list for a parking pass supposedly has over 3,000 names. It is estimated that Fairfield Metro will serve 2,500 to 4,000 daily passengers. In terms of amenities the station is currently bare-bones, but when the whole metro center is complete it is planned to have a coffee shop, newsstand, florist, bank, dry cleaners, various restaurants, a health club, and even a park.
Although the town didn’t get to name their station (otherwise we’d probably be calling it Black Rock), they did get to name the new street on which the station lies. Fairfield Metro can be found on 61 Constant Comment Way. And yes, it is named after the tea.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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The citizenry seemed to want Black Rock, but I think their wishes were overridden mostly for political reasons. The original developer, Blackrock Realty, was the one that went into foreclosure and caused some controversy on the project. Likely they wanted to distance the name from any mention of that developer… though I really won’t even try to understand the whims of politicians.
I’m not sure if this is actually on the site of a previous station. From what I’ve been able to gather, it was built on the site of a former metal factory. This is what caused the issues with the soil contamination that ate up a lot of money. In regards to checkthedoorlight, I’ve never spoken to the person, but I know of them from the forums. I just lurk a lot over there because I’m scared of Dutch. No, I’m kidding. Facebook seems to think he and I would be good friends – he always shows up on my list of “people you may know.”
As for Southeast, the town was just crying over the fact that although Brewster is a village that is PART OF the town of Southeast, all of two people knew that. Everybody, on the other hand, knew Brewster. Metro-North used the excuse that they changed the name to end confusion, which is a bit silly considering they have plenty of other stations with that difficulty. Two Mount Vernons, two Norwalks, etc. The most amusing part of the whole thing is that all of the TVMs and other electronic things list the station as “Southeast (Brewster North)”
No worries. In fifty years all stations will be named after corporations who have purchased the right to do so. So, you will some day have Pepsi East and Pepsi West and SunLight North and SunLight South and so on.
Think not? Compare modern sports stadia naming. Same deal.
Don’t forget about Cortlandt on the Hudson line.
This station opened in the mid 1990s, and replaced Montrose and Crugers stations. They recently built a giant new parking lot there and upgraded certain station elements.