The air was buzzing with excitement on the afternoon of February 26 as local politiicians, community leaders, and organizers from the East End of Bridgeport gathered to hear about the groundbreaking of an exciting new project: the Steelpointe Gas Station and Car Wash. The East End of Bridgeport is a gas desert and has not seen a gas station in over 40 years.

The over 2-acre property will include a gas station with a drive-though Dunkin’ Donuts, a deli, a 24-hour convenience store, electric vehicle charging stations, a filling station for larger trucks, and a state-of-the-art car wash. Steelpointe Harbor already hosts other retail space, including Bass Pro Shops, Chipotle, and Starbucks.

Bobby Christoph, President of Bridgeport Landing Development, said, “We’re working with the community, we want everybody involved in the project, we want nobody left out, and we continue to make that push across the board.”

Nural Alam, the owner and operator of the new facility, said, “This place will be for the neighborhood business. I want to give first priority to the neighborhood people to work here at my place.” Alam also owns other gas stations throughout the state of Connecticut.

Joe Ganim, mayor of the city of Bridgeport, said, “This is generated not from government or the top, it’s ground up, it’s the community.”

Keith Williams, President of the East End NRZ, said, “We’re going to bring the East End back, and we’re going to make it better and stronger. And when companies come into the East End, they’ll give jobs to residents of the East End. You’ve got the community working here.”

“In order to be a community, you need certain things. You need a grocery store, a pharmacy, a bank. You need the kind of things that many of these folks here remember the East End had. Today, this a milestone for what’s to come,” said Ernest Newton, East End Councilman.

Planning and Zoning Commissioner and neighbor of the new facility, Soledad Nunez, said, “I’m so happy. It’s been a long time. We have heard so many people say they would come in and do something. And seeing it happen is very emotional. I’m excited.”

For additional press coverage, please see the below links:

Westfair Business Journal
Doing It Local

Also along I-95, currently underway, is another Bridgeport Landing Development project: The August at Steelpointe Harbor, which will host the first residential building as part of the greater Steelpointe Harbor Master Plan.