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March 3, 2006 STAMFORD, CT - March 3, 2006: After completing its own rigorous search of design firms, Antares Investment Partners, LLC and Left Bank Development announced today that they have selected master planners for the paramount redevelopment project along the Stamford Waterfront. The properties set for the South Stamford proposal include the properties known as Brewers Yacht Haven, Pitney-Bowes, Admiral's Wharf, and Yale & Towne. Two internationally recognized firms, Cooper, Robertson & Partners of New York, and Sasaki Associates Inc. of Boston, were chosen as a collaborative team among a pool of 15 others from throughout the U.S. and Europe. They will be charged with creating a neighborhood, literally from the ground up that will serve as a new residential resource for not only the city of Stamford but the entire region. The vast 82-acres will forever be transformed, leading South Stamford into a new era of smart growth, in a transit-oriented development near the Metro North, New Haven line. The project allows for the redevelopment of acres of underutilized and vacant industrial space. "We are thrilled that we've attracted world-class firms with an outstanding track record to devise a comprehensive master plan that will make this one of the most important redevelopment projects in the region," said James Cabrera, managing partner for Antares. "The vision, experience, and innovation of both firms combined are certain to create a conscientious, vibrant, and noteworthy project," Cabrera added. "The revitalization of Stamford's waterfront will be one of the largest and most significant redevelopment undertakings in the Northeast with a big emphasis on environmental sustainability," said Bruce Macleod, Chief Operating Officer, and Antares. Some $2 Billion in new investment is expected to be generated from this renaissance project, which has yet to be named. Preliminary concepts include a wide mix of residential types and prices, including a significant affordable component, supported by neighborhood retail. "I am excited that these crucial steps have been taken and the South End of the city will be able to reinvent itself and again become Stamford's crown jewel," said Stamford Mayor Dannel P. Malloy. "I am thrilled about the exceptional caliber of the master planning firms and I along with the city officials and residents are eagerly awaiting their initial concepts." "I am delighted with Antares' choice of master planners for the revitalization of the South End of Stamford," said Senator William H. Nickerson (R-Greenwich, 36th District). "With Sasaki Associates and Cooper, Robertson & Partners overseeing planning, I am confident weare in good hands. The state of Connecticut looks forward to playing an active role in ensuring the success of this development." Cooper, Robertson & Partners has had extensive experience in master planning and development including Battery Park City in lower Manhattan, the Boston Seaport, Disney Studios in Burbank, California, the Memphis Riverfront in Tennessee, and the lower Manhattan Streetscape, along with several other outstanding projects. BusinessWeek magazine awarded the firm an Architectural Record Award for its renovation of a manufacturing building in Queens, New York to serve as the Museum of Modern Art's core space for two years while its midtown Manhattan location was being renovated. The firm's design of MoMA QNS is just one of the dozens of cultural, residential, public, academic and commercial projects that it has created. Sasaki Associates brings to the project an interdisciplinary approach that has created award winning plans and places, both nationally and internationally. The firm was awarded first prize for their master plan for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which is now being implemented. The master plan for the Thu Thiem New Urban Center in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam won in an international competition. Nationally, their landscape design for the Central Indianapolis Waterfront has transformed that city's relationship to the water. The firm also is known for its landmark projects of Charleston Waterfront Park and the Dallas Arts District and its role in the Oklahoma City Memorial. For the last 20 years, Sasaki has served as the urban designer for Reston, Virginia. The firm is currently engaged as the landscape architect for the U.S. Capitol Center in Washington, D.C. and is the urban designer for the new town center at the Woodlands, Texas. Sasaki's recent and ongoing work on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia; downtown Kansas City, Missouri, and the vision plan for downtown Providence, Rhode Island, has been instrumental in repositioning these cities and their former industrial districts. In 1999, Sasaki conducted a study of the South End of Stamford for the City, giving the firm extensive knowledge and background about the area, its history, and the type of development that would best suit the area and its residents. "This design team is one of the finest assembled in the country," said Andrew Altman, former director of planning in Washington D.C. and co-founder of Left Bank Development. "This team is loaded with talent and experience and we expect to see one of the most innovative developments in the country on Stamford's waterfront," Mr. Altman added. Antares Investment Partners began its search for a master planner last fall when it interviewed 15 qualified and interested firms for the project. From there, Antares whittled down the number of firms to six finalists, before selecting Cooper, Robertson & Partners and the Sasaki Associates. Considering the vast size of the parcels in the Stamford Waterfront project and the Antares Investment Partners' desire for quality construction that will enhance the existing community, developers expect the area to be built in phases. Master planners are scheduled to begin work immediately, and preliminary concepts for the project are expected to be prepared by late spring. About Antares Investment Partners Antares' projects and assets are primarily located in Fairfield and Westchester Counties. In Greenwich, Antares' Real Estate Division develops museum-quality residences on large, back-country properties. Its commercial and hospitality divisions own prominent assets such as Pickwick Plaza, considered the country's finest suburban office complex, and The Delamar Greenwich Harbor Hotel, a luxury waterfront hotel. In Westchester, Antares residential assets include CiderMill, an exclusive, gated community, and Armonk Square, essentially the "new town center" which will include luxury condominiums and retail shops, as well as serve the community of Armonk. In Stamford, Antares is leading a major revitalization of Stamford's South End with a waterfront land assemblage totaling 82 acres. This master-planned, city on the water is being designed and will be one of the largest and most exciting mixed-use developments in the United States.
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