WS-A - WORK STUDY - WELLNESS DISTRICT

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ATTACHMENT Case 3: Wellness District Vital Health and Wellness District Municipality: Stamford, Connecticut 1. Background and Summary The Vita Health and Wellness District is a neighbourhood redevelopment project, currently under construction, in the area surrounding the Stamford Hospital in Stamford, Connecticut. The site is located on Stamford's West Side, in a one -mile corridor along Stillwater Avenue. The district's central focus is health, wellness and medicine and this thematic concept is applied to the entire project's real estate development decisions, landscape and building design, and ultimate retail selection and leasing strategy. The Vita Health and Wellness District aims to revitalize the Stamford West Side by improving the health of local vulnerable populations; to reduce excessive spending caused by the inefficient delivery of medical services; and strengthen the economic and social vibrancy of the neighbourhood around Stamford Hospital.23 It achieves these outcomes by matching a range of health programs and services with the development of quality housing options, parks and green space, and strategies to stimulate local business and workforce development. Studies conducted by a Community Health Needs Assessment have identified the neighbourhood as having the highest incidence of chronic medical conditions and poor health within the Stamford area including obesity, coronary /cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancers. The incidence of depression, anxiety and substance abuse is also high 24 Many residents rely on federally subsidized clinics or Stamford Hospital's emergency department because they are uninsured or qualify for Medicare or Medicaid. Many are without a relationship to a primary care physician." The West Side has a population of 13,000 residents. It is a predominantly Hispanic neighbourhood, at 50% of population, followed by a large African American population, at thirty -three percent 26 The neighbourhood has struggled for decades to achieve economic vitality. Median household income is $42,000, compared to $75,000 citywide 21 Only 26% of the community owns a home, with the remaining population renting.28 Poor access to employment training, language barriers, and immigration status has been identified as impediments to employment for neighbourhood residents 29 Currently, many of the streetscapes that connect parks and green space are in poor condition. The city lacks affordable indoor fitness facilities. There is also a shortage of affordable fresh produce available on the main commercial corridor, Stillwater Avenue " Vita's Wellness District development was facilitated by the construction of the new Stamford Hospital and a land swap between the Stamford Hospital and Charter Oak Communities, the city's public housing authority.31 The S. \t Pracke WS—A-51