Tom H. C. Anderson - More Than Market Research

I’ve often heard that Hartford Connecticut is the Insurance Capitol of America, and also more and more I’ve heard that Stamford CT is the Marketing Research Capitol of the world. It’s probably true at the very least in number of firms per capita.

Other than Anderson Analytics, a few of the firms here in Stamford include: Research International US HQ, TNS-NFO HQ, InsightExpress, Gartner Group, Invoke Solutions, RTi, CMC Associates, LPM Market Research Services, Envision Research Group, Exposition Research, The Geidman Research Group, Goldstein/Krall Marketing Resources, Greenwhich Associates, Hamill Associates, In Vision, Just Kid Inc., Leferman Associates, The Marketing Advantage, Inc, McKinsey & Company (MR HQ), Stamford Marketing Field Research, Stamford Tabulating Service, Focus Vision Worldwide, Razor Focus, Focus First America, The Focus Room, Saul Cohen & Associates, … I could go on, and then I’d be tempted to start listing firms in the surrounding towns as well.

In any case, this post is for my fellow Stamford CT market researchers who are interested in how Stamford’s Urban Development occurred. As Marketing Chair for the Stamford Historical Society I’m extending a very warm invitation to you for next Thursday’s event:

We will open our newest exhibit, “Urban Renewal: The Emergence of Modern Stamford,” at the Palace Theater, 61 Atlantic Street, on September 25th at 5:30. The opening of this retrospective that looks at 50 years of Stamford development is also a fundraiser in support of the collections and activities of the Historical Society.

Speakers at the exhibit opening will include Mayor Dannel P. Malloy, developer Robert N. Rich, and Executive Director Dr. Thomas A. Zoubek of the Stamford Historical Society. Wine and hors d’oeuvres, prepared by Best in Gourmet, will be served. Guests can participate in a silent auction filled with tempting items ranging from health club certificates to weekend getaways.

The exhibit covers the history of the Southeast Quadrant Redevelopment project, which transformed the declining historic core of the City of Stamford into the vibrant center that it has become.

By taking advantage of the federal, state and city programs then in place, the Stamford Urban Redevelopment Commission seized the opportunity and selected the F. D. Rich Company as the major redeveloper. The Commission then leveraged the 100 million dollars of public money, the equivalent of almost 2 billion dollars today. The new construction included offices, retail and residential buildings.

The scope of the exhibit encompasses the early days of planning and controversy, including the law suits and organized opposition as over 1,000 families and 400 businesses were relocated.

Included in the exhibit are photographs of houses and commercial buildings long ago demolished, as well as copies of newspaper articles of the time and a number of models and photographs of the various projects which were eventually completed. Additionally, visitors can view designs of projects that were never built, projects under construction, and even some still on the drawing board.

The entrance to the exhibit will feature a little seen, recently discovered movie of the giant parade celebrating Stamford’s 300th anniversary in June 1941. At that time, downtown Stamford was still the vibrant center of our community, prior to the deterioration that set in during the years following World War II.

Dr. Thomas Zoubek of the Stamford Historical Society is the curator for the exhibit. Having spent months researching newspaper articles, photographs and oral histories, he estimates that there will be at least 500 different pieces on display. The exhibit is partially the result of a grant from F. D. Rich Company and the opening of their extensive archives for use in the exhibit. Historical Society Board member Pobie Johnston and her carefully preserved scrapbooks from the period of redevelopment were an invaluable source for this project. Many of the photos in the exhibit are available courtesy of the Urban Redevelopment Commission, Historical Society librarian Ron Marcus, and Stamford Historical Society Photo Archivist Mike Pastore.

Tickets are $35 and all proceeds benefit the Stamford Historical Society. For reservations or further information please call the Stamford Historical Society at (203) 329-1183. The invitation can be viewed on our website, www.stamfordhistory.org.

I hope some of our neighbor market researchers will be able to make it!

-Tom