RecogniTION
At V20 Group, we take pride in the impact of our work—and we're honored when others take notice. From industry awards to featured press coverage, these recognitions reflect our commitment to quality, innovation, and community-driven development.
Former WWE Production Studio In Stamford Sold To Local Developer
STAMFORD, CT — V20 Group, a Darien-based real estate developer and owner, has purchased the old WWE production studio at 120 Hamilton Ave. in Stamford.
According to CT Insider, the purchase price was nearly $7.5 million. The city of Stamford website shows an appraised value of 120 Hamilton Ave. at $7,599,960.
"We are excited to grow our industrial portfolio in Stamford, CT, as demand for industrial space continues to rise in the area," said V20 Group President and partner Joe Vaccaro in an announcement.
V20 Group says it plans to develop a new high-bay warehouse on the property and reintroduce it to the market. The site will continue to be used for industrial purposes, and leasing opportunities are being explored, according to V20 Group.
The property spans nearly seven acres, V20 Group says, and it's less than a mile from I-95.
Sale of Darien's Noroton Heights Shopping Center paves way for long-anticipated redevelopment
DARIEN — After years of delays, the former Noroton Heights Shopping Center is finally getting a long overdue makeover.
Darien-based real estate development and investment company V20 Group purchased four acres of the former shopping center from its owners, the Palmer family, to finally begin redevelopment on the empty shopping center after years of delays. The deal was finalized on March 1.
With a prime location across from the Noroton Heights train station, the upcoming development — renamed Noroton Crossing — will become a mixed-use community geared toward local commuters, featuring apartment housing, restaurants and retail and a private preschool.
“It’s been a pursuit that’s lasted some time, but we’re very excited about it,” said V20 Group partner Joe Vaccaro.
New owner of Stamford's vacant Fairway Market property wants to bring a grocer to the South End
STAMFORD — The new owner of the vacant Fairway Market site said it’s his goal to bring a grocer back to the South End area of Stamford.
The V20 Group bought the property at 699 Canal St. July 30 from the previous owner, LoanCore Capital, which has had the property since 2021, according to an affidavit on the town clerk’s website.
The V20 Group is a Darien-based developer that aims to “create stunning new developments from obsolete or out-of-favor properties,” according to the group’s website.
The property has been vacant since 2020. The new ownership comes as the city prepares to lose the Stop & Shop at 1937 W. Main St., which will close by Nov. 2, part of the parent company’s decision to close five Stop & Shops around the state. The Stamford Stop & Shop on Bedford Street will remain open.
Former Stamford Grocery Store Lands Fitness Club Tenant
The new owners of a former grocery store property in Stamford’s South End landed a high-end fitness club as an anchor tenant.
Club Studio, an elevated fitness concept by the owner of LA Fitness, will occupy 37,500 square feet in the 699 Canal St. property.
The lease is a major milestone for the 86,000-square-foot retail building, which has been vacant since 2020 when the Fairway Market grocery store closed.
“This lease reflects our shared vision of reenergizing this important property with high-quality tenants that meet the evolving needs of the surrounding community,” Westport-based brokerage Charter Realty Principal Dan Zelson said in a statement.
Darien-based V20 Group acquired the vacant former grocery store property for $23.25 million from LoanCore Capital of Greenwich in an August 2024 transaction that was brokered by Charter Realty.
Stamford's former Fairway Market site will soon be home to a luxury gym
A luxury gym that will include spaces for weightlifting, Pilates and boxing will take up less than half the space of the entire Fairway Market building in Stamford, leaving room for a potential grocery store.
Joe Vacarro, a partner at V20 Group, said a lease was signed with Fitness International last week to build a Club Studio in the building. V20 Group is a Darien-based developer and bought the property at 699 Canal St. July 30, 2024.
Fitness International, which owns Club Studios, could not immediately be reached for comment. It also owns LA Fitness, Esporta Fitness, City Sports Club and XSports Fitness.
Vacarro said the gym, which would “compete with the Equinoxes of the world,” would take up about 37,000 square feet, which is less than half of the 84,000 square foot property. There is still interest from grocers in the remaining space, he said.
“We're fully aware of people's interest in this, one, reactivating the retail and that's first and foremost,” Vacarro said. “But, two is that everyone wants some sort of a food establishment in this area of the city. We're working on it.”
Converted Warehouse Becomes A Sports Fieldhouse
STM Fieldhouse, a converted warehouse, is bringing an incredible indoor facility tailored for youth sports to Stamford, CT.
AllSports is putting the final touches on the sleek glass walls, versatile divider curtains, durable netting, and top-of-the-line padding. All designed to ensure the utmost safety for players.
Office-industrial buildings on Stamford’s West Side sold for $20.5M
Two buildings in an office-industrial complex on Stamford’s West Side have sold for $20.5 million in one of the city’s largest property sales this year.
Located in the Stamford Executive Park, 419 and 650 West Ave. were sold by Elmsford, N.Y.-based Robert Martin Co., to Darien-based West Avenue Industrial LLC, according to city property records. The site stands a few blocks south of Interstate 95 and a few blocks east of the Stamford-Greenwich line.
At 419 West Ave, there is an 88,000-square-foot building with 70,000 square feet of office space and 18,000 square feet of warehouse capacity, as well as three loading docks and a “drive-in” area. The structure formerly housed offices for Fujifilm Medical Systems, which announced in 2019 its relocation to Lexington, Mass.
A 60,000-square-foot building, which includes 20,000 square feet for a basement, stands next door at 650 West Ave. Earlier this year, parcel carrier Lasership announced it was leasing 40,000 square feet of warehouse space in the building.
“Today’s transaction reflects the firm’s long-term strategic plan, which includes seizing upon short-term selling opportunities so we can shift capital towards making new investments with higher-growth potential,” Tim Jones, CEO of Robert Martin, said in a statement.
The V20 Group Sells 550 West Avenue in Stamford, CT to 550 West Avenue LLC
The V20 Group has successfully completed the sale of 550 West Avenue in Stamford, Connecticut, to an affiliate of Jornik Manufacturing. The property, a 55,000 square foot shallow bay industrial building, is 100% leased at the time of sale to four tenants, reflecting the successful leasing and stabilization of the asset under The V20 Group's ownership.
The V20 Group acquired the property in 2022, when it was vacant, and undertook a comprehensive renovation to reposition and modernize the space. The renovation, which was completed in 2023, enhanced the building’s appeal to potential tenants, allowing The V20 Group to fully lease the property in a competitive Stamford market.
“We are very pleased with the outcome of this sale,” said Joe Vaccaro, President of The V20 Group. “By investing in the property and strategically enhancing its appeal, we were able to create significant value, attract tenants, and ultimately harness our return. This transaction reflects our commitment to identifying and optimizing opportunities in the industrial real estate sector.”
Darien and New Canaan developments to watch in 2025: From housing to schools to shopping centers
While some plan to wrap in 2025, other projects may see significant advancement in the next year even as the work stretches into 2026.
One project showing major signs of progress is Heights Crossing, the mixed use development in the former Noroton Heights Shopping Center.
The eyesore that residents at one point tried to report as a blighted property is long gone, replaced by a solid structure that will become 65 luxury apartments — 10 of them affordable — two retail shops, four restaurants and a branch of the private preschool franchise Goddard School.
The development is on track to open this year by June or July, according to V20 managing partner Joe Vaccaro. The Goddard School’s website also lists open enrollment for the upcoming location.
The redevelopment was originally proposed in 2017 under the Palmer family, longtime owner of Palmer’s Market. However, the project was put on hold until March 2023, when Darien-based real estate development and investment company V20 Group purchased the property.
Plan to build large warehouse at former WWE studio site in Stamford approved
A proposal to construct a large warehouse at the site of a former World Wrestling Entertainment studio in Stamford has been given the green light.
Darien developer V20 Group, doing business as Hamilton Avenue Industrial LLC, plans to build a 112,757-square-foot warehouse on a parcel at 120 Hamilton Ave., and adjacent properties.
The city’s Zoning Board approved the proposal Monday night.
V20 Group bought 120 Hamilton Ave., which is home to a former production studio that covered 30,000 square feet of space, from WWE in December 2024, according to property records.
The studio, according to V20 Group President Joe Vacarro, is currently being demolished to make way for the flex warehouse, which will have a maximum of three tenants, 111 parking spaces and 17 loading spaces.
“We’re excited about the next steps forward,” Vacarro told the Hartford Business Journal.
He said construction of the warehouse will begin once V20 Group gets the necessary building permits from the city.
Downtown Darien Office Building Sells For $21 Million
A 71,000 square-foot office building at 9 Old Kings Highway South in Darien sold earlier this month to real estate developer and owner V20 Group for $21.1 million, according to commercial real estate services and investment firm CBRE.
The sale was announced by Darien-based V20 Group on Sept. 15, but a price was not disclosed then.
The building is an 84 percent leased, boutique Class A office building located in the heart of downtown Darien within walking distance of the Darien Train Station and Darien’s restaurants and retail locations.
"As one of the wealthiest communities in the country, Darien has excellent demographics and features some of the top public school districts in the state," CBRE said in a news release. "[The building at] 9 Old Kings Highway benefits from its strong rent roll, anchored by long-term leases with Portfolio Advisors and Alter Domus, as well as its highly flexible and divisible floor plates that meet the market demand."
CBRE’s Jeff Dunne, who helped with the sale, said in a news release, "The offering represented a unique opportunity to purchase a boutique office building in the prestigious town of Darien that features stable in-place income and an opportunity to increase net operating income with lease-up of the 11,600 square feet of well-positioned vacancy."