blevine@thestamfordtimes.com

STAMFORD — National Realty Development Corp. (NRDC) has rescinded its application to expand the Lord & Taylor store at Bulls Head.

The plan, which included the construction of a Whole Foods and other retail stores, was withdrawn last week after the development firm had requested a 60-day application extension from the zoning board in March.

If and when NRDC submits a new proposal, it would have to go through another application process, including new public hearings.

Calls made to NRDC, the site's developer and owner of the Lord & Taylor department store chain, were not returned for comment.

NRDC's plans called for a new three-story building, which at approximately 300,000 square feet, would have been double the size of the existing store.

The new Lord & Taylor store would have been 190,000 square feet in and of itself.

The plan also called for a 60,000 square-foot Whole Foods store and 50,000 square feet of mixed retail stores.

NRDC also planned on doubling the on-site parking with a two-level deck on the lot's northern end and a five-level deck on the south. All told, the plan would have expanded parking to 1,246 spaces.

The withdrawn plan spurred emotions on both sides of the fence. More than 100 people came to voice their opinions at the last public hearing held in January.

Bulls Head residents and store owners objected the expansion, citing, among other concerns, increased traffic in an already distressed part of the city.

In letters written to Stamford's Land Use Bureau, residents also said they believed the project was too large in scale and not pedestrian friendly.

Proponents, like Stamford Director of Economic Development Michael Freimuth, who spoke at a November public hearing, said the plan was vital to the reestablishing the city's retail position.

Freimuth said Stamford has been losing its share of the retail pie to other cities such as White Plains, N.Y., Norwalk and Fairfield. In addition, Freimuth believed that the mix of retail tenants planned for the site would have contributed to the quality of life for the neighborhood, and, in turn, increased property values.

He said it was easier for NRDC to withdraw its proposal and resubmit it to the city.

He did not say when he thought NRDC might submit a new proposal, but that when they do, he expects it will be of similar scale but with a different design.

"My conversations with (NRDC) has led me to believe they will submit a new modified plan that will reflect the questions and concerns that came up during the hearings," said Freimuth. "But it will also address what NRDC needs to make economic sense."