Norwalk CT’s Manresa Island: From Power Plant to Public Paradise

For decades, Manresa Island was defined by fences, fuel tanks, and a towering smokestack. Once home to a coal- and oil-fired power plant at the mouth of Norwalk Harbor, the 125-acre site has long been considered one of the region’s most contaminated and least accessible stretches of shoreline.

Now, that’s changing.

Backed by a nonprofit led by Austin and Allison McChord, a full-scale transformation of the island is underway. The goal: to convert the long-dormant industrial site into one of the most expansive public parks in Connecticut—complete with beaches, trails, an indoor water park, and educational spaces tied to the ecology of Long Island Sound.

It’s a dramatic shift in purpose—and one rooted in civic pride.

McChord, a Connecticut native, founded the cybersecurity firm Datto from his father’s basement at age 21. He sold the company in 2017 for $1.5 billion. Rather than retreat, he and his wife Allison decided to invest in their home state. They acquired the Manresa property and formed Manresa Island Community Resource, a nonprofit overseeing the site’s redevelopment.

Early progress is already visible. The site’s three 7.5-million-gallon oil tanks have been demolished. Shoreline restoration is ongoing. And the first phase of the park is expected to be completed by 2030.

At the center of the plan is the former turbine hall. Under current designs, it will house climbing walls, an indoor water park, food vendors, and flexible event space. The island’s iconic smokestack will remain, recontextualized as a focal point within a public plaza and terraced lawn for concerts and community gatherings.

Elsewhere, trails will lead to a sandy beach, a geothermal thermal pool, tide pools carved from rock, and a beachfront bar. Additional plans call for a canopy walk through a birch grove, a large children’s playscape, and an Urban Ecology Center designed for student field trips and hands-on environmental education.

The project has drawn early praise from local officials and environmental advocates, who see it as a model for post-industrial land use in coastal Connecticut. The City of Norwalk and the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection are among those coordinating closely with the nonprofit as plans progress.

Whether Manresa can become a regional draw—and a meaningful public asset—remains to be seen. But the work is happening. And if the McChords’ vision comes to life, the smokestack that once signaled pollution may soon rise above one of the most creative public spaces on the East Coast.