Norwalk Approves 300 Apartments in Merritt 7 Office Complex

The conversion of office buildings to residential aims to address housing needs and office vacancies.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Norwalk Planning & Zoning Commission unanimously approved a plan to convert two office buildings in the Merritt 7 Corporate Park into a total of 300 apartments. The applicant, Lofts M7 LLC, plans to combine buildings 101 and 201 into a single residential site. The conversion is intended to address the growing need for housing and high office vacancy rates in the area.

Why it matters

The Merritt 7 office complex was previously a major economic driver in Norwalk, but the demand for office space has declined in recent years, particularly after the pandemic. By repurposing surplus office space into new homes, the city can address both the drop in office occupancy and the ongoing need for more housing in the area.

The details

The apartment complex will include 56 studios, 182 one-bedrooms, and 62 two-bedrooms, with 27 units designated as affordable housing. The plan also calls for reducing the total parking spaces to 895 and converting much of the existing parking areas into outdoor amenity spaces like a great lawn, pool, dog park, and playground.

  • The Planning & Zoning Commission approved the plan at their meeting last week.
  • The Merritt 7 office complex was originally built between 1980 and 2002.

The players

Lofts M7 LLC

The applicant seeking to convert the Merritt 7 office buildings into a 300-unit apartment complex.

Lisa Feinberg

A partner at the law firm Carmody, Torrance, Sandak & Hennessey, representing Lofts M7 LLC.

Jake Granoff

An architect at Granoff Architects, whose firm designed the conversion plans.

Merritt 7 Corporate Park

A major office complex in Norwalk, Connecticut, that was previously a significant economic driver in the area.

Norwalk Planning & Zoning Commission

The local government body that unanimously approved the conversion plan.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“The complex was a significant stimulus for the additional investment in this area and the activation of this particular corridor. However, the office market began to change over the last couple decades, particularly following the pandemic.”

— Lisa Feinberg, Partner, Carmody, Torrance, Sandak & Hennessey

“Demand for office space has dwindled and it has left municipalities with extremely high vacancies. We know the need for housing has continued to grow. So by converting surplus office space to new homes, both of these issues can be addressed.”

— Lisa Feinberg, Partner, Carmody, Torrance, Sandak & Hennessey

What’s next

The applicant, Lofts M7 LLC, still needs to finalize construction timelines, leasing, and occupancy plans for the new apartment complex.

The takeaway

This conversion of underutilized office space into much-needed housing represents a creative solution to address both the decline in office demand and the ongoing housing shortage in the Norwalk area. It demonstrates how municipalities can adapt to changing market conditions by repurposing existing buildings to better serve community needs.