Antinozzi Associates chose downtown location ‘in the center everything’

Written by Andrew Brophy Thursday, 29 March 2012 10:32

Principals F. Michael Ayles (pink shirt) and George J. Perham say they like the location of Phil Kuchmas block-long development on Fairfield Avenue and the wide-open space on the second floor of the Bijou Theatre that the architectural firm occupies. Photo by Wayne RatzenbergerPatrons of the newly renovated Bijou Theatre in Bridgeport have raved about the ambiance of the theater interior, but few likely know the architects who designed it with developer Phil Kuchma are a flight of stairs away.

Antinozzi Associates not only helped Kuchma design the Bijou, believed to be the oldest movie theater in the United States, but the firm also turned a former ballroom above the 103-year-old theater into its architectural offices and designed the layout of apartments and retail spaces in Kuchma's block-long Bijou Square development on Fairfield Avenue.

"It's a combination of The Cabaret and The Playhouse," George J. Perham, a principal and vice president of Antinozzi Associates, said of the Bijou Theatre, referring to the Downtown Cabaret Theatre on Golden Hill Street and The Playhouse on the Green's former home on State Street.

F. Michael Ayles, also a principal at Antinozzi Associates, said the 56-year-old firm moved from Stratford to Fairfield Avenue in 2007 because its principals liked the location of Kuchma's downtown building and the wide-open space on the second floor.

"Also, as I think we're starting to see, finally, it's just the general location of Bridgeport as it blooms and regenerates itself," he said. " It's great being in the center of everything. It's very nice to have a space like this, where people feel very welcome to walk in, and we're down the street from a lot of our clients in Bridgeport."

Antinozzi was heavily invested in the Park City long before it left Stratford, having designed City Hall on Lyon Terrace, the Police Department, Railroad Station, Central Avenue Fire Station, Dinan Memorial Center on Bond Street, Mercy Learning Center, St. Augustine Cathedral, St. Mary's Church.

The firm also designed many schools, including Longfellow Elementary, East Side Middle School, Dunbar Elementary, Read Elementary/Middle School, Geraldine Johnson School and South End School. It is now designing the new Roosevelt Elementary School on Park Avenue, where construction is scheduled to begin this fall.

Outside Bridgeport, the firm designed an addition and renovations at Oxford High School and Platt High School in Meriden, and one of its biggest projects is Wilton Corporate Park, which involves additions and renovations totaling 600,000 square feet.

The firm turned a former ballroom above the 103-year-old Bijou Theatre into its architectural offices and designed the layout of apartments and retail spaces in Phil Kuchmas block-long Bijou Square development on Fairfield Avenue. Photo by Wayne RatzenbergerAntinozzi's design of Kuchma's development was somewhat unique because the firm's work, from a revenue standpoint, is evenly divided between corporate/financial clients and schools, Perham said.

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Antinozzi Associates chose downtown location ‘in the center everything’