Located on the border of Fairfield and Black Rock, the West End/West Side neighborhood borders these communities. Cedar Creek bisects the area, along with the waterfront of Seaside Park.
In the western portion of the community, there are industrial uses, which are mostly situated south of Railroad Avenue. The neighborhood is largely medium-density residential (2-4 family homes).
These areas include commercial uses on Fairfield Ave., State Street, and Brooklawn Ave. Except for Went Field, there are not many parks or open space areas in the neighborhood.
Stratfield Historic District is part of the West End/West Side. Bassickville, Lindencroft Park, and Division Street are on the National Register of Historic Places, as well as Railroad Avenue, which is an industrial area along the railroad.
The majority of residents live in renter-occupied apartments.
As one of Bridgeport’s most prestigious residential suburbs between the 1870s and 1920s, the Stratfield neighborhood features some of the most noticeable examples of its various architectural styles. Most buildings in the area are residential. Wood frame single-family homes dominate the suburban landscape, with a few stone and brick homes mixed in. Although many of the houses along Brooklawn, Clinton, and North Avenues have been converted into offices in a more subdued manner, there are no intrusions of incompatible commercial architecture. With well-shaded lawns setting them well back from the road, the houses of Stratfield form a cohesive unit and conform to each other in size.
From the 1840s to the 1930s, it represents a range of architectural styles from the Colonial era. It is named after the Colonial era farming village of Stratfield.
On the west side of Bridgeport, Went Field Park is a 10-acre park. Before its transformation, the park consisted of six softball fields. An abandoned industrial structure on four acres is being removed in order to clean up brownfields. There are several improvements to the park, including a new community plaza and promenade that connect surrounding neighborhoods, a new playground, a pavilion, a pergola, and more parking. As well as the community, Bassick High School and Elias Howe Elementary School benefit from the expanded athletic facilities.
Bridgeport’s West End neighborhood is occupied by 70 percent minorities, and the median annual household income is $8,900. Elias Howe Elementary School lacks play areas outside because it is land-locked. One of the few high schools in Connecticut without an adjacent athletic facility is Bassick High School, located a few blocks away. As a result of the renovation of the park, expanded recreation facilities will now be available to the schools and neighbors.
By using stakeholder involvement in conjunction with a redevelopment process in Bridgeport, a whole community was revitalized rather than a few small parcels of land. Crime, lack of funding, environmental stigma, and lack of neighborhood involvement were all addressed by meaningful community involvement in decision-making. Public forums, design workshops, public safety meetings, and stakeholder meetings all included stakeholders. There were a variety of participants, including residents of the neighborhood, city departments, state and federal agencies, neighborhood groups, neighborhood schools, the Barnum Museum, the Bridgeport Regional Business Council, West End businesses, and the Bridgeport Neighborhood Trust.