The Arts District encompasses the core of the original downtown, and follows the Norwalk River southwards towards I-95. Appropriately the early marketing efforts to brand the area as where Wall Street and Main Street meet, is as true today as it was then. And it so happens that Wall Street and Main Street do intersect, and so that’s where we will start.

Wall Street was once the pride of Norwalk with its commercial roots and business vibe. But the rush to be more suburban as a response to the mallifcation of America helped drive Wall Street into a no man’s land. This resulted in the best ingredient for building a creative hub, cheap rent. Add historic buildings with big spaces, good light, and decent parking, and the ability for pioneers like the Garden Cinema bring out the arts film crowds.

The restored Norwalk Theater, now called District Music Hall brings back a performance stage where once vaudeville thrived. Over the years, the venue has trended with the times, and finally has a passionate team bringing live entertainment to Norwalk’s arts district. But is it too late? This was once the core of where cover bands used to play in the bars and restaurants, and various arts events would pop up. Garden Cinema once offered the art house cinema escape to the super-hero hit driven formula favored by private equity firms fixating their beady eyes on spreadsheets. District Music Hall was saved by the New Haven Center for Performing Arts. NHCPA operates College Street Music Hall and Westville Music Bowl in New Haven.

Heading down West Ave. the street changes dramatically with the arrival of new apartment developments. Norwalk’s Mathew’s Park is home to the Center for Contemporary Printmaking, the Lockwood Mansion, and a children’s museum. A cluster of restaurants anchor the large apartment blocks near the park. The Norwalk Arts Space saved a former Christian Science Church and brought contemporary art studios and exhibits to the empty wide boulevard that West Ave. had become. Much of the original Victorian and Queen Ann style houses are long gone, along with the Armory and the trees that once defined the area. Instead we have superblocks of apartment buildings, conveniently located near I-95.

The beginning of Main Street is at the juncture where the Norwalk River opens up past the Wall Street bridge. Head up Main Street, and the changing neighborhood unfolds, with many Victorian houses interspersed with bad 80s condo developments. But tucked away, you can find gems like the Antique Design Center, WaveHill Breads, and the most famous Norwalk restaurant owing to its feature on Diners and Dives: Valencia.