Church Lane is a-changin.’
The 1802 Federal-style Sherwood House has been renovated, moved closer to the street, and opens next week as the Spotted Horse tavern.
The old Metro Swim shop — and before that, a typewriter repair place — has been reworked into a modern Urban Outfitters store.
Today — in brilliant spring weather — one new-old building was reflected in another.
Causing Westporters to reflect on our old-new downtown.
Anyone else remember the toy store on Church Lane? I loved that place!
Do you mean Carousel, in Sherwood (now Sconset) Square? Or was there another toy store actually on Church Lane?
It was The Educational Toy Store. The proprietor was Miss Lewis who lived with her mother across Church Lane. There were three homes on that side of the block in those days. If my memory serves me correctly, going east from the firehouse, the first house was occupied by a hairdressing salon; the second by Mrs. & Miss Lewis. Both houses were torn down to make way for the expansion of the YMCA. The remaining home at the corner of Church Lane & Elm Street was occupied by M/M Krellen (sp?).
There was another toy store on Church Lane. Can’t remember the name but you had to go down a couple of steps to enter.
I think David Waldman and his architect, Rick Hoag, have so far done a spectacular job architecturally with Church Lane. I love the mix of modern and antique; the persimmon-colored steel and large expanses of glass of Urban Outfitters juxtaposed with the starch white clapboard and shutters of the historic Federal-style Sherwood House that will be the new Spotted Horse Tavern on one side, and the antique red brick and gorgeous old windows of Patagonia on the other. (For those who think they can’t abide modern mixed with antique, consider IM Pei’s brilliant steel and glass pyramids outside the Louvre in Paris.) I’ll be very keen to watch the evolution of Church Lane’s streetscape – especially Centerbrook Architect’s new design of the Bedford Square building – as well as how the landscape architecture plans take shape – and think it, too, will be very beautiful and first-class all the way. A big thank you to David Waldman and his team of architects and contractors for creating a really lovely and cohesive sense of place on Church Lane. Kudos!
I agree Amy. Very nice indeed and quick. Need to get his workers on some of these public work projects including the Merritt Parkway.
Wedtport has become too retail centric. I like sleepy towns. That’s right, I don’t want my town to become Norwalk or Darien. The spotted horse, I am withholding until has been in place. Do I want an over pouring BT to set into motion more drunk drivers near my house? No do lets hope that this is more of a restaurant than the GreyGoose.
Sorry typing on my handheld
What’s a typewriter?