Renovations to the Inn at Longshore — long awaited, and much needed — will be presented to the Planning & Zoning Commission on Monday (April 8, 7 p.m., Zoom).
Interior work includes a new HVAC system, replacement of windows and doors, more guest rooms (and renovation of current rooms), updated ballroom and drawing rooms, updated lobby, completely remodeled kitchen, plumbing and electrical upgrades, and ADA compliance updates.
Architect Ken Nadler has proposed a new entrance with a porte cochère.
Other exterior renovations include a series of patios extending across the length of the building with access to the lawn and shoreline, new landscaping, upgraded exterior lighting and signage, and replacement of siding and roofing.
Site improvements also include a new drive entrance, enhanced parking, and a robust landscaping plan.
The estimated cost is $5 million.
Click here for the Zoom link to the P&Z meeting. It will also be livestreamed on www.westportct.gov, and shown on Optimum Channel 79.
To see all P&Z materials, click here; then scroll down to 260 Compo Road South.
Inn at Longshore plan, prepared by LandTech. Click on or hover over to enlarge.
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A little rain failed to dampen the VersoFest crowd last night.
Five days of panels, workshops, performances and more kicked off with Chuck D — the front man of Public Enemy — in conversation with Johnny Temple of Akashic Books.
His talk ranged from music, TV and film to politics and his new book.
VersoFest continues tonight with the Lemon Twigs and DJ Hysterica. Click here for a full schedule of VersoFest ’24, and more information.
Chuck D with Johnny Temple, last night at the Westport Library … (Photo/Dinkin Fotografix)
… and the sold-out crowd. Most VersoFest events are free.
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The last few days of rain and wind have brought down trees, all around town.
This was the scene (below) early today on Hillandale Road.
It was quite a welcome to the neighborhood. The new owners moved in a month ago.
(Photo/Bob Weingarten)
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Accidental overdoses kill 2.5 times more Americans than car crashes.
On April 10 (7 to 8 p.m., Toquet Hall), you can learn how to recognize an opioid overdose, and use Narcan to save a life.
Margaret Watt, Westport Prevention Coalition (WPC) co-chair and prevention director at Positive Directions, provides the training. 30 Narcan kits will be available to participants. Click here to register.
In addition, from now through June the WPI is making the documentary “If They Had Known” available for streaming.
The 35-minute film was created by the college friends and family of a college student who died after mixing alcohol and Xanax. It shows the dangers of drinking while taking drugs like antidepressants or ADHD meds.
To receive the streaming link, click here.
Both events are offered in conjunction with Staples High School’s annual “Invest in Yourself Day,” which prepares seniors for life after high school and recognizes Alcohol Awareness Month.
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As the Westport Country Playhouse transitions to a year-round performing arts center, they need a permanent, on-stage piano — not a rental.
They’re hoping someone can donate a piano, for upcoming concerts on their historic stage. As a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, the Playhouse will provide a letter acknowledging the piano donation for tax purposes,
To comply with artist contracts, they’re seeking one of these:
- 9-foot Steinway Model D concert grand
- 9-foot Yamaha Model C series (CFX)
- 7-foot Steinway Model B classic grand
- 7-foot Yamaha Model C series (CF6).
If you — or someone you know — is downsizing, or for any other reason can donate a piano, email westportcountryplayhousepiano@gmail.com.
It may not be done in time for Judy Collins’ show on April 12. But Bernadette Peters is at the Playhouse May 19.
And many more talented acts follow.
Your piano could be on the Westport Country Playhouse stage.
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Soap opera fans, hold back your tears: Today is Jamie Martin Mann’s last day on “Days of Our Lives.”
The 2021 Staples High School graduate had split his time between Los Angeles — where the TV show is filmed — and Ann Arbor, where he is a junior at the University of Michigan.
Mann — who starred in Staples Players productions before graduation — is a musical theater major. Balancing academics and acting became increasingly difficult.
According to Soap Opera Digest, the 2021 Staples High School graduate “wraps up his brief but memorable run as tortured teen Tate Black on a high note …
“After 6 months of angst and drama, including being arrested for a crime he didn’t commit and sent to rehab, his ‘Days of Our Lives’ character was finally exonerated, much to the actor’s delight.
“I felt a lot of gratitude that I had the chance to close the storyline,” says Mann.
Click here for the full Soap Opera Digest story.
Jamie Martin Mann (Photo courtesy of XJJohnson/jpistudios.com)
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As Big Y prepares to take over the former Barnes & Noble space, Westporters continue to wonder: WTF happened to Amazon Fresh?
After much hoopla and a few months of renovation (plus some back-and-forth with town officials over the size of their sign), the mammoth company abandoned plans to open their cutting-edge grocery store in Westport (and other places).
The high-tech idea had been that shoppers’ purchases would automatically register without the need for a checkout counter. Customers could just pick up their items, walk out, and be charged electronically.
Not so fast.
According to The Byte: “Instead of closing the technological loop with pure automation and AI, the company also had to rely on an army of over 1,000 workers in India, who were acting as remote cashiers.”
They called it “a highly invasive marketing ploy to get more customers to shop at its stores, while actively undercutting the local job market.”
Click here for the full story. (Hat tip: Mark Lassoff)
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Splash of Pink is celebrating over 2 decades in business, with an expansion just in time for Mother’s Day.
The family-owned Playhouse Square store hosts a “grand re-opening” celebration on May 1 (2 to 7 p.m.).
They’ll also offer special promotions, discounts and events throughout May, in honor of their 20-year anniversary.
Click here for Splash of Pink’s Facebook page. Click here for their Instagram.
Splash of Pink
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The Connecticut Humane Society urgently needs donations of dry dog food.
Its pet food pantry provides nutrition for pets of families facing financial hardships. It’s looking for dry dog food, specifically Purina One, Pedigree, Blue Buffalo, and any other grain-free brands.
Donations of dry dog food (and other pet-related items) can be dropped off at the Humane Society, 455 Post Road East.
Cash donations can be made online at CThumane.org/Donate, or by check to the address above.
Every dog deserves to eat.
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Westporter Alison Ziering Walmark is a longtime Fairfield Theatre Company board member — and chair of this Friday’s disco party fundraiser.
At 8 p.m. on April 5, the FTC Warehouse will transform into Studio 54. The night incudes specialty drinks, music, dancing, disco balls, lights and memorable beats.
Awards will be presented for Best Costume, Best Dancer(s), Best Group, and more. Festive attire is encouraged.
Proceeds support Fairfield Theatre Company’s music, art, film, theatre, education and culture programs.
Click here for tickets, and more information.
See you Friday at the Fairfield Theatre Company Warehouse!
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Coleytown Company’s production of “Footloose” debuts this weekend.
Friday’s opening night performance at Coleytown Middle School is sold out. But some excellent seats remain for Saturday (April 6, 1 and 7 p.m.) and Sunday (April 7, 1 p.m.).
The high-energy dancing and music are great for all ages. Click here for tickets.
Ariel (Ella Grove) and Ren (Lucas Soares van Keulen), in “Footloose.”
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Westport Police made no custodial arrests between March 27 and April 3.
They issued these citations:
- Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 3 citations
- Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 3
- Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 2
- Failure to obey traffic control signals: 2
- School zone violation: 1
- Larceny: 1
- Disorderly conduct: 1
- Failure to display lights: 1
- Operating a motor vehicle without minimum insurance: 1
- Failure to comply with state traffic commission regulations: 1
- Failure to return plates: 1
Slow down when approaching a school zone!
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We all know the relationship between cats and mice.
So today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo should come as no surprise: A cat — looking quite fat and satisfied — guarding “The Mouse House” on Compo Road South.
(Photo/Tammy Barry)
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And finally … in honor of Friday’s disco party fundraiser at Fairfield Theatre Company (story above), how about something with a Saturday theme?
(Put on your bell bottoms, crop tops and silky shirts. But before hitting the disco floor, please consider a contribution to “06880.” We never go out of style. Just click here — and thank you!)
So regarding the WPD motor vehicle citations for the week, it appears that there were 15. Fairfield PD yesterday reported 670 mv citations issued for the month of march 2024. Yes I realize that Fairfield is a bit more than twice the population of Westport, but why such a huge difference in mv enforcement between two similar towns? If you have no (or very little) enforcement you will have very little compliance. Not too many years ago WPD would issue 5-7 thousand mv citations a year..
Any possibility that Westport just attracts a better class of drivers?
Regarding the Inn at Longshore: Because Longshore Hospitality LLC is the longterm lessee/operator, and now renovator, of this important town asset, I believe all members/owners of the LLC and importantly all of its investors should be publicly identified, whether through this entity or any of the other relevant adjacent LLCs. the documents list only Mr. Ryan’s entities which includes Landtek.
“Who are those guys?”
— Butch Cassidy
“What we have here is failure to communicate.”
—-Strother Martin, “Cool Hand Luke”.
Toni, how funny that you mention this very important and very very very suspect topic.
First of all the lease should have come up for bid !
There were plenty folks who were far more qualified than Ryan to take over this lease. Who likely would have bid far higher numbers..
this was nepotism I suspect because some very prominent townies and politicians are invested in this fund.
Nobody gives a 40 year lease and contributes by way of free rent to it.
The town is getting screwed.. of course not the townie investors.. just the whole rest of us !!
How do I know this ?
Because I own restaurants !
And restaurants do not ask landlords to pay for their improvements especially on a 4O year lease and especially when if it had not been all but taken “off the market” for a cronie, then there would have been many many bidders !
As predicted now we see new rooms and many allowances taggert was not allowed !
Now we see skullduggery, we see corruption, and it’s being sold to us as “aren’t we so blessed “
Lmao !
No we are getting screwed !
https://www.westportct.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/70972/638118813552530000
‘Skullduggery’ made me giggle 😃
Carry on SVU 06880 team!
I’m a rather confused. The document you so helpfully attached indicates that the tenant is responsible for paying for all of the improvements and that they have committed $8MM in capital to do so. It also indicates that tenant will be paying a minimum of $600,000 year rent escalating with CPI with potentially higher rent based on a % of revenues. So, town not paying for improvements nor giving anyone 0 rent as you suggest.
Maybe there is something in another document that rebates that all back to the tenant. If so, that would be the document to link, not the one that seemingly contradicts you. Or did I miss something?
The document shows the rent rebates to the tenant so the tenant gets to offset Reno against rent !
Basically the town is paying for the Reno ! Buildout is getting paid for by town residents !
Incorrect ! Tenant gets rent rebate for about 8 years ! Now you sound like Randy Herbertson !
Agree the Inn improvement plan seems fishy. Is this being paid for by the town? If not, was this part of the lease negotiation last year (which was passed quickly and with basically no debate) so that de facto we took a worse deal so that the improvements cost was deducted from the lease? It would be great if P&Z would do a little digging here outside of just approving what seem like very nice improvements to a deteriorating building.
Time for DD‼️Dan’s DECTIVES‼️
To Expose the cheats‼️
FS does not like to acknowledge that our elected P&Z and our BOF are not her minions.
It’s crushing for her and it is when we see the tantrums..
she can manipulate Dpic and parks n rec because they are not elected..
they ARE her minions.
The elected commissions, ehhhh not so much !
The corrupt behavior with regard to this lease for the inn was appalling ! It was absolutely breaking town laws, and when I called her on it in comments we got the wisemen lecture.
Just so predictable.
Telling us how amazing this deal is( for the investors)
lol….
Yup folks, stay awake ! The winners in a deal where the town shares in the renovations isn’t the town. It is the investor fund( hmmmmmm wonder who those names are) every other croney in town – disguised as a fund.
Especially a deal where these investors have the safety of a 40 year lease no less !
Actually it’s funny that tooker thinks we are so lacking in intelligence to not know and work out precisely what is going on..
if only she knew those of us thinking are already 10 steps ahead of her.. not that it’s hard.
I’m waiting for the town and the towns investors to suggest we allow this group to build on or lease land to do apts n condos, all over longshore of course on the best land, in order to generate money for other projects.
That’s how it will be sold to you 🙂
This lease was wrong ! This lease was sneaky !
It served a group we may or may never know the identity of without a subpoena, but we all know there’s a group financing this fund and benefitting while the residents get screwed !
Westport ! A banana republic.
How about ask Ms Tooker? I’m sure she’d be glad to give you all the information you want. It wasn’t put out for bidding? Hmmmmmmm
did she took us??
What I notice here and is actually more important to the Town’s taxpayers is somewhat hidden for most to realize, even those a little over worried about the terms of a lease.
Read carefully and look at the plan and read the descriptions of the works involved in the renovations and site work and then read and absorb the cost for that is given for the town to pay in the lease. 5 million dollars, yes that’s right $5,000,000 for all the work and improvements shown, described and supposedly part of the lease agreement!
Think people, look and realize some of the costs handed to the Town taxpayers for Jessop Green for basically simple reconfigure of the asphalt, curbing, parking fixtures, etc. Let’s understand the figure is about $4,630,000 of which $630,000 is just for planning, plans and permits! That’s 16% of complete project build and permit costs! Versus $5,000,000 for the entire rework rebuilding , building out new spaces, site rework, new parking, new patios and complete site landscaping and interior remodeling, adding a portico, ETC. ETC. Read the scope of work! Now take the numbers called for to rework simple grass and paved areas at Jessop Green. Again the numbers are just beyond what many will realize are just crazy high! Do the same comparison at Parker Harding Plaza and you will see that this town spends way to many dollars for these consultants on poor designs and non-solutions to serious parking problems for downtown! Then the bid documents are constructed in ways that favor contractors who pray on these public works classified projects.
This type of solutions to simple problems like parking areas and city owned properties should possibly be done on “Design Build” type project development. This actually could be done on the new and rework School projects?
And I for one am tired of towners in some of these committees and boards that spout ridiculous amounts for costs for alternative project ideas such as $80, 000,000 dollars for constructing a decked parking structure at the Elm Street parking area! If they are not qualified experts on costs of parking structures then keep there damn mouths shut! I am sure I could get some happy parking structure contractor to take the project for $100,000,000 if they new the contract would be created and written with that type of budget!
Let’s face it in most cities, towns and government bodies here in Connecticut we have created a public works environment that creates projects and their costs that are costing taxpayers and users as much as probably double what these projects should cost with no dam accountability and real justifiability!
Keep it up Westport and you will suck the good life out of Westport for our sustainability as an viable financially solvent community!
One school zone violation during a full week of school in a town with as many schools as we have in this town is laughable, and frankly I think deserves some explanation from WPD.
Since taking an office on the west side of town I drive past Kings Highway School at least twice a day at least three days a week, and literally every single time I throw it in to cruise control to the posted 25 mph speed for the duration of the posted school zone I am tailgated, aggressively passed, honked at or yelled at. And not once – not a single time, since September! – have I seen any level of enforcement, even on the few occasions when there is a cruiser parked along the road, as if the WPD themselves don’t believe the rule should be enforced.
Were they out issuing citations for the myriad other violations one sees around town – a woman that blatantly ran the red light at Imperial today offered that it “may have been rosé!”, the glibness of which suggests it wasn’t the first time she used that line – I may be able to understand, but the numbers show that that’s clearly not the case. And it’s not like this week’s numbers are an outlier; one gets the impression the quota is one citation for every type of violation per week.
So, what is it? Because as another commenter noted above, the general lack of enforcement has lead to what feels like a complete lack of compliance.