Up and down Riverside Avenue, there’s been renovation and new construction. More is on the drawing board.
Friends of Eloise A. Ray Park is comprised of neighbors, some of whom have lived in Westport for more than 30 years. They write:
Several months ago we alerted the community to attempts by a developer – Vita Design Group – to build a new luxury townhouse adjacent to Eloise A. Ray Park.
As we noted, the park is one of very few public spaces along the Saugatuck River. It would be damaged, permanently altered, and encroached upon if the project is approved.
Eloise A. Ray Park
Unfortunately, while the project was slightly delayed, Vita has now submitted plans to the Planning & Zoning Commission.
A hearing is set for this Monday (September 23, 6 p.m., Zoom).
Eloise A. Ray Park sits on the west bank of the Saugatuck, and offers incredible views up and down the river. It is used every day by people walking to and from the center of town, and also those who come specifically to sit on a bench to watch the daily river activity.
With its location and impressive views, the park is also used for family gatherings and special occasions. It’s truly a wonderful place.
Unfortunately, Vita has been able to purchase what many believed was public land immediately adjacent to the park, and has submitted plans to build a multi-level luxury home which will change the park forever.
This land – 79 Riverside Avenue – borders the park immediately to the north. It has a number of old trees, and also offers prime habitat for wildlife. For this reason among others, it has been a perfect neighbor to the park for many years.
Benches at Eloise A. Ray Park.
But all that will change – along with the character of the park itself – if the town allows this development to proceed. In particular, we can expect the following:
- The park itself will effectively be unusable for long periods of time while construction is ongoing, and will be used in part as a staging area for construction equipment.
- The park will be damaged by construction equipment.
- Once construction is complete, the park will be forever altered by having a multi-level house, driveway, patio and walls encroaching upon it.
- Construction will also require razing the land at 79 Riverside, cutting down a number of old trees and eliminating wildlife habitat,
- Construction will also seriously impact traffic on Riverside Avenue — already very busy – because heavy equipment will need to use the roadway on a regular basis.
In sum, there will undoubtedly be a loss or permanent alteration of public waterfront space, of which there is very little these days. And while the developer will no doubt downplay these concerns, as they always do, those of us familiar with the reality of new development projects know better.
Autumn view, from Eloise A. Ray Park.
It is also worth noting that the Town has already allowed multiple new construction projects to proceed in the area.
Anyone who drives on the Post Road is familiar with the huge eyesore at 85 Post Road West, which now features several 2-story piles of dirt, trash and damaged construction fencing. This is only the beginning phase of what will be several years spent erecting a 68-unit apartment building that the town approved last year.
The Town also approved a multi-unit apartment building at the intersection of Wilton Road and Kings Highway North, which eliminated prime wildlife habitat along the west bank of the Saugatuck.
The town has also approved 2 additional new construction projects along the west bank of the Saugatuck near Saugatuck Elementary School. Incredibly, one involves a complete teardown of a historic 1700s house which is in good condition. Its only crime: being located just outside the official historic district.
Of course, all these projects pale in comparison with attempts by another developer to create an entirely new zoning district in Saugatuck in order to build 10 new buildings, up to 65 feet high, including a 100-seat theater, condominiums, a hotel, retail buildings and parking.
But no matter the scope or scale, each project necessarily results in eradication of the natural environment, elimination of wildlife habitat, and further urbanization of Westport.
These concerns are all the more pressing when a project is set to destroy spaces the town has officially designated as public land, such as Eloise A. Ray Park.
Anyone who would like more information can email saveeloise@gmail.com. There are fewer places like Eloise A. Ray Park every day. Each loss is a loss for all of us.
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