There are several ways to get from the Jesup Green parking lots to the Post Road and Main Street.
You can walk toward Starbucks. Through Taylor Place, next to Tiffany. The Walrus Alley alley. Across the Bank of America lot. Down Bay Street.
You can also take the alley between Green & Tonic and the Westport Book Shop, passing Toquet Hall on your right.
But why would you?
That quick shortcut could be the skankiest in town.
Toquet Hall alley.
It’s filthy. An array of garbage cans gives it a distinctive smell. You might not get mugged there, but it feels like you will.
Has anyone tried to clean it up?
Yes.
Basso — the restaurant a few doors down from the unnamed alley — wants to beautify it.
Sure, it would help them. But it would add to the appeal of its retail neighbors, while also offering another way to drive foot traffic across both sides of the Post Road.
A great shortcut. But little used, for obvious reasons.
Basso owner Renato Donzelli has proposed a low-cost, interactive and culturally enriching initiative. Local artists could create murals along the gray walls of the buildings. Visible from the Post Road, the artwork would showcase Westport’s history, culture and values.
The town could host a competition to choose artists. (A similar project was a great success in Norwalk, Basso’s previous home.)
At the same time, enclosing the dumpsters would provide aesthetic — and health — benefits.
Light fixtures similar to those at Basso and on Main Street would create continuity, showcase the art, and ameliorate some of those I-might-get-jumped-here fears.
Planters on both sides would add to the upgraded alley’s appeal.
Basso has helped its neighborhood in the past. In 2021 they spent more than $20,000 on pavers, light fixtures, gates, posters, tables and chairs.
Outdoor at Basso, a few yards from the alley. (Photo/JC Martin)
Basso’s landlord, Jim Randel, favors the idea.
But, Basso says, Mel Mioli, the landlord of 46 Post Road East — the building on the west side of the alley — has no interest in participating. He denied a request to string lights on the side of his structure.
Mioli told “06880” that he is concerned about safety. More pedestrians using a more attractive passageway might increase his liability in the event of an accident.
However, the idea still seems like a no-brainer (unless you’re not worried about getting brained walking on the path).
Come on, Westport. Time to rally for the alley!
(Hat tip: Sal Liccione)
Sounds like a great idea. Now how to get the one dissenter board ?
I can imagine any number of reasons Mr Mioli might not want to turn part of his property into a de facto public permanent public easement for use as a public passageway.
Anyone that suggests he should probably should start by granting a 4 foot easement on their property from front to back to allow pedestrians shortcuts through to the next street over or, if it doesn’t align with neighbor’s easements, adjust accordingly or allow it to be used as a dead end nature path.
Why people in Westport always want to tell others what they should do with their properties is beyond me.
That’s what sanctimonious people do.
I meant skanktimonious. My bad.
I would add, even if there is an existing public easement across Mr. Mioli’s property, I can understand his point about not wanting to encourage more usage.
I happened to drive by on the Post Road this morning. It strikes me that his 46 Post Road East property would gain little, if any, benefit of increased traffic through his alley way. On the flipside, those in back that are advocating this would receive most, if not all, of the benefit of any increased traffic.
Out of curiosity, have they offered to pay for all of the improvements themselves as well as offered any money to Mr Mioli to allow them to improve their access to the Post Road? Or do they simply want to use Dan to try to browbeat and publicly shame Mr. Mioli into submission (and make him share the cost, to boot)? That would be particularly obnoxious if there is no current public easement to use the property.
Here’s an idea. Why doesn’t someone without a stake in the matter just ask Mr. Mioli politely? I’d suggest waiting a week or two until the sting of his being publically called out.for a hearsay decision has faded a bit. Let’s not jump to the conclusion that his reluctance to sign on with public use of his property isn’t relevant.
BTW, Dan, “Skankiest”! What a flashback to my Junior High School days. Thanks for the memories.😘
Apologies, Dan. Just realized that my “hearsay” remark was way out of line. Of course your fairness & excellent journalist ethos prevailed in the matter as always & you reached out to Mr. Mioli for his side of the story.
Mean culpa, my Friend. If I ‘d said it, I’d be biting my tongue. Not sure of the equivalent action for a wrongly conceived email.
No problem whatsoever. Thanks for following up, Gloria. You rock!
Dan the garbage dumpsters shown in the picture are not ours nor are they on our property they belong to Mr. Basso and the businesses next to him. We have been trying to get them removed to no avail. As for the driveway it is in common with Toquet Hall. We don’t have a problem with beautification or lightning, we have a problem with liability. If somebody gets hurt in your driveway you will get suited and found liable. Who will take the responsibility for the liability? If it becomes a public access way who will take the responsibility for cleaning, snow and ice removal and all the things associated with it? My brother Melo probably misunderstood the question, the reason is that Mr. Basso had put a sign on the Post Road sidewalk inviting his customers to use our driveway as a short cut to his restaurant, naturally we put a stop to it. Do you have a solution that is equitable and protects everybody? Unfortunately I’m in Washington state as I write this it’s 6:45 pm here. I will call Melo tomorrow and make him aware of this article. All the best, Joe Mioli
Thank you, Joe!
This design idea is fantastic. A lot of hard work by basso’s Ellie, and well done. I think it would benefit everyone who might walk that alley. Incidentally is the alley public ?
Lights making it safe.
Art work making it very cool.
If we need more green space, this goes a long way towards helping esthetically.
I hope Westport artists might embrace this opportunity., banksy style.