Riverside Avenue and Lincoln Street neighbors fought hard.
But on Monday 2 large trees — perhaps over 200 years old — at 125 Riverside Avenue were cut down. Hours later, the oak at 79 Riverside Avenue next to Eloise Ray Park was also removed.
A home will be built adjacent to the park, on the Saugatuck River at the foot of Lincoln Street.
Nearby resident Charles Tirreno spent the afternoon helping his mother re-home newborn baby squirrels, whose nest was removed along with the tree.
“This has been a grave loss of habitat for countless species of mammals, insects, critically endangered turtles and protected birds,” he wrote in an email to his Representative Town Meeting District 9 members.
He urged his representatives to closely monitor the situation, to ensure that stipulations voted on by the Planning & Zoning Commission are adhered to.
Scene after trees were removed, adjacent to Eloise A. Ray Park. (Photo/Charles Tirreno)
Asked to comment by “06880,” RTM member Jennifer Johnson said, “This is a terrible loss for our entire community. It is an in-our-face reminder of how little Westport is doing to protect our town’s limited open space.
“Across Westport we are bearing witness to the systematic loss of cherished natural resources. From the assault on Jesup Green to the wiping out of the Community Gardens, and now a proposed 35,000-square foot area of asphalt, steel and concrete in the middle of Longshore. What’s going to happen to that giant sycamore gracing Charles Street when the Hamlet plows through?
“Sadly, the redevelopment of the property on 125 Riverside is a perfect example of community-wide inaction. We have an open space fund. Did anyone ever try to purchase the site for open space?
“Unfortunately, we waited to blame the person who eventually came forward to redevelop the site. That’s too late. We now must confront the loss of more glorious trees, and the missed chance to add parkland to our riverfront.”
“Please do not take any more trees!” added RTM member Sal Liccione.
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Mitchells — the small mom-and-pop men’s store that has grown in nearly 70 years to include 8 of the leading luxury retail stores in the US — has just gotten bigger.
Stanley Korshak — the leading luxury retailer in Dallas — is joining the Mitchell Stores family.
In addition to Westport — where Mitchells is headquartered — the group includes Richards in Greenwich; Mitchells in Huntington, New York; Wilkes Bashford stores in San Francisco and Palo Alto, and 3 Marios stores in Seattle, Portland and Bridgeport, Oregon.
The Mitchells have been close personal friends with former owner Crawford Brock and his family for over 20 years. Stanley Korshak is a 32,000-square foot store Dallas’ Uptown neighborhood.
Most important, Mitchells says, the store “shares our family’s vision to bringing customers the most exquisite luxury fashions in the world, with unequaled personalized service.” In addition to the main store, Stanley Korshak has one of the top bridal salons in the country.
“Stanley Korshak is a jewel in Texas. We will do everything to continue to offer world-class products and services that are perfectly tailored to Dallas customers,” says Chris Mitchell. The 3rd generation owner will spend half his time in Dallas, working closely with Crawford.
Meanwhile, the 4th generation of Mitchells has begun working with the company.
Ed and Norma Mitchell — who founded that original men’s store in a former plumbing supply building at the corner of Post Road East and Compo Road North in 1958 (now M&T Bank) — would be very proud.
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Staples Players actors are as close to professional as you can get, without an Equity card.
When the curtain rises Friday for “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” — Players’ spring production — they’ll be joined by a couple of legit Broadway actors, like Kelli O’Hara and Chris Sarandon.
Former Staples principal John Dodig (who had a memorable role in Players’ “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”) and former State Senator Will Haskell — a Player himself in his high school days — will be onstage too.
But so will a few definite non-actors, like First Selectwoman Jen Tooker, Principal Stafford Thomas, and Wrecker boys basketball coach Dave Goldshore.
Plus “06880”‘s own Dan Woog.
We’re all “guest spellers.” We have no idea what we’re in for. We’ll just go with the flow.
And we’ll be guided by the very talented Players themselves. They’ve prepared well, for schmoes like us.
They’ll lead. We’ll follow. And we hope that audiences will laugh with — not at — us.
The full guest cast:
Friday, March 7 (7 p.m.): First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker, Principal Stafford Thomas, “06880”‘s Dan Woog, Bedford Acting Group ‘s Ryan Smith.
Saturday, March 8 (2 p.m.): Actor Chris Sarandon, former State Senator Will Haskell and more.
Saturday, March 8 (7 p.m.): Coach Dave Goldshore and more.
Sunday, March 9 (2 p.m.): Tony Award winner Kelli O’Hara, former Staples principal John Dodig, Staples choral director Lauren Pine and more.
Click here for tickets, and more information.
“25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” (Photo/Kerry Long)
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The Read to Grow Bookmobile arrives in Westport tomorrow (Thursday, March 6, 3 to 5 p.m., Compo Beach cannons).
Youngsters can climb aboard the bookmobile (not the cannons) to pick out a free book. The selection includes new board books, picture books and chapter books, for youngsters birth to age 7.
Kids LOVE climbing aboard to pick out a free book to take home! Their shelves are packed with new board books, picture books, and chapter books for kids birth to age 7—so there’s something for everyone!
To learn more about Read to Grow, click here.
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The Animal Awareness Night scheduled for this evening (Wednesday, March 5) has been postponed. The new date is March 19 (7 p.m., police station classroom).
Topics include wildlife (with officer Peter Reid), pet adoption (with Westport Animal Shelter Advocates’ Julie Loparo), and dog licensing guidelines. The event is free.
Westport Animal Control officer Peter Reid is a featured speaker at Wednesday’s Animal Awareness Night.
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Sure, you can teach your kids how to decorate cookie cakes.
But on March 25 (7:30 p.m., The Blondinit restaurant), Jess Leventhal will teach adults how to create “a stunning 2-layer mini cookie cake that feeds 6-8 people, and is almost too beautiful to eat.”
The $125 ticket a choice of signature cocktail, and light fare by The Blondinit. Click here for details and registration.
Blondinit cookie cake.
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Johanna Keyser Rossi spotted today’s “Westport … Naturally” subject — a juvenile mute swan — swimming alone in the Saugatuck River, near Riverside Park.
(Photo/Johanna Keyser Rossi)
That’s such a rare sight in Westport. No, not a swan. I mean a young one, playing without an adult nearby.
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And finally … in honor of Staples Players’ production of “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’ (story above):
(Contributing to “06880” is as easy as … well, you know. Just click here. That’s it! Thank you!)
Thanks to Jennifer Johnson for her excellent words about preservation, as well as to Sal Liccione. Both are two or our best members on the RTM. They speak out and are engaged. The loss of trees is but one of the several losses that the beauty of our Town continues to experience. Preserve. Improve, but always preserve.
Jennifer Johnson and Sal Liccione are irreplaceable.
So frustrating and disheartening… but Sal and Jennifer, amoung others, keep me hopeful about our local government.
Congrats to the Mitchell family. I’m proud to say the the Eason family have been customers and friends since Ed opened shop at N. Compo and the Post Rd.
Regarding the tree cutting on Riverside Ave. we/the town blew it by not purchasing that small parcel on Riverside and the old Cafe De La Plage property at Old Mill Beach.
Def BIG Congratulations to The Mitchells Family, those kids have been working there from high school years on; the continuous expansion of their stores is SO thoroughly well earned and deserved. I hope they continue to enjoy every moment of every achievement 🙂
It’s not quite accurate that we missed the opportunity to acquire the small parcel of open space on Riverside. During the previous administration its purchase was briefly considered – and rejected. The thinking, as I recall, was that the parcel was defacto open space because nobody in their right mind would ever attempt to develop it.
Thank you, Morley. That is an important correction!
If I understand it correctly, it’s true the town believed development was not possible, and also thought the price tag was too steep. The frustrating thing is that after a few years the price on the property dropped and the town could have purchased it at a bargain, but the current property owner made use of that bargain instead.
What I can’t make sense of is what the town expected to happen. Did they think the property would just go unsold and then after enough years go by it’s considered common-law married to the park? I kid… but seriously, it is a hard lesson learned to not take these perceived open spaces for granted. We have to be proactive protecting green space and trees.. in a formal, legal manner.
Most frustrating, is that our First Selectwoman has completely ignored our calls for transparency with the open space fund and how much money is actually in it.
The town of Westport failed my neighborhood several times with regards to these irreplaceable old growth trees being cut down and the wildlife habitat being destroyed. However, the company directly responsible is Vita Design Group. To give credit where it’s due.
I find that in times of great loss one can only to look to the helpers and practice gratitude. I’m very thankful to Dan and also Lisa Wexler for bringing awareness to this terrible situation. I’m so thankful to Sal, Kristin, Jennifer, Louis, Ellen, and many other RTM members who truly care and advocate for the environment. I’m so thankful to those very few P&Z commission members who not only opposed Vita Design Group’s plans and advocated for my neighbors and their concerns, but also spoke to the larger issue of over-development and destruction of our natural environment all over town. I’m thankful to the Tree Board for their care and support. I’m thankful to Parks and Rec for not only strongly opposing the plans from the beginning, but making a point even while they were busy bringing in new leadership, to again write in and oppose.
And most of all, I’m immensely thankful to all the neighbors, and people all over town, who wrote in, who sat in on meetings, and who spoke up in support of the trees! These people inspire me to be brave and keep speaking out even when it feels more of a risk than ever to speak up against rich and powerful forces.
Our neighborhood was failed several times over by the town of Westport by prioritizing private profit and potential tax revenue and in the process destroying critical habitat and going against the needs of a neighborhood of people. The land next to the park should have been joined with the park and the Bald Eagle’s roosting trees left alone in accordance with federal law.
Charlie, you are truly a class act. I’m not sure I could summon the grace and composure that you have shown here. You certainly have my respect.
So many of us say to ourselves: “I wish I had the time/courage/commitment to make my opinion known.” If Westport had its own TV show about how best to accomplish this, it would be called “Better Call Sal”!
Love!
As former elite stock boy-Saturday salesperson in high school for “Ed Mitchell’s” in Colonial Green, I applaud their success. It was a family affair back then with the Jameson clan along with Billy who just graduated college, and it couldn’t happen to nicer family. Much later upon my return here, Bill told me that “people thought we were crazy moving from out of the downtown area.” Instead they have built a small empire. Chuckling all the way to the bank, stopping by to give back to this town. Bravo Zulu.
Bravo! Charlie, Jen, Sal. Never stop believing in good, and fighting for what is right. Now more than ever. “This land is our land.”
This is a great reminder to support your local land trust!!!
https://www.aspetucklandtrust.org/
Aspetuck land trust currently stewards 8 open spaces in Westport, and are ever growing.
Also check to see if you property is part of their green corridor initiative, to see what you may be able to do to help on your own property:
https://www.aspetucklandtrust.org/green-corridor-partners-map