Could part of the state Department of Transportation Post Road East property still be used for affordable housing?
After the DOT revealed plans to build a new maintenance facility on the land behind Walgreens, “06880” asked 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker about earlier discussions to use some of the land closest to West Parish for housing.
“The DOT never offered the town of Westport a portion of that property,” Tooker said.
“There were discussions regarding building affordable housing on a portion of the property, in 2020 and 2021. However, the land would have been transferred from DOT to the Department of Housing for that purpose, not the town. Neither the state DOT nor DOH has advanced that project.”
Simultaneously, “06880” had asked State Representative Jonathan Steinberg — a member of the Transportation Committee — about the DOT’s plans.
Yesterday he forwarded a reply from Mary Ann Daly, who works in the Department of Transportation Office of Legislative Affairs.
After noting that the new facility is depicted in the site plan (shown at the bottom of this story), she noted another element of the plan: a parcel “which is a portion of the DOT property along West Parish Road that could be transferred for affordable housing.”
In her email to Steinberg, Daly included a note from Michael Strong, transportation supervising engineer in the DOT Office of Facilities Design.
State Department of Transportation land. The Sherwood Island Connector is at left, Post Road East at top, West Parish Road on right. The proposed new maintenance facility is outlined in black (behind Walgreens). The land considered for affordable housing is in red, at right.
Strong provides more details: “My awareness of the potential for affordable housing started in September 2019. Design supported Paul Rizzo and Mark Rolfe in reviewing documents sent to the Department and in developing conceptual site plans to identify a potential surplus parcel beyond what the Department needs to maintain operations on site.
“I was not in attendance of any of these meetings with the town or its representatives so I cannot offer any additional first-hand information other than a few E-Mails that may not paint a clear picture. The Department advanced Project No. 158-223 [the new maintenance facility] in 2023, sooner than originally scheduled, to facilitate the creation of this surplus parcel. I have heard nothing officially regarding the property transfer.”
So: Is it still possible to use the land for affordable housing?
To be continued …
Plans for the new Department of Transportation maintenance facility.
The tortured responses from DOT are priceless. Here’s my one word executive summary of same: NOPE.
We won’t know the answer unless we try–and I applaud Dick Lowenstein, Paul Lebowitz, and others who are publicly urging Westport to try harder to find an alternative location for the town’s maintenance “shed” and to leave no stone unturned in the process. We would be fools not to move heaven and earth to acquire or lease state or other land that might be available for that facility–or for affordable housing, athletic fields, or community gardens. Our elected officials need to step up and make this happen.
My thoughts EXACTLY!😆
I agree Valerie!
Is the truth out there? Can we invite it to the Trefz Forum?
If we do make it, can it be a color other than the bright white every house is made with now? I mean, I’ll take anything, affordable housing is badly needed, but damn it feels like we’re under some kind of paint famine!
If the maintenance building ends up at its currently proposed location, might as well put some affordable housing next to it and make compete the desecration of the golf course, for all who drive by.