Town officials have spent months debating The Hamlet: a 5-story Saugatuck development with 57 residential units, 57 hotel rooms, plus retail, an event space, marina, and community gathering spots.
Soon, they may debate something else: an 8-30g proposal, with over 500 housing units. Thirty percent would be deemed affordable, under state standards.
The 70% that comprise market rate units would be a mix of condos and rentals.
Three massive buildings, 8 stories tall – 6 floors of housing, above 2 for parking – would be constructed on the Hamlet footprint.
And – because it’s an 8-30g development – the town would have virtually no say regarding parking, conservation or other issues.
ROAN Ventures – the developers who spent the past 4 years trying to build the Hamlet – surprised last night’s Planning & Zoning Commission meeting with a rough design of the plan.
The 8-30g would occupy 3 parcels of land: the Saugatuck River waterfront; the area bordered by Riverside Avenue, Railroad Place and Charles Street; and the site above Luciano Park, previously planned as the “Barn” event space.
An 8-30, with 500+ housing units in three 8-story buildings. The one on the left would be located at what is now the parking lot above Luciano Park. The middle building is in the area bordered by (from bottom, clockwise) Railroad Place, Charles Street and Riverside Avenue. The building on the right lies between Riverside Avenue and the Saugatuck River.
ROAN is still pushing the mixed-use Hamlet. Most of the P&Z’s time last night was spent discussing traffic and other issues related to that project.
Yet ROAN partner Dan Suozzi offered the 8-30g in the interest of “full transparency.” The last several months have been difficult for the developers, he said. Opponents of the Hamlet have called for a scaled-down version.
That’s not commercially viable, according to Suozzi. ROAN cannot decrease the height or size of various buildings, and deliver what it promised investors.
So, he said, they’ve been forced into exploring an 8-30g option. ROAN partner Martin Purcell told “06880” that they will file a pre-application soon with the Planning & Zoning Department.
In fact, Suozzi noted, the 8-30 would actually take less time to build — and be more financially viable — than the Hamlet. If they had wanted to do an 8-30g, he said, it could have already been completed.
Artists’ renderings of several Hamet buildings. The “Barn” — an event space overlooking Luciano Park — is at upper left.
Rumors have circulated for weeks that if the P&Z does not approve the Hamlet, a developer — not necessarily ROAN — would apply for an 8-30g. Some residents downplayed that concern. Others called it a negotiating tactic.
Suozzi reiterated that ROAN would vastly prefer the Hamlet, as proposed. He noted that those plans are in full compliance with the text amendment approved earlier by the P&Z.
But the developers also want officials and residents to know what the taller, denser option – an 8-30g, of 500-plus units – would look like.
This is not the first time an 8-30g has been planned, following long debate over plans for less intensive use. The town and neighbors spent many years fighting a proposed 47-unit development on Hiawatha Lane extension, not far from the Hamlet site. A 177-unit complex is now in the works.
F… ’em; turn down the Hamlet and take ’em up on their threat.
Surprising that they are bold enough to be that transparent, without turning red in the face.
As it relates the the recent development regarding the Hamlet: Epic move by the developer to invoke Connecticut’s Kryptonite legislation. Town administration and the ney-sayers can now try to figure out a way around this tar-baby. Good luck with that…
This whole ‘project’ is going from the sublime to the ridiculous. Can’t the WFD step up and kill this baby, just on the grounds of traffic density and potential danger to fire fighters and residents in a real emergency (like a fire)?
Do it! Build your East German style deathstar, Roan. If it’s a race to the bottom – as it apparently is in Westport – let’s go down in flames.
LETS MAKE WESTPORT STAMFORD ASAP
what bullies. call their bluff. i can see some approving / backing it that are worried about their personal optics (want to approve it but dont want to look bad) and they know its a bluff but this is their excuse that they have been waiting for… Does anyone have a list of all involved parties in this project? Anyone involved is now clearly backing the destruction of saugatuck …
There could not possibly be a worse area for 500 residential units story — in the vicinity of our RR station, and right on the river? The proposal will worsen significantly traffic around our RR station and possibly add ten minutes to the commute of all Westporters going by train to NYC.
Because of its geography, this area is already a traffic bottleneck. An 8-story building at our waterfront will destroy the beauty of the riverscape.
I wish we were up to speed as a town with our 8-30g status–albeit in a commercial area like Post Rd East– so we as a town would not be put over a barrel like this.
Shame on this developer for threatening to destroy commute times, delaying returning parents to their families, and destroying the beauty of our riverscape for ALL Westporters, just so he can increase his personal profit.
Tell him to move his whole project to Post Rd East.
We don’t want to end up looking like Greenwich, much less like Stamford!
Roan says they can’t s ale it back and still deliver the returns expected by investors. Whose fault is that?? Not the towns. Call their bluff!
PS- they didn’t say it wouldn’t be profitable, if scaled back!
I call it blackmail.
No. It is extortion.
Legalized extortion, of course, thanks to the CT State Legislature. Which makes it more like simply pointing out the alternatives so people aren’t confused.
Was the last paragraph of the article correct though? The Hiawatha Lane project was originally going to be 47 units but, after being fought tooth and nail, litigated and dragged out for years, Westport ended up with a 177 unit project?
If that’s true, folks may not like it, but the current proposal may be as good as it gets.
I’m sure I’m very naive about this, but …
Remember when Westport bought Longshore to keep it from being developed – and then gave it to the townspeople?
I know it would be expensive … but why can’t we just build affordable housing ourselves, without all the attending development? How far are we from getting a moratorium? How much more needs to be built? Can we do it in partnership with reputable, but smaller, construction companies?
Let’s start thinking outside the box.
It needs to be done, let’s do it ourselves.
We must stop being held hostage and blackmailed.
Hi, India, Why indeed, and definitely worth considering. What have we got to lose by investigating that possiblity pronto.
Too stunned to comment in any articulate way. The only word that sprang to mind was what Bill wrote: blackmail! Extortion? Bullying?
AND THERE IT IS. I’m sure this was the plan all along.
Sounds like a threat to me. I think the developers should reconsider their approach.
This is what developers do around the country. They have the time and money to fight. It’ll be up to community leaders and elected officials to stand up!
Stand up to what exactly? The 8-30g threat?
Every major development in these Fairfield County towns follow the exact same path:
1) Developer proposes something grand that delights some and infuriates others. Knowing full well they’ll have to make some reasonable comparises.
2) Long drawn out process where eventually the developer jumps through all the hoops and awaits final approval.
3) Citizens rise up one final time, hope that their elected officials can do something.
4) Developer “proposes” some horrifically designed 8-30g project whose main purpose is shock and awe.
The Indian Hill neighbors lived this for half a decade as we fought and then eventually compromised with the Bradley Commons development.
I was where you are now, and a couple of friendly P&Z members met with me privately and told me to take the deal since they can’t stop an 8-30g project – only delay it in the courts for a couple of years.
Westport cannot defeat 8-30g, it can only hope to contain it, and whilst 8 story apartment buildings with 500 units seem ridiculous, look at some of the other developments around town we were sure you’ll never be built. Or drive next door to Fairfield and see some of the messes they’re up against.
You win some battles, but developers always win the war.
David, you were lied to by the P&Z. While you were going through your 8-30g story, we (the Gorham Ave neighborhood) were fighting our 8-30g monstrosity, along with a reluctant P&Z. a neighbor and I spent several days up in New Britain in front of a developer friendly judge, along with a P&Z member who really did not want to be there or help us at all (Ron Corwin). We stood our ground and got a negotiated settlement. While we did “win,” the extortionists got a good and profitable deal, five $1.5 million homes, and we avoided having 20 condos directly on our property lines.
ROAN is showing why 8-30g exists…to allow developers to extort towns. This P&Z needs to stand up and call their bluff. Do not negotiate with bullies, because it will only embolden the bullies that are lined up behind them.
I am as others here have done I am going to call out Roan and there now CHEEZEY attempt at scare tactics, blackmail, extortion and general unscrupulous behavior as the Hamlet project before P&Z moves closer to a hopefully final decision.
They are expecting the people of Saugatuck and Westport accept and approve that they have which is a poorly researched, poorly planned and a very poor investment opportunity for their investors who have been led to believe this is a great real estate and business investment. This beached whale will damage so many quality of life aspects in Saugatuck and Westport with respect to traffic, density, Saugatuck river public access, creation of a most likely long term business plan viability for a 4 hotel over supply and impractical access and parking provisions.
So now what is Roan attempting when they start to realize they may loose the ultimate approval of this oversized commercial project.
They instead now threaten the residents, businesses and town government officials with the 8-30g alternative to scare the town with a horribly thought out and planned housing plan in an extorted approach with seems unethical to all not in agreement with the whole Roan’s Hamlet approach.
I hope our P&Z members can see who they may be getting into bed with and realize Roan wants to get their flawed development approved because they are protecting their poor efforts and their investors that will receive a unrealistic success if it has town stamp of approval.
Westport and town P&Z members don’t let fear and pressure have you jump out of the plane when you don’t even have a parachute on your back!
The only bigger surprise I’ve had today was that the sun rose in the east.
Sun? Not in Westport, it has been raining most of the day….appropriately enough, alas.
I watched until 11:30 then had to turn off. public was still speaking. wanted to hear hamlet response. it’s a tough call. we live in Saugatuck and have witnessed the steep traffic increase and anticipate it getting that much worse with the Hiawatha debacle and commuters going back to the office full time. that said, something is going in. no one really believes this is all for the good of the community, it’s a money making development. that said, it’s hard to fault the roan group for seizing on the opportunity.
we believe the 830g threat is real through roan or someone else. and realistically think we have two choices. support the development as it has been presented or suffer the destruction of any historic charm by the state shoving apartments and condos into this area. the traffic is going to be bad regardless. I think the bridge will be the next battle and I really would hate to see that become another giant truck route. if 830g wins this battle, we can be almost
certain the state will replace the bridge and we will have no recourse.
I’d love to read a transcript of the end if I can figure out where it is .
thanks to the p&z members for sticking it out. it’s clearly a thankless but needed job!
https://play.champds.com/westportct/event/865
Here is a link to the full 7 hours and seventeen minutes of the video recorded meeting.
thank you!
India has a good point. It’s about time someone in the administration starts an open conversation with Roan to buy them out of their position and take control of the development discussion. Who knows what might transpire. We MUST think a little out of the box. The current discussion is a lose lose. Please stop the train. These guys may just want to get out with a quick buck and the Town might make some money in a careful, long term and balanced business like deal. Please start talking and run the numbers.
Are there any elected officials with a financial interest in Roan?
Has Jen Tooker taken any money from Roan or people affilated with Roan for her gubernatorial race? Will she? Unfortunately, her public appearance with the developer could taint any negotiated settlement with Roan. She cannot be trusted to do anything related to this project. What awesome leadership!
We don’t want to end up looking like Greenwich, much less like Stamford!
Who is Roan anyway?
Their website is empty.
This entire plan is both pure stupidity and fantasy.
Do not let them bully us around.
Their traffic study is a joke.
They still will not provide a full scale model,
nor provide us with any parking details, because there
are none.
Maybe Roan should be paying Westport for all of
this wasted time and expense.