What’s next for Saugatuck?
Will the Hamlet — the retail/residential/event space/marina complex — be built there? Or will a massive 8-30g housing complex rise instead?
No one knows yet. But a great deal of attention has been paid, by town officials and residents, to the corner of Riverside Avenue and Railroad Place.
That’s an important spot — at the train station, near the railroad underpass — with a storied past.
Back in the 1890, it housed Westport’s post office (far right in the photo below), and a few stores.
(Photo courtesy of Christopher Maroc)
The post office today is Steam Coffee Bar. More stores — and restaurants — are nearby.
Unlike today, parking did not seem to be an issue.
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I love these old Westport pictures.
Saugatuck was always friendly and funky. The Hamlet is glass and glitter. Can’t the Architectural Review Board come up with something that improves rather than destroys?
Saugatuck lost its authenticity in 2011, it’s been a mostly ignored and abandoned eyesore ever since the Italian Festival gave up.
https://www.inklingsnews.com/news/2011/04/28/closure-of-culture-why-westport%E2%80%99s-italian-festival-has-reached-its-final-curtain/
Mr. Loffredo I totally disagree with you. Saugatuck is most certainly not an “abandoned eyesore”. Many thriving businesses there including 20 plus of the best restaurants in town. No need for the monstrosity like the Scamlet….
DE – well said!
The old post office is listed on Westport’s Historic Resources Inventory. The Hamlet developer wants to put it in a landfill. Why wasn’t our Historic District Commission asked to review and comment on same? That would have been the normal procedure.
This is probably a photo of the “Saugatuck” post office. In the 1890s Westport had three post offices: Westport, Saugatuck and Greens Farms. Each used their own postmarks with their own names.
The threat of 8-30g is just that, and it seems to be driving our land use and select people into cow towing to these money grabbing
neighborhood destroyers…what a long lasting shame for Westport.
Hopefully no one falls for the threat. What I could get onboard with is something like the development next to the saugatuck fire station .. some light retail/restaurants and some condos/apartments. Probably not enough profit in it for the people that want to do the Hamlet.