Westport is a kids and sports town.
And few Westporters know kids and sports better than Jon Deren and Michael Maurillo.
Deren and his wife Sara are raising 3 children here. He’s coached PAL football, Little League baseball and youth basketball. As owner of Camp Manitou, the developer of other camps and programs (including for underserved youths), he’s impacted tens of thousands of children and families. He and Sara also co-founded Experience Camps, a national non-profit that provides programs to boys and girls who have lost a parent or caregiver.
Maurillo and his wife Jen raised 2 boys here. He’s coached youth lacrosse, basketball and flag football, and served on the PAL Lacrosse board. As co-owner and director of Academy Camps, he offers quality instruction and leadership skills to hundreds of young athletes — many of them from Westport — each year.
Both men know how much our town provides its youngsters.
And how much it lacks.
Jon Deren (left) and Michael Maurillo
With space tight, parents haul their kids to Fairfield, Norwalk, Stamford — and beyond — for chances to train, or just play sports indoors with friends.
For several years, Deren and Maurillo have tried to create an indoor facility — a “modern Boys & Girls Club” that is a third space, beyond home and school, where kids can be active and have fun.
Finally, they’ve found their spot.
1431 Post Road East is a non-conforming 1.74-acre parcel, with a restaurant (Bar Lupa), greenhouses and consignment shop. Cars back right onto the road; there are ,multiple entrances and exits.
1431 Post Road East today …
Deren and Maurillo hope to convert the lot into a 2-story space with an all-purpose court for basketball, volleyball and pickleball; a turf field for soccer, lacrosse and football (big enough for training, but not full games), and a fitness area with strength and conditioning coaches.
The facility would not be for high-level athletes only, the planners note. Any boy or girl who wants to play, train and improve would be welcome.
The aim is for “camp-like activities,” camp owners Deren and Maurillo say. It is not a place for tournaments with teams, and there are no outdoor activities.
There would be locker rooms, and a lounge where youngsters could socialize, do homework and meet with tutors.
… and aerial views showing the present site (left), and planned facility (right, with building and drop-off outlined in beige).
Though the primary users would be ages 10 to 18, Deren and Maurillo would welcome adults when school is is session. There could be toddler programs too.
Tonight (Monday, July 27, 6 p.m.; Zoom), the Planning & Zoning Commission hears a pre-application for the facility. They’ll provide feedback to the applicants on the plan, including parking, a dedicated lane for drop-off and pickup, and landscaping to buffer residential neighbors. (Click here, then scroll down to 1431 Post Road East, for materials provided with the pre-application.)
Game on!
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That’s not the only pre-application the P&Z will hear tonight.
There’s also a preliminary plan for redevelopment of 34 Imperial Avenue, into 2 residential buildings with 9 units. It’s just north of the Westport Woman’s Club, on the west side of the street.
It was constructed around 1890, as a private home. Since 1970, it’s been an office building, with 6 units. The conversion came when town officials created a transition zone, between downtown retail and residences, with offices for doctors, lawyers and small businesses.
34 Imperial Avenue today …
Its location — close to the Library, Levitt Pavilion and downtown — would appeal to empty nesters looking to downsize, and others seeking in-town housing. (Click here, then scroll down to 34 Imperial Avenue, for materials provided with the pr-application.)
… and an artist’s rendering of the 9-unit proposal.
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Currently at 1431, in addition to Bar Lupa, sits Izzo’s garden center, and the consignment store – all 3 are long standing Westport businesses. Looks like this plan would call for the demo of all 3?
I remember 1431 as a kid. Sam Greco’s Diner occupied 1431 Post Road East before the Izzo family bought some of the land 60 years ago. To the left of that picture was a Private Road which went from Old Road down to the Post Road. I have a picture of my father riding his horse in 1936 with that dirt road in the background. If the new owners have any problem at the hearing tonight, I might be able to help since I have an intimate knowledge of that whole area dating back over 100 years.
It’s so nice having Izzo garden center in Westport. I still miss Geiger’s so I hope they don’t sell
So Bar Lupo, Izzo’s Nursery, and the Consignment Shop are all tear-downs? That makes me sad as I patronize all of them. Live the staff at Izzo’s, the food at Bar Lupa, and the forgotten treasures at the resale shop. 😔
‘Westport is a kids and sports town’….so true.
Thanks Dan!
Is Izzo’s the last garden center/nursery in Westport (other than Terrain?). I miss Geiger’s and Daybreak.
Gilbertie’s!
Of course! My bad!
This is so needed in Westport! Great idea!
Take a look above the picture of 1431. Notice in the top of the picture is a white house. That was Sam’s house and he had a little white garage in the back of the house. That little garage is in my 1936 picture and as of 3 years ago when I drove by on Old Road, it’s still there! Sam’s driveway used to come down and exit on the Post Road.Whoever owns that house now doesn’t have a driveway that exists on to the Post Road anymore. That’s for sure. My family owned some of that property and I have the original bill of sale from March 1910. 4.2 acres were purchased for $600 dollars.
This has me wondering all sorts of things. Who owns the property now? Izzo’s has been there for as long as I’ve lived in Westport and the consignment shop, although it was in a different location, has a well. I guess this means the property owner is selling but raises the question, are all 3 businesses in agreement or are they being told their leases are up?
TJ Pat LLC is on the town tax record as owner for this property, there are a couple years of unpaid real estate property tax, and there is a lien on the property. It appears the prior owner is now deceased and the estate is handling disposition of the parcel.
Though the property owner has every right to sell, it would help our community to know the disposition of the three longstanding small business onsite. Have their leases been terminated? When must they vacate? Will they relocate?
Further, the proposed new owners’ representative discussed a pre-app at P&Z this week. The property is egregiously non compliant with zoning regulations and the new owners want to make is a little less non compliant. They could easily bring this site up to code, according to some PZC commissioners.
Toni – I was at Bar Lupa (one of my neighborhood faves, as well) this past weekend and asked the proprietor if he knew about this. I showed him the pre-app docs on my phone. He had no idea about it and said it couldn’t be true. These business owners have worked hard to create a livelihood and in doing so have become part of our community. How we treat them should matter.
Nancie, To the best of my knowledge, the Izzo family never purchased the property and had a long term lease. Bernie Izzo leased the property from Sam Greco and originally parked his trucks there because he had a landscaping business. So if they don’t own the property, they wouldn’t have a say in the sale of the property.
I will be really sad to lose Bar Lupa one of our go to spaces. And too love Izzo’s
I did some research. Sam Greco’s wife was born in 1906 and died in 2013, a few months shy of age 107! But she had a previous husband with the last name of Nuzzo and had a few children by her first husband and anyone who lived in Westport in the 1950s would know the name Nuzzo. Supposedly there’s at least one family member living in Westport now and I would like to have them contact me. Nuzzo was a well known name in town! Some people will find this comment boring, however, I know others will appreciate it!
Isn’t there a marijuana dispensary across the street? Blue Point Wellness I think it’s called….