With the arrival of fall, can winter be far behind?*
And with so many new homeowners in Westport — many of them former New York apartment dwellers — there is a lot to learn about property maintenance.
SCA Crowley — longtime Fairfield County residential and commercial property managers — know everything about preparing a home for cold weather.
Here — courtesy of vice president Maxxwell Crowley — are some of the most important tips.
NOTE: You don’t have to be a new homeowner to read these. Everyone can learn something from them.
√ Make sure your irrigation system is winterized.
√ Schedule your plumber to turn off all exterior spigots, as well as any water lines that are exposed or on walls with no insulation (a garage, for example).
√ When temperatures drop into the teens and there’s high wind chill, SCA Crowley recommends keeping faucets on a drip to ensure pipes do not freeze — especially in older homes with poor insulation,
√ Once all the leaves have fallen, make sure to clean your gutters. This is a tedious, dangerous task so consider hiring it out to a professional. If you do it yourself, make sure someone is below you to support the ladder. This should be performed at least 3 times a year, to avoid clogging and potential leaks into your home.
Gutter cleaning.
√ Contact your local HVAC technician to service your system as you transition from air conditioning to heat. Keep all rooms at a warm set point (68-72 degrees). If areas of the home (like a basement) do not have heat, consider insulating those areas or hooking up a space heater for cold snaps. This is especially important if the basement has waterlines.
√ Contact your landscaper to do a fall clean-up of the property: removing leaves, pruning shrubs, and prepping the lawn for the winter ahead. This might not sound important, but it is critical — especially if you want your garden and lawn to grow back healthy next season.
Fall lawn care pays dividends in the spring.
√ If you have a pool, make sure to contact your contractor to empty and winterize it.
√ If you have time clocks for exterior lighting, adjust the on/off times. It will get darker earlier.
√ If your property is on septic, make sure to clean your tank before it gets too cold and the ground freezes, if your clean-out is not already exposed above ground. Cleaning a septic tank should be a routine item all homeowners do annually or semi-annually, depending on use and size of the home.
√ If you move to a warmer state during winter and your home will not be occupied, consider hiring a property manager or trusted friend to keep an eye on your home. No matter how new the house is, issues can arise. Having someone available will help — and help your piece of mind.
A property manager or friend can prevent headaches.
√ One item not as critical, but important: Make sure to store or protect patio furniture, to ensure it stays in good condition. Consider sending your patio cushions and umbrella canopies for winter cleaning and storage. This helps maintain the life of your outdoor living investment, and ensures they are clean next spring.
*No.
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A packed house at Fairfield University enjoyed Dustin Nickerson’s great routine. They also went about the serious work of raising money to continue Homes with Hope’s mission to fight homelessness and food insecurity in Fairfield County.
Dustin Nickerson, at the Quick Center Saturday night. (Photo/John Videler for Videler Photography)
There was great applause when Homes with Hope president and CEO Helen McAlinden discussed the Wilton Road apartments.
The evening also honored Connecticut Commissioner of Housing Seila Mosquera-Bruno. She has supported Homes with Hopes’ Gillespie Center and Project Return renovations, as well as the Wilton Road purchase.
Nickerson, and all who worked on the event provided a great win-win Saturday night: for those who need shelter, and those who help provide it.
From left: Angel Bruno, Connecticut Commissioner of Housing Seila Mosquera-Bruno, comedian Dustin Nickerson, Homes with Hope president and CEO Helen McAlinden.
About 80 people — and a large number of animals — gathered on the Saugatuck Congregational Church’s front lawn yesterday, for the annual Blessing of the Animals service.
In addition to the human and other participants, several animal-related local organizations took part.
Interim pastor Rev. Kari Nicwander offered the blessings.
Rev. Kari Nicewander (right), blessing some dogs. (Photo/Mark Mathias)
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Tracy Porosoff is a great “06880” photographer.
Yesterday, she volunteered with The Community Synagogue’s “Reverse Tashlikh” project, cleaning the Longshore shoreline.
She and others were struck by the number of golf balls in the grass below the driving range.
She wonders: “Can the town erect better barriers to keep golf balls from getting into Long Island Sound?”
A few of the many Longshore golf balls. (Photo/Tracy Porosoff)
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Today’s spectacular “Westport … Naturally” photo comes from superb nature photographer Lou Weinberg. He writes:
“The common eastern bumblebee mates at the end of summer, and hibernates over the winter. They have a queen, and live in colonies of 300 to 500 bees.
“They learn to solve problems, and can recognize and remember human faces. Of course, they are excellent pollinators. They are particularly effective with tomato plants, employing a technique called ‘buzz pollination.’
“These bumblebees hibernate in the ground, making green open spaces incredibly valuable to their survival.
“This picture was taken in the Long Lots Preserve surrounding the Westport Community Gardens, a particularly biodiverse, and very green, open space.”
And finally … Kris Kristofferson, the introspective singer/songwriter (and Rhodes scholar) whose songs were hits for dozens of artists — died yesterday on Maui, Hawaii. He was 88.
With Governor Lamont noting that “a home is more than a roof over your head; it’s a community,” Westport inaugurated 122 Wilton Road this morning.
The ceremony — attended by Congressman Jim Himes, other officials, and local housing advocates — marked the official welcome for the town’s newest apartments.
All 19 units are affordable, under a state formula. Residents will include “the working poor”: retail workers, landscapers and others who struggle to find housing in what many speakers noted is a national crisis.
Nearly 400 people applied for the 19 apartments, located at the Wilton Road/ Kings Highway North intersection.
While praising Westport as being “a welcoming town in a welcoming state,” Governor Lamont noted, “we have to do a lot more of this.”
Governor Lamont, speaking at 122 Wilton Road this morning. (Photo/Dan Woog)
Other speakers echoed that theme.
Connecticut Commissioner of Housing Seila Mosquera-Bruno — who came to the US as a single mother at the age of 24 — said that without housing assistance, she would have been unable to obtain a master’s degree in urban studies, or complete a fellowship at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
State Comptroller Sean Scanlon said that his parents divorced when he was 6. His mother had no car or education, but through assistance made sure he grew up in “every apartment in Guilford.”
“When we build housing, we build Connecticut,” said the man who “signs the checks” for projects like these.
The ceremony’s host, Helen McAlinden, president and CEO of Homes with Hope — the non-profit working to end homelessness, which oversees the project — greeted the 100 guests. She gave a special welcome to the families that have already begun moving into 122 Wilton Road.
The apartments were built by Richard Friedman, president of the Garden Homes Fund. The private foundation focuses on affordable housing.
Rev. Pete Powell also spoke. A founder of the Interfaith Housing Association — Homes with Hope’s predecessor — he reminded the audience that one of the first locations for Westport’s homeless shelter was at the Vigilant Firehouse (now OKO restaurant), a few hundred yards away on Wilton Road.
“This has been an unimaginable journey,” Powell said.
He cited the many men and women who have worked to alleviate housing in Westport in the 40 years since the IHA began, and were on hand to celebrate the opening of the new apartments.
Representative Jim Himes spoke of the importance of addressing housing shortages nationwide.
“If Westport can do 19 units, and every town does the same, we will move the needle,” the US congressman said.
After the ceremonial ribbon-cutting, Homes with Hope offered tours of the building.
Among the ribbon-cutters, from left: Rev. Pete Powell (bowtie), Interfaith Housing Association founder; State Representative Dominique Johnson (blue blazer), 2nd Selectwoman Andrea Moore (with scissors), Homes with Hope CEO Helen McAlinden, Congressman Jim Himes, Connecticut Housing Commissioner Seila Mosquera-Bruno, Governor Ned Lamont, Garden Homes Fund builder Richard Friedman. (Photo/Dan Woog)
Jonathan Steinberg was not a fan of 122 Wilton Road.
Like many Westporters, the state representative thought the new apartment building at the Kings Highway North corner was too big for the land, and too close to wetlands.
But when Steinberg learned who will be moving in, he changed his mind — dramatically.
He’s betting many other Westporters will too.
The 19 Homes with Hope apartments were distributed by lottery to “working poor” individuals, and their families.
Nearly all have ties to Westport, through jobs and/or families.
Some work in local supermarkets; others for landscape companies, and cleaning homes.
One apartment will be rented by a Ukrainian family. They’ve been underhoused, since arriving in Westport as refugees.
122 Wilton Road apartments.
According to Helen McAlinden, CEO of Homes with Hope, an individual must earn $42.50 an hour to afford a studio apartment in Fairfield County.
Someone making Connecticut’s minimum wage of $15.69 an hour — and working 2 jobs — cannot come close to that.
Nineteen of those workers — and, in some cases, their families — will now have secure housing. For some, it’s the first time in their lives.
Every resident of 122 Wilton Road is “a productive member of society,” McAlinden says. They have at least one job. They work hard, serve employers and customers, pay taxes, and have hopes and dreams for the future.
“This building will allow these people an opportunity to live in this wonderful town,” where some already work, McAlinden says.
Their children “will reap the benefits of our brilliant school system. In many cases, they’ll be the first in their family to go to college.”
Kitchen, in a 3-bedroom apartment.
One of the many excited new tenants is a woman named Laura. She’s the community closet coordinator for Open Doors Shelter in Norwalk.
She’ll move in with her fiancé — who prints shirts in a warehouse for an e-commerce firm — and their 2 1/2-year-old daughter.
“Honestly, this is life-changing,” Laura says.
They’ve spent the past 5 years in one bedroom, at his grandparents’ house.
“It’s a blessing to be with them,” Laura acknowledges. “But our daughter needs her own space. We need to not worry about her making too much noise, and to cook whenever we want.”
The hunt for affordable housing has been “discouraging,” Laura says.
“We’ve been on lists in Norwalk, but others were closed. We applied in Stamford and Fairfield, but never heard back.”
She learned about the Wilton Road apartments from another list she is on.
“We can’t wait,” Laura says. “We’re a little nervous, but we feel like this is our time.”
A bedroom in one of the 122 Wilton Road apartments.
Another new resident is an older, disabled Westporter who works around town. On a fixed income, he could not afford to be here any longer. He is thrilled to now remain in the community where he was raised, and has lived for so long.
122 Wilton Road is close to the Post Road bus route — an important consideration for those without a car.
And — crucially — those 19 units of affordable housing will go a huge way to help Westport meet the state’s 8-30g requirement, avoiding lawsuits and other, potentially much larger, construction due to a lack of such housing.
Because of the building’s size and location, Steinberg says, “I was frustrated for the community. None of us expected a good outcome.”
But, he says, when he learned that all the units would be deemed “affordable,” under Connecticut’s income formula, he realized its benefits.
“Westport is a model for the state,” as legislators contemplate changes to regulations, he says.
Because of this project, and other small clusters of affordable housing in town, “we will have a seat at the table in Hartford. We can help direct the best outcomes for Westport.”
The hallways are decorated with art and photographers by Westporters Miggs Burroughs, Tom Kretsch, Katharine Ross and Susan Fehlinger. All have local or New England themes. Burroughs paused earlier this month, while hanging the works.
The original plan was for 6 units of affordable housing, and 13 at market rate. Town officials denied the plan. But after 7 years of litigation, developer Richard Friedman prevailed, on 8-30g grounds.
McAlinden developed a good relationship with the builder. When he decided to sell the building, McAlinden realized it aligned with Homes with Hope’s mission: to end homelessness in the area, and provide resources for self-reliance.
The units include 4 one-bedroom apartments, 8 with two bedrooms, and 7 with three. Millenium Property Management will manage the building.
Homes with Hope will connect residents with essential resources, including job training, counseling and other support services.
“Essential workers like store associates and service industry professionals are the backbone of Westport,” Homes with Hope notes. “Yet many struggle to find affordable housing near their workplaces.”
Living close to work will reduce commuting times and costs. Increased disposable income can be reinvested in the local economy.
Affordable housing fosters economic diversity. “This inclusivity strengthens the cultural richness of Westport, creating a more vibrant and dynamic place to live,” Homes with Hope adds.
For months, Westporters have driven past 122 Wilton Road, and wondered who would want to live there.
Now they know: 19 hard-working, very appreciative families do.
On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates by half a percentage point.
Implications ripple across the economy. One of the most significant areas is real estate.
In Westport, that’s always a lively topic. “06880” asked our friends at KMS Team at Compass what the news means for home buyers. They say:
According to to Lawrence Yun, National Association of Reatlors chief economist, much of the rate cut had already been factored into existing mortgage rates.
However, he said, “due to already low mortgage rates compared to spring, the purchasing power for home buyers has been lifted by around $50,000 for those with a $2,000 monthly mortgage payment budget. Consumers who were priced out due to earlier higher mortgage rates could now be back in the market.”
For those buyers still in the looking phase, this offers an opportunity to reach just beyond their target range, perhaps opening up a new selection of homes to consider.
Let’s say buyers set a price range between $1 million and $1,149 million. Today, that search in Fairfield County shows 35 properties.
Simply changing the upper end of the range to $1.2 million brings 62 homes to consider.
In Westport, a search range of $1.5 million to $1.649 million returns just 2 homes on the market. Increase the range to $1.7, and now there are 6 homes.
The Federal Reserve’s rate cut puts this 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom, 2,304-square foot home on 1.41 acres at 163 Cross Highway in the range of buyers who might not have afforded it otherwise. It’s listed for $1.699 million.
For buyers who have already identified a property to purchase but have not locked into a mortgage, the potential savings are a bonus.
One client, looking at a 5-year adjustable rate mortgage, received a quarter point reduction in the rate overnight.
While this amounts to less than $100 a month on a $500,000 loan, it is not insignificant. If just half that amount were applied as extra principal payments, the borrower would save more than $24,000 over the life of the 30-year loan — and finish paying the mortgage off 15 months sooner.
The Mortgage Research Center offers a great calculator, for playing with the numbers.
Most importantly, the rate cut is a psychological signal for nervous home buyers that things are looking up.
The idea of “dating the rate and marrying the home” — refinancing when rates drop — is unfamiliar to many first-time home buyers. And why not? This is the first rate cut in over 4 years.
(Real estate is of prime interest for many Westporters. “06880” covers the topic often — along with so much else. If you like our work, please click here to support this hyperlocal blog. Thank you!)
Up and down Riverside Avenue, there’s been renovation and new construction. More is on the drawing board.
Friends of Eloise A. Ray Park is comprised of neighbors, some of whom have lived in Westport for more than 30 years. They write:
Several months ago we alerted the community to attempts by a developer – Vita Design Group – to build a new luxury townhouse adjacent to Eloise A. Ray Park.
As we noted, the park is one of very few public spaces along the Saugatuck River. It would be damaged, permanently altered, and encroached upon if the project is approved.
Eloise A. Ray Park
Unfortunately, while the project was slightly delayed, Vita has now submitted plans to the Planning & Zoning Commission.
A hearing is set for this Monday (September 23, 6 p.m., Zoom).
Eloise A. Ray Park sits on the west bank of the Saugatuck, and offers incredible views up and down the river. It is used every day by people walking to and from the center of town, and also those who come specifically to sit on a bench to watch the daily river activity.
With its location and impressive views, the park is also used for family gatherings and special occasions. It’s truly a wonderful place.
Unfortunately, Vita has been able to purchase what many believed was public land immediately adjacent to the park, and has submitted plans to build a multi-level luxury home which will change the park forever.
This land – 79 Riverside Avenue – borders the park immediately to the north. It has a number of old trees, and also offers prime habitat for wildlife. For this reason among others, it has been a perfect neighbor to the park for many years.
Benches at Eloise A. Ray Park.
But all that will change – along with the character of the park itself – if the town allows this development to proceed. In particular, we can expect the following:
The park itself will effectively be unusable for long periods of time while construction is ongoing, and will be used in part as a staging area for construction equipment.
The park will be damaged by construction equipment.
Once construction is complete, the park will be forever altered by having a multi-level house, driveway, patio and walls encroaching upon it.
Construction will also require razing the land at 79 Riverside, cutting down a number of old trees and eliminating wildlife habitat,
Construction will also seriously impact traffic on Riverside Avenue — already very busy – because heavy equipment will need to use the roadway on a regular basis.
In sum, there will undoubtedly be a loss or permanent alteration of public waterfront space, of which there is very little these days. And while the developer will no doubt downplay these concerns, as they always do, those of us familiar with the reality of new development projects know better.
Autumn view, from Eloise A. Ray Park.
It is also worth noting that the Town has already allowed multiple new construction projects to proceed in the area.
Anyone who drives on the Post Road is familiar with the huge eyesore at 85 Post Road West, which now features several 2-story piles of dirt, trash and damaged construction fencing. This is only the beginning phase of what will be several years spent erecting a 68-unit apartment building that the town approved last year.
The Town also approved a multi-unit apartment building at the intersection of Wilton Road and Kings Highway North, which eliminated prime wildlife habitat along the west bank of the Saugatuck.
The town has also approved 2 additional new construction projects along the west bank of the Saugatuck near Saugatuck Elementary School. Incredibly, one involves a complete teardown of a historic 1700s house which is in good condition. Its only crime: being located just outside the official historic district.
Of course, all these projects pale in comparison with attempts by another developer to create an entirely new zoning district in Saugatuck in order to build 10 new buildings, up to 65 feet high, including a 100-seat theater, condominiums, a hotel, retail buildings and parking.
But no matter the scope or scale, each project necessarily results in eradication of the natural environment, elimination of wildlife habitat, and further urbanization of Westport.
These concerns are all the more pressing when a project is set to destroy spaces the town has officially designated as public land, such as Eloise A. Ray Park.
Anyone who would like more information can email saveeloise@gmail.com. There are fewer places like Eloise A. Ray Park every day. Each loss is a loss for all of us.
(“06880” Opinion pages are open to everyone. That’s the beauty of a hyper-local blog. If you value our work, please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!)
One of the most well-known homes in Westport — the only one on the north (left) side of the Compo Cove footpath, just over the pedestrian bridge at Sherwood Mill Pond — may soon be a memory.
A “Demolition” sign hangs next to the front door of the house owned for years by Mike Katz, the cowboy hat-wearing man-about-town.
The 43 Compo Mill Cove home — built in 1942 — was originally located across the path, on the right. It boasts an unobstructed view of the Mill Pond. But it’s been unoccupied for quite a while, and seems not to have been maintained since then.
Compo Cove home, with demolition sign next to the front door. (Photo/Dinkin Fotografix)
That’s not the only beach neighborhood home on the chopping block
This one — at 21 Norwalk Avenue, off Soundview Drive — also bears a “Demolition” notice.
(Photo/Dan Woog)
It was built in 1920 — 104 years ago.
Clearly, it’s had some work done over the past century. The non-winterized cottages that were there for much of the 1900s were not like this.
It will sure be interesting to see what the new construction looks like.
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This Saturday’s Westport Country Playhouse’s gala features Emmy and Tony Award winner Kristin Chenoweth, Drama Desk Award-winning conductor and music director Mary-Mitchell Campbell — plus a host of Broadway performers — in a tribute to Cy Coleman (September 14, 7 p.m.).
Like any good benefit, this one includes some very cool live auction items. Among them:
2 tickets to Steve Martin & Martin Short’s “The Dukes of Funnytown!” at Foxwoods, and a post-show meet and greet with the stars.
4 tickets to “Wicked,” and a backstage tour to meet the cast.
Dinner for 10 catered by Gabriele’s, on the Playhouse stage with artistic director Mark Shanahan and managing director Beth Huisking.
Raffle boxes are available too, for a chance to win 2 jewelry pieces by designer Marco Bicego.
Speaking of the Playhouse: They kicked off another intriguing “Script in Hand” season last night, with “Satchel Paige and the Kansas City Swing.”
The show — about the last days of baseball’s Negro Leagues — was enthusiastically received.
The cast of “Satchel Paige,” with playwright/director Trey Ellis of Westport (back row, center) and Playhouse stage manager Megan Smith (front, 3rd from left). (Photo/Dave Matlow)
For decades, longtime Westport resident Jo Ann Miller was an executive in the garment industry.
When international travel wore her down, she became a top real estate agent.
All along, she continued to produce art. As a sculptor, she collaborated with the late Kelley Spearen on many projects.
She also wrote an account of her first attempt at a marathon. The foreward was by her former next door neighbor, and her father’s wing man: John Glenn.
Now Miller is out with a work of fiction. It’s about the aftermath of a July 4, 2004 SEAL team celebration in Iraq that went terribly wrong. The terrorists never forgot. Twenty years later, they seek revenge.
“Terrorist Revenge” will be available soon, at Amazon.
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Local author Michael Hendricks and artist Rebecca Ross greeted their many fans this weekend, at the Westport Book Shop.
They signed copies of “In the Beginning! A Love Story.”
Susie Kowalsky — who sent the photo below — is a huge fan. She bought 5 copies, “to share with the little ones I know and love.”
Rebecca Ross and Michael Hendricks, at the Westport Book Shop.
Guitarist Ed Cherry is well known for his long association with Dizzy Gillespie. Since the bandleader’s death in 1993, Cherry has worked with Paquito D’Rivera, Jon Faddis, John Patton, Hamiet Bluiett, Henry Threadgill, Paula West and Dr. Lonnie Smith.
He has recorded many albums as a leader, and appeared on countless records as a featured soloist.
This Thursday (September 12), he highlights Jazz at the Post (VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399; shows at 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner from 8 p.m.; $20 music cover, $15 for veterans and students; click here for reservations).
Cherry is joined by bassist Essiet Essiet, drummer Jason Tiemann and saxophonist Greg “The Jazz Rabbi” Wall.
Entrepreneur and real estate developer Stanley Seligson died peacefully at his Westport home, surrounded by his family, on Thursday. He was 90.
Stanley attended the Williston Northampton School, and the University of Connecticut.
Following his father’s death in 1953, Stanley assumed responsibility for the family’s wholesale business, S&S Tobacco. He grew the original company into one of the largest distributors of candy, tobacco, vending and arcade machines in the Northeast.
In 1979, Stanley formed Seligson Properties. The real estate firm has invested in, developed, managed and built nearly 3 million square feet of property. He was the driving force behind many key developments in Norwalk.
Stanley was dedicated to his hometown of Norwalk. He served as an advisor and board member to institutions including the Greater Norwalk Chamber of Commerce, Norwalk YMCA, Maritime Aquarium, Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum, and others
He was named Industry Man of the Year by the Anti-Defamation League and Distributor of the Year by Philip Morris, among other honors.
Stanley had a passion for travel. His family says he “enjoyed many of the finer things in life, but always remained down to earth. He equally valued the simple pleasures found at his homes in Connecticut and Florida.” Stanley cherished these moments.
Stanley was an avid golfer. He learned from top instructors, and played many renowned courses. He was a founding member of Rolling Hills Country Club in Wilton, and was a member of Birchwood Country Club in Westport; Burning Tree Club in Bethesda, Maryland; and Trump International Golf Club and The Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida.
He is survived by his wife of over 50 years, Carole; children Shana and Todd Seligson, sister Suzanne Serlin, and Mary Hill.
A funeral service will be held tomorrow (Wednesday, September 11, 11 a.m., Temple Israel), with a lunch at 2 p.m. at Rolling Hills Country Club in Wilton.
And finally … on this date in 1724, “Jesu, der du meine Seele” — one of Johan Sebastian Bach’s most famous church cantatas — was performed for the first time, in Leipzig.
(Stop! Don’t press the “bach” button — at least, not without first clicking here, to make a tax-deductible contribution to “06880.” Thank you!)
A reminder: Tomorrow’s (Sunday) CT United motorcycle ride will impact travel on Riverside Avenue, Wilton Road — and cross streets — from Exit 17 to the Wilton line.
The event — paying tribute to the victims and first responders of 9/11 — is the largest motorcycle ride in the state.
It begins around 11:30 a.m. at Sherwood Island State Park. Hundreds of riders head south on I-95; take Exit 17, and then proceed to Wilton, and on through 7 towns before ending in Bridgeport.
The route is closed and continuous. With the assistance of a police escort, motorcyclists drive through traffic lights and do not stop at stop signs.
Drivers should expect extended traffic delays along the route — potentially 45 minutes or longer. Alternate routes are recommended.
The start of the CT United ride, at Sherwood Island State Park. (Photo/Penny Pearlman)
Now — just in time for nice fall walking weather — the Historic District Commission has updated its self-guided walking tour.
And made it available digitally.
The fascinating and important project — overseen by HDC member Bill Ryan — includes nearly 3 dozen homes and other structures (plus a cemetery) on Wright Street, Kings Highway North, Old Hill Road, Edge Hill Lane and Wilton Road.
Kings Highway walking tour. Detailed information about each home is available by clicking on the Historic District Commission link above.
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The other day, we previewed Diane Benke’s upcoming Swedish swimrun.
The Westport mom was preparing to swim — tethered to a partner — to an island in the Stockholm archipelago. Then they’d race across the rocky surface, plunge back in the water, and do it again.
Two dozen times.
The Ötillö Swimrun World Championship involves 46 transitions: water to land, and vice versa. She hoped to race across 24 islands in all.
The pair needed to make cutoff points along the way. If they did not get to a point within a certain time, they could not continue.
Diane Benke and her swimrun partner, Chrissy Halioris of Louisville, Kentucky.
Diane is back home. Unfortunately, she says, she and her partner missed the second time cut-off by just 6 minutes.
“It was a huge disappointment,” Diane says. “Our race ended after over 5 hours on the course.
“It was a beauty and a beast! The water temperature was in the 50s. Conditions were pretty rough at the start, but you deal with the hand you’re dealt.”
Despite her early finish, Diane says, “it was so cool to be there. And it was such an incredible experience!”
Look closely — that’s Diane Benke, in the high yellow socks.
She hopes to try again another year — perhaps partnering with her husband Blake, an endurance athlete himself. (Click here to read an “06880” story about his 2013 adventure: a 153-mile Spartathlon race in Greece, tracing the journey of Pheidippides from Athens to Sparta.)
Meanwhile, Diane says, “I would love to grow the pool of local swimrunners in our community.”
Congratulations, Diane — on training for the swimrun, then spending 5 hours at, in the water and on land.
You have my admiration and huge respect, delivered warmly right here from the comfort of my home.
The Japan Society Fall Festival — scheduled for today at Jesup Green — has been postponed to tomorrow (Sunday, September 8, 1 to 4 p.m.). Threatened rain — which could harm the traditional drums — forced the delay.
The Fall Festival includes Taiko drumming, Bon Odori dance, booths with Japanese crafts and other products, and — new this year — a demonstration of Radio Taiso, a gentle fitness routine set to music.
The 2019 Japan Festival on Jesup Green.
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Westport Fire Chief Nick Marsan spoke at yesterday’s Sunrise Rotary Club meeting.
He described the Community Connect program, and how it helps first responders during emergencies.
Sunrise Rotary has a special connection to the WFD: They provide the “river” that plastic animals course down during the annual Great Duck Race.
In conjunction with StoryFest 2024, the Westport Library will showcase 2 art mediums related to their own kinds of storytelling.
The history, present and future of cartooning, and an album cover art retrospective, headline 4 new exhibits. They run from today (Saturday) through December 10.
The history of cartooning in Fairfield County is on display at “Cartoon County: The Golden Age of Cartooning in Connecticut” in the Sheffer Gallery.
It will display works from the Westport Schools Permanent Art Collection, featuring more than 40 original cartoons by area greats including Dik Browne, Mel Casson, Stan Drake, John Cullen Murphy, Leonard Starr, Jack Tippit and Mort Walker.
Visitors can explore the medium’s current condition and vision for the future with “The State of Cartooning” in the South Gallery.
Works by members of the Connecticut Chapter of the National Cartoonists Society include Greg, Brian, and Neal Walker, who carry the legacy of their father, Mort Walker, the creator of “Beetle Bailey.”
As it did in the spring, the Jesup Gallery exhibit will focus on country music this fall. Drawn once more from the collection of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame keyboardist and record producer Mark Naftalin (Paul Butterfield Blues Band) and his wife, Ellen Naftalin, “Art of the Album: Country” showcases tcovers from the 1920s through the ’70s.
Longtime Westport resident Marie Carpenter died Thursday, at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport. She was 96.
The Scarsdale, New York native served in the Civil Air Patrol after World War II.
She worked for many years as a real estate agent here, first for Mila Grieb Village Realty and then Coldwell Banker.
She was an avid scuba diver, tennis player and skier. and a member of the Norwalk Ski Club.
Survivors include her son Mark S. (Donna Marie) of Lakeway, Texas, and nephew Walter Greenwood of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She was predeceased by her husband Stanley, and sister Helen Thornton.
A graveside service will be held September 13 (11 a.m., Willowbrook Cemetery). In lieu of flowers, contributions in Marie’s name may be made to Potter League for Animals. Click here to leave online condolences.
And finally … Sergio Mendes, the Brazilian pianist, composer who came to fame with his Brasil ’66 combo, and was a popular performer for more than 60 years, died Thursday in Los Angeles. He was 83, and suffered from long COVID.
(If it’s happening this weekend — or any time else — you’ll read about it on “06880.” Please click here to help us continue covering everything going on in Westport. Thank you!)
When talk turns to real estate — and when in Westport does it not? — most conversations involve single-family homes.
New homes. Old homes. Teardowns. Renovations. Sustainable homes. White homes with black windows. You know the drill.
Sometimes we talk about apartments. The ones opposite Greens Farms Elementary School, which everyone feared and no one notices anymore. Those coming on Hiawatha Lane and Cross Street (that’s the construction you see at the crest of Post Road West).
After initial controversy, the 1177 Post Road East apartments have become just another part of the landscape.
Especially, the apartments that are nearly finished, at the corner of Wilton Road and Kings Highway North.
No one seems to talk about condominiums.
Except the people buying them.
Right now, lots of folks want to.
The condo market is hot. And I say that not just as a condo owner myself.
Our friends at KMS Team at Compass note the appeal. Condos are “maintenance-free, single-family style living, (for buyers) accustomed to single-family homes but no longer interested in the upkeep – snow removal, lawn care and the like.”
They include empty nesters looking to downsize while staying in Westport (or perhaps keeping a foothold here while spending several months a year elsewhere); older folks moving from other places who want to be close to their adult children and grandkids; divorced or widowed men and women, and young professionals who want to own a home but are not yet ready for a house.
Other condo-buyers are city dwellers looking for a weekend escape, and investors.
Single floor living, first floor primary suites and elevators are sought-after condo features.
For all those buyers, prices are rising quickly.
One KMS agent recently listed a Lansdowne condo. It needed updating.
Yet within days there were multiple offers. It will close early next month — at over the asking price.
Here are median sales prices, for 4 Westport condo complexes:
According to KMS, supply and demand is driving the condo market in several ways.
While on the surface Westport seems to have a fair number of condos, most multi-family new construction in recent years has been in apartments, keeping condo supply tight.
Due to the lack of affordable, single-family homes on the market, many buyers expand their search to condos, raising demand.
Additionally, Westport has a higher-than-national-average percentage of households with someone over 60 (the typical condo buyer).
Source: 2016-2020 American Community Survey, via Partnership for Strong Communities
What’s ahead?
KMS Team’s experts envision smaller, boutique-type developments as the new norm, due to the lack of expansive land.
Large-scale developments like the proposed Hamlet in Saugatuck take substantial funding, and often meet zoning and neighborhood resistance.
Projects like the proposed Glendinning Place off Weston Road (the former Bridgewater office complex) have challenges too. But their smaller scale and lower density make those obstacles easier to overcome.
Connecticut’s 8-30g mandate has had an impact. But with litigation behind us, KMS believes that Westport builders, officials and residents will “move forward in a thoughtful, deliberate manner to stay ahead of 8-30g, preserving the character of Westport while meeting the demands of current and future residents.”
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2ND STORY (ho ho):Westport’s condo history dates to the 1980s. KMS Partners offers this brief history.
Strathmore, on the Norwalk line off Kings Highway South, was built in 1980. Its 64 units consist of 1 or 2 bedrooms in a townhome, 2-story style.
Harvest Commons, built 1980-1983 on the site of a former Post Road East orchard and farm stand (hence the name) has 80 units, with a mix of ranch-style and 2-story townhomes. A clubhouse and gardening area are offered, plus a pool.
Whitney Glen, an age-restricted community (62+), has 62 units off Main Street East, near Compo Shopping Center. It was built between 1982 and 1986.
Lansdowne, on Post Road East on the site of a former mini-golf course and driving range, was constructed in 1983. The 90 Nantucket-style homes are set back far from the road.
Playhouse Square, built in 1983, replaced a former ramshackle boarding house behind the shopping center, next to Winslow Park and the Westport Country Playhouse. Its 20 units are all 2-bedrooms, mostly 2 stories.
Regents Park, on the Post Road near Harvest Commons, was built in 1985. 81 townhomes offer 2 or 3 bedrooms, and 2-car garages.
Regents Park
Also built in 1985, Edgewater Commons on Hillspoint Road replaced the former Penguin club and apartments. Its 25 units have high ceilings, skylights and private patios.
It was another 20 years before the next complex was built with a community pool: Terra Nova, in 2004. Its 54 large townhomes include features like finished basements, on Post Road West near the Norwalk line.
With land unavailable to build large scale complexes, builders began building smaller developments.
One example is Daybreak Commons, between Main Street and Weston Road. Named for the florist that once occupied the site, it includes 5 stand-alone townhouses and 4 duplex units, for buyers 55 and older.
Bankside Housewas the first luxury condo on the Saugatuck River. Sales of its single-floor homes, each with private outdoor living spaces, began last fall. Non-penthouse units sold at an average price per square foot of $1,211, while two penthouse units went for $1,654 per square foot. Two penthouse units are available now, at an average asking price of $1,703/square foot.
Bankside House (Photo/Howard Edelstein)
The Mill Westport — also on the Saugatuck, in a converted mill further east on Richmondville Avenue — has an average selling price of $1,108 per square foot for the 11 units sold in 2024 (mostly off-market). Three units are listed for sale now, with an average asking price of $1,452/square foot.
You may not be talking about condos these days. But plenty of other people are.
And they’re buying them.
(Every day, “06880” explores the diversity of Westport: its people, its institutions, its real estate. We bring the community together — but we need readers’ support. Please click here to help. Thank you!)
It’s hard to believe: The Slice of Saugatuck is 12 years old.
This year’s street festival is set for Saturday, September 7 (2 to 5 p.m.).
Over 4 dozen restaurants, shops and galleries — in the “slice” between Riverside Avenue, Railroad Place and Saugatuck Avenue — will offer samples and tastes.
The Slice features 7 bands, 4 bounce houses, the Fire Department’s antique engine, a balloon bender, face painter and more. Adults can enjoy 2 beer gardens, and specialty drinks from most restaurants.
Ticket sales ($15; children 5-12, $5; sold on-site, cash or credit card) benefit the Homes with Hope food pantry. To date, the Slice of Saugatuck has donated $49,000 to the non-profit.
The event is sponsored by the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce.
A small “slice” of the large crowd. (Photo/Dan Woog)
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Do you know a great pediatrician, who is interested in joining a popular Westport practice?
Though the war in Ukraine has faded from the front pages of American newspaper, it continues to rage fiercely.
Every day, there is more human suffering.
Yesterday’s New York Times included a story headlined “Long Battle for a Ruined City Takes a Desperate Turn.” It described the struggle for Toretsk, a city in eastern Ukraine under relentless attack by Russian forces.
The photos were taken by Tyler Hicks. The Times‘ Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer is a 1988 Staples High School graduate.
Click here for the full story, and harrowing images. (Hat tip: Drew Angus)
Lyudmilla Petrovna, 74, in a church between Kostiantynivka and Pokrovsk that was damaged by Russian shelling last month. Ms. Petrovna was injured. (Photo/Tyler Hicks for the New York Times)
Recently, a 1-year-old child overdosed on the drug at a Connecticut park. Last week, fentanyl-laced cannabis products were found for sale at a smoke shop in Norwalk.
Fentanyl is the primary driver behind the increase in overdose deaths over the last 10 years, and it can hide in plain sight.
On August 15 (6 to 7 p.m., 90 Post Road West), Positive Directions, The Center for Prevention & Counseling, offers a free workshop for college students from Norwalk and Westport to learn about risks and resources on campus, including how to save a life using Narcan.
Attendees will receive a harm reduction kit, with Narcan, fentanyl test strips and more. T
For 40 years, Open Doors has battled homelessness in Norwalk.
On Tuesday, development and donor relations manager Maria Davis — a longtime Westport resident — spoke to the Westport Rotary Club about the organization’s work preventing homelessness, and placing families in shelters if they lose housing.
Open Doors’ work includes financial coaching, a savings program and jobs center.
Maria Davis, at Westport Rotary Club. (Photo/Ellin Curley)
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Lou Weinberg’s very-close-up photos are highlights of our “Westport … Naturally” feature.
Today’s shot is of a dragonfly, from the Long Lots Preserve.
Lou notes: “They are awesome flyers. Each of their 4 wings can operate independently. Their muscles are attached to their wings. They can fly forward, backward and upside down. They can also hover and pivot in place.
“They are very efficient predators. They can see nearly 360° with those large eyes. And they eat flies and mosquitoes! Who doesn’t love that?”
(Photo/Lou Weinberg)
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And finally … on this date in 1789, the US Department of War was created.
(From Saugatuck to Ukraine, “06880” is where Westport meets the world. Please help us meet our funding goals. Just click here — and thank you!)
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