For nearly 100 years, through name changes (Old Mill Grocery, Kenny’s, Elvira’s, Joey’s by the Shore) and changing trends (market, deli, ice cream shop), a small wooden building has served Old Mill neighbors, beachgoers, joggers, bicyclists, workers, and anyone else passing by.
It closed several months ago. By New Year’s, its fate looked bleak. No one was interested in reopening a business. The location — yards from the water, at the foot of Compo Hill — made it ripe for a residential buyer.
Like the restaurant-turned-home diagonally across the street, it looked like the small lot would soon be filled with a huge house.
But now it seems the Old Mill Grocery will live again.
Elvira’s, in 2016.
A few dozen neighbors — and other who grew up nearby, or remember the importance of the store, or just want to preserve a bit of old Westport — have united to help save the landmark.
And they’re doing it in a creative, innovative, very win-win way. Their priority is to save the café/market, then form a non-profit organization (the application is already underway). The goal is to break even, and serve the community.
And they’ll do it by offering training and employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
All they need is $1.3 million. But they need it by April 1.
The good news: They’re more than three-quarters of the way there. Without any public announcement, $975,000 has already been pledged.
Balloons will soon be seen again at Elvira’s.
The core group that’s done the heavy lifting is a who’s who of Westport: Ian Warburg, Chris Tait, Jim Hood, Emily Ashken Zobl and Tommy Febbraio.
All except Hood grew up in Westport (but he and his family have lived by Compo Beach for 26 years). Tait is an RTM member, and lives nearby. All 5 are deeply committed to saving this local institution.
For months, owners Hal and Betsy Kravitz shopped the property to 30 or so potential business operators. None were interested.
Discouraged, the couple felt they had no choice but to sell to a residential developer — against their wishes. When Hood, Tait, Warburg and others heard the news, they swung into action.
The Kravitzes listened. They wanted to work with the neighborhood group. But they could not wait forever. They proposed a fair, reasonable — but relatively quick — deadline for funding.
The group got commitments. They began the 501(c)(3) process.
Febbraio — a 1970 Staples High School graduate who was raised near Longshore — was a key link. A successful restaurateur who knows his way around Fairfield County real estate, he offered advice about the business, as well as an introduction to Fairfield County Bank. They agreed to back the project.
The non-profit component is also crucial. Eighty percent of disabled people are unemployed, Hood says. The market can empower intellectually and physically disabled people, and others who are often marginalized, not just with employment and training, but by buying products from Sweet P Bakery and The Porch, which also hires and trains disabled workers.
That giving-back-to-the-community model offers a nod, in a way, to Kenny Montgomery, the store’s proprietor from the 1950s through early ’80s. When he died, longtime customers were stunned to learn he had bequeathed $500,000 to the Westport YMCA.
Before Elvira’s, the store at the foot of Compo Hill was owned by Ken Montgomery.
Now comes outreach to the broader community. The organizers are seeking commitments from others, to reach the funding goal. A GoFundMe page went live yesterday (click here).
The hope is for a soft launch this summer. As the business grows, they’ll respond to what customers want and need.
And what will the new store be called?
The final name has not been decided. But a strong favorite is Old Mill Grocery.
It’s simple. It’s historic — the name of the very first market there.
And its initials are perfect for this community effort, to help save a local institution from the developers’ claws.
That’s right: OMG.
(For more information, or to discuss a major contribution to the project, email Jim Hood and Ian Warburg: SaveElvirasMarket@gmail.com.)
“06880” has reported on a bill proposed in the General Assembly. If passed, HB 5429 would allow up to 15 housing units per acre within a half-mile radius of Westport’s 2 train stations.
How far is half a mile? Here are maps:
(Map by Danielle Dobin, courtesy of Matthew Mandell)
(Map by Matthew Mandell)
A Zoom hearing on the bill is set for Monday (March 14, 10 a.m.). Residents wishing to testify must register by 3 p.m. tomorrow (Sunday). Send a brief email to PDtestimony@cga.ct.gov. Reference Bill #5429, and include your name and town.
Congratulations to Stephen Perrine. The Westport author’s new book, “The Whole Body Reset: Your Weight-Loss Plan for a Flat Belly, Optimum Health & a Body You’ll Love at Midlife and Beyond,” debuted at #2 on the New York Times’ “Advice, How-to and Miscellaneous” best seller list.
Yesterday’s “Roundup” item about Wakeman Town Farm’s project to send medical supplies to Ukraine did not include an important link: how to order those supplies through Amazon. Click here to see what’s needed.
You can have them sent to WTF, Lachat Town Farm in Weston or Ambler Farm in Wilton — or drop them off at any of those 3 sites yourself. More instructions are at the top of the Amazon link. Deadline is 1 p.m. next Saturday, March 18.
On March 23 (7:30 p.m.), Temple Israel hosts a community conversation. Rabbi Michael Friedman and interfaith clergy colleagues will moderate a discussion and brainstorming session. It’s co-hosted by Westport’s Planning & Zoning Commission, and features chair Danielle Dobin and P&Z director Mary Young.
Organizers call it “an introduction to planning for affordability, and an opportunity for public feedback on how to diversify housing in a way that works for Westport.”
Among Westport’s affordable housing options: Sasco Creek Village. Explore other options at Temple Israel on March 23.
Need a feel-good story? Check out this News12 clip on Darien High School boys basketball manager Tripp Lyons.
He’s non-verbal, with a disability that requires the use of a wheelchair. But he fires up the Blue Wave players, and they love him. The other day — on Senior Night — he hit the court with his teammates.
What makes this “06880”-worthy — besides the fact that we need something uplifting these days — is that Darien’s opponent that day was Staples. The Wreckers were as excited as the Wavers to see Tripp with the ball.
Like many Americans, Nate Gibbons is watching the price of gas rise.
As Westport’s fire marshal, he’s concerned about more than the economic cost.
“A few residents have resorted to gasoline hoarding. People are taking any and every container to the pump and filling it up,” he says.
Fuels like gasoline and diesel are flammable. The cans to store small fuel quantities are metal or special red plastic, have safety nozzles, and can be effectively sealed against leaking vapors, which can ignite if they find a source of ignition.
“You’ve seen them around and probably have one or two in your garage. It’s what they are designed for, safe storage of flammable liquids,” he says.
The Westport Fire Marshal’s Office reminds everyone to put fuel only in rated, fuel containers. If you need to stockpile fuel, invest in the correct gas storage containers. Store fuel outside your living area, and never in a basement. Transfer fuel using safety nozzles that shut off automatically in the event of a slip or a drop. Always use funnels to minimize the risk of a spill.
Food is more expensive too. That may be why donations to Homes with Hope’s pantry have dropped off. Of course, rising food prices mean more people are going hungry than before.
A special food drive runs from today through Tuesday (March 15th). Items can be dropped off between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the Gillespie Center on Jesup Road, behind Barnes & Noble and next to Don Memo.
Most-needed items include pasta sauces, canned meats, soups and stews, canned vegetables (other than beans!), hot and cold cereal, peanut butter and jelly, mac and cheese, oatmeal and mayonnaise.
The bar is high for entitled parking photos. “06880” no longer runs drivers who take up 2 spaces. The limit for hogging more than your own is now 3.
This driver managed that feat. Sure, it’s subtle — a few inches over a couple of lines. But very cleverly, he (or she, though I doubt it) managed to make sure that no one came close to this precious Pacifica Limited.
(PS: Don’t say “the cops should ticket it!” It’s a private lot.)
As we stumble toward spring, it’s time to “run” some news from the Joggers Club.
If you sign up for The Minute Man 10k, you get a free Build-up Series training run. Each week is progressively longer (and you’re rewarded after each run with coffee, water, bagels and muffins).
The series starts and ends at Compo Beach. The route is the same roads as the Minute Man 10k. It starts at 8 a.m.: April 9 (3 miles), April 16 (4 miles), April 23 (5 miles), April 30 (race day!).
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The Joggers Club also sponsors a club for youngsters grades kindergarten through 8th. The goals are form, endurance and (most important) fun.
The program is run by elite athletes, every Sunday from April 3 to May 29 (2 to 3:15 p.m., Staples High School track. Its $49 for Joggers Club members, $99 for non-members.
The club also offers a great social run series: 42 weeks of enjoyable group running. Click on TheJoggersClub.com,or follow on Instagram: @TheJoggersClub.ct.
Longtime Saugatuck Harbor Yacht Club member and volunteer David Bate died Monday in Fairfield, with his family by his side. He was 78.
The Birmingham, England native graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from Aston University there. He joined Jaguar Rover, and moved to the US in 1965.
David stayed with Jaguar for nearly 25 years, retiring as national technical service manager at their US headquarters in New Jersey. He later founded EnviroSolutions, a distributor of environmentally safe cleaning products. He spent the remainder of his career traveling the country, brokering private sales of classic cars.
David was a member of Saugatuck Harbor Yacht Club for over 40 years, and served as chairman of the racing committee for 6. An accomplished sailor, he competed often. He completed the Marion Bermuda Race 4 times, and the Caribbean 1500. He also earned his US Coast Guard 6-Pack Captain’s License.
Summer weekends were spent with his family, trimming the sails of their Cal 39 “Scimitar” on Long Island Sound. He was also an avid classic car enthusiast, and specifically loved the AC Cobra. Music, photography, motorcycles and golf were other favorite pastimes, as was socializing with his many friends.
David is survived by his wife of 43 years, Patrice Choquette Bate; daughter Jennifer Bate Orgera (Theodore), and grandchildren Theodore Jr. and Chloe.
A private celebration of his life will be held later.
For a small town, we’ve got plenty of neighborhoods.
And 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker is focusing on all of them.
In coordination with the Public Works, Planning & Zoning and Public Safety Departments, she’s organized meetings with residents of all 9 RTM districts. The focus is on traffic, pedestrian and bicycle safety concerns, and how town officials are reacting to them.
Meetings will include officials and employees with knowledge of traffic management, roadway conditions, engineering and speed calming solutions, as well as the regulations and oversight authority of the town.
The meetings are set for Thursdays at 7 p.m., in the Town Hall auditorium. Click here for a map of all RTM districts.
Date
District
Thursday, March 17, 2022
District 1
Thursday, March 24, 2022
District 4
Thursday, April 7, 2022
District 6
Thursday, April 14, 2022
District 7
Thursday, April 21, 2022
District 8
Thursday, April 28, 2022
District 9
Thursday, May 5, 2022
District 2
Thursday, May 12, 2022
District 3
Thursday, May 19, 2022
District 5
Thursday, May 26, 2022
Make Up
Concerned about traffic in your neighborhood? Go to a meeting!
Both will be up for discussion via Zoom this Monday (March 14, 10 a.m.).
State Senator Tony Hwang says that residents wishing to testify must register by 3 p.m. Sunday. They should send a brief email to PDtestimony@cga.ct.gov. They should reference the bill number (HB 5361 for beaches; HB 5429 for housing), and include your name and town.
Like many local institutions, Wakeman Town Farm is thinking about Ukraine — and wondering how to help.
The sustainability center says:
Our friends in Ukraine are moms and dads just like us. They love their families, nature, animals, local farms and community. During this time of great need, we have put together a grassroots collection effort that will allow you to drop off or send select medical supplies to any of 3 local sites: Wakeman Town Farm in Westport, Lachat Town Farm in Weston, and Ambler Farm in Wilton.
Click here for a list of medical supplies needed. You can order from Amazon, and have them shipped to you (to bring to one of the collection sites), or shipped directly to Wakeman Town Farm (134 Cross Highway, Westport, CT 06880; Lachat Town Farm, 106 Godfrey Road West, Weston, CT 06883; Ambler Farm, 257 Hurlbutt Street, Wilton, CT 06897). The deadline is 1 p.m., March 18.
We will collect from each farm, and bring them to a site where they will be shipped to Ukraine.
Wakeman Town Farm will accept either mail deliveries at 134 Cross Highway, Westport, CT 06680, or unboxed drop-offs up at the farm’s plastic bins at the Wakeman Drive entrance off Cross Highway. Items must arrive by 1 p.m. on March 18 to be included.
How else to help? Ukrainian-Westporter Stephan Taranko says:
“A number of Ukrainians have formed groups to collect needed items and send them to Ukraine. My cousin Victoria joined such a group. They started an Amazon Gift List, listing the items currently needed. They also chipped in to pay the freight, but I suggested to add another line in the gift list if people want to defray some of the shipping cost.
“Click here for a link we created with my cousin Natalia. Everything is being delivered to her office, where she packs it and sends to Ukraine.”
Stephan adds that his cousin Victoria’s father is a teacher in Ivano-Frankivsk. Although he has a green card and can evacuate to the US any time, he has taken up arms to fight the Russians.
Aspetuck Land Trust’s next “Lunch & Learn” is called “Native Plant Guilds: What Grows Together, Grows Together.”
It’s Wednesday, March 16 (noon to 1:15 p.m., Zoom). Anna Failkoff, ecological programs manager of Wild Seed Project, will talk about native plant guilds. Those are groupings that make it easier to design a landscape with appealing texture, color and wildlife value.
Among the many casualties of COVID: Elementary school plays.
It’s a big deal for youngsters to work their way up the casting ladder, from 3rd grade extras to 5th grade stars. But with stages dark, one more rite of passage was halted.
Now Greens Farms School is back. Their production of “Willy Wonka Kids” is gleefully anticipated by all the boys and girls — and not just because the curtain will once again rise.
Directors Suzanne Sherman Propp and Ellen Hardy opened every role to any gender. Willy Wonka will be played by Leanne Mitev.
The show is set for next Friday and Saturday (March 18. 7 p.m. and 19, noon and 1:45 p.m.). Click here for tickets, and more information.
Greens Farms Elementary School rehearses “Willy Wonka Kids.”
Jo Shields Sherman describes today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo as the struggle of 3 seasons. She writes:
“Winter’s snowfall has trouble sticking and icy water drips from the ivy; fall’s leaves and the indomitable remnants of a Halloween pumpkin improbably remain, and spring’s snowdrop flowers (crowned by the indignity of a fallen raft of lichen) seem to be growing out of the rock. Summer can’t be that far off!
“Buggy, our doggie, looks intrigued by the confusing display of our New England seasons. But I think she’s caught the scent of her favorite wildlife: chipmunk!”
And finally … as the situation in Ukraine continues to transfix the world, Mark Yurkiw — whose parents emigrated from there in 1949 — sends a YouTube link to “A Moonlight Night: The Most Beautiful Ukrainian Song(Dedicated to All Brave Ukrainian People).”
It’s a song he grew up with. Now as the bombs fall, he says, it brings tears to his eyes.
Last year, a new housing development at 1480 Post Road East replaced the old Roger’s Septic business.
Neighbors behind the site — on roads off Maple Avenue South — worked with the builder during the design phase to make sure their concerns were addressed. The 1- and 2-bedroom condo-style apartments and townhouses are now up, and occupied.
However, for several months nearby residents have complained about bright lights shining onto their property. Chris Grimm wrote to the Planning & Zoning Commission, and copied “06880”:
A lighting plan has been submitted for your review for 1480 Post Road East. The applicant has submitted this as a modification and requested this as part of a work session, therefore not allowing public attendance.
As president of the Cottage Lane Homeowners Association, I urge you to reject this application.
Lights were installed without the appropriate P&Z review (or public input), and violate Westport regulations for light spillage on adjoining properties. The lights violate rown policies that require lighting be at a low level, downward directed, and screened.
The 2nd-floor placement certainly is not “minimal height from the ground,” the lights are most certainly “visible from above 6 feet from the ground at the property lines,” and the “glare is not shielded from abutting properties.”
Lights at 1480 Post Road East. (Photo/Chris Grimm)
I urge you to come to Cottage Lane some evenings to see for yourselves how these lights (which stay on overnight, until 6:15 a.m.) fail to conform with town regulations, and disrupt neighbors’ lives.
In a town where residents argue vehemently about lights at sports fields, which would not be on every night and would be turned off at a decent hour, we look at these lights that spill into our yards and our homes and steal our night times, every single evening.
Almost all of the homes in the Cottage Lane Homeowners Association are negatively impacted by this lighting. Two directly look at the lighting from their living rooms and 2nd-floor bedrooms. Two others are even closer, with lights shining into the backs of both houses. The view of #4 is especially jarring, as if a spotlight is aimed on the back of that house.
The houses at the corner of Cottage and Maple are impacted by the lights on the westernmost building, which directly faces them. Given the higher elevation of those properties, they seem to look downward on the bright lights, further evidence of the lack of appropriate screening.
A front view of 1480 Post Road East.
I believe that this is a simple matter of enforcing regulations as they are written, and rejecting any plan that does not conform. I also believe that you should look at this as a “clean slate” project. To allow the developer to tweak a conceptually bad plan later, simply because he inappropriately installed it, would be to reward him for not following the proper procedures. The developer should start from scratch to create an appropriate and compliant plan, regardless of what he previously, inappropriately, installed.
“06880” reached out to SIR Development. President Rob Haroun declined to comment. The P&Z will ocnsider the matter on March 28. For correspondence and other materials related to this, click here; then scroll down to “Work Session Items: New Business.”
It’s a small gesture, but it speaks volumes. Mark Mathias has changed his outdoor lights, to show support for the embattled nation of Ukraine. (Photo/Mark Mathias)
A technical glitch has caused some “06880” readers to fall off the subscriber list. If you’ve been receiving our emails regularly — no problem.
But you may have friends or relatives who are not getting them. So they’re not reading this. You can help.
If you know someone who says “I’m not getting my ‘06880!’,” please have them email 06880blog@gmail.com. I’ll send the info they need to get back on the list!
Today’s rally in support of Ukraine (Saturday, 11 a.m.) will have a special backdrop. Yesterday, the site — the downtown Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge — was decorated with blue and yellow fabric. As the world now knows, those are the colors of the nation now under siege.
Westport artist Mark Yurkiw — whose parents emigrated to the US in 1949 from Ukraine — conceived, designed and created it. He installed it yesterday, with help from Miggs Burroughs and Sal Liccione. Help with funding came from Stephan Taranko, another Westporter with Ukrainian heritage.
Ukrainian colors, on the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge. (Photo/Lynn Untermeyer Miller)
Years ago, Bobbi Essagof attended summer camp. Yesterday, the longtime Westporter received an email from the current owner. He passed along information from a camp family with ties to Ukraine. It offered several ways for Americans to help:
Yesterday’s “06880” story on Westport’s FY 2023 town budget said that the first 2 Board of Finance meetings about it would be held March 8 and 9.
Yesterday, those meetings were canceled. BOF chair Sheri Gordon says the delay to discuss the operating budget is caused because the Board of Education has not yet presented its working capital plan.
A Finance Board discussion will be held as scheduled with the BOE on March 10 (and beyond as needed) to allow the town and Board of Ed to come up with a realistic capital budget. Once that is done, discussions will proceed on the town’s operating and capital budgets.
88 houses closed in Westport over the past 3 months (December through February).
That’s a 40% decrease from the same time a year ago. But it’s still the 2nd-most closings for the period since 2005.
Houses spent 78 days on the market — and buyers on average paid 101.4% of the list price. The average closing price during that 3-month period was $1,952,335, up 9.1% from the previous year.
There were 91 active listings at the end of February. (Hat tip: Roe Colletti, Brown Harris Stevens)
This house at 50 Compo Mill Cove is on the market for $13.5 million.
Good news for fans of The Cottage — particularly those in Greenwich, Stamford and Westchester.
Chef Brian Lewis’ 2nd location opens at 49 Greenwich Avenue (Greenwich) on March 22.
The seasonal menu features classic dishes from The Cottage Westport, including Wagyu beef brisket steam buns, duck fried rice and The Cottage Burger, along with new small plates for sharing, house made pasta, signature items, vegetable-centric dishes and gluten-free options. also heart into every dish and drink that is served to a guest.”
Westport architect Rick Hoag collaborated with Lewis on a modern interpretation of the intimate Westport location. For more information, click here.
Tonight, Westporter Suzanne Tanner promotes world peace and harmony, with a benefit performance of 1970s love songs, Broadway ballads and selections from her original solo musicals. It’s set for 7 p.m. at the JCC in Sherman.
Proceeds will benefit environmental initiatives, and aid to Ukraine.
As the Ukrainian refugee crisis worsens, a long-planned International Women’s Day event seems especially timely.
This Tuesday (March 8, 7 p.m., Westport Library, in-person and Zoom), the United Nations Association Southwest Chapter hosts “The Refugee Experience.” Aid workers will discuss how the process works in Connecticut — specifically, how it affects women. Click here for details.
If you like numbers, facts and statistics — plus a healthy dose of pie charts and bar graphs — this post is for you.
The 1st Selectwoman’s proposed Fiscal Year 2023 budget is online. It includes revenue and expenses from the past year. In 320 pages, it tells the tale of Westport better than any “06880” story ever could.
The budget begins with a few pages of fascinating facts. Our population of 28,016 makes us the 12th fastest growing of all 170 Connecticut municipalities.
Our daytime population swells to 34,851 — meaning many more folks commute in than commute out.
Our 9,916 households include 68% families, 14% seniors living alone, and just 3% singles.
Our median income is $206,466. A full 51% of Westport households earn $200,000 or more. Just 7% earn less than $25,000. An eye-popping 85% of Westporters own their own homes.
A graphic display of Westport income.
But most of the budget is — well, the budget.
It includes $23 million for Public Safety, $19 million in Pensions, OPEB and Insurance, $12 million for Public Works, $7.2 million for Parks & Recreation (much of that offset by income), $1.4 million for Human Services — and just $528,000 for Health, and $343,000 for the Westport Transit District.
The biggest item, of course, is Education ($130 million). The rest of the town budget is $78 million.
Are those figures too high? Too low? Just right?
Find out for yourself. Click here for the full link.
And if you’ve got an opinion: Click “Comments” below, of course.
But you can also attend the Board of Finance meetings March 8 (7:30 p.m., Town Hall auditorium) and March 9 (if needed for the Selectwoman’s budget, and March 10 (same time and place) for the Board of Education budget.
The meetings will also be livestreamed at http://www.westportct.gov (select the “How Do I” heading, then “Watch Town Meetings”), as well as Optimum channel 79 and Frontier channel 6020. Comments may be emailed to BOFcomments@westportct.gov.
The Westport Transit District gets about $343,000 from the town.
As noted in this morning’s Roundup, 7 a.m. — the time arranged for today’s “balloon test,” showing the actual height of a proposed 124-foot cell tower on private property at 92 Greens Farms Road — came and went, without a balloon.
So did 8 and 9.
Finally — around 10 a.m. — the “balloon vendor” arrived. He (or it) had been delayed.
The balloon is up now. Here are 4 photos, with 2 views.
From Greens Farms Road, looking west. (Photo/Andrew Colabella)
Also from Greens Farms Road, looking west. (Photo/Claudia Shaum)
From the I-95 Hillspoint Road overpass, looking east (Andrew Colabella)
Also from the Hillspoint Road bridge, looking east. (Photo/Dick Lowenstein)
Westporters will argue about the wisdom of building the cell tower there, If you choose to use the “Comments” feature below, please use your full, real name — and, in the interest of full disclosure, include whether you are a neighbor or not.
174 Hillspoint Road is the house everyone loves to hate.
Built in 1968, and located not far from Old Mill Beach, it looks vaguely Mediterranean. Westport Journal’s Thane Grauel described it as “a single-story house with a sort of terracotta mansard roof, white stucco-ish sides, narrow vertical windows and greenhouse windows like a fern bar.”
Historic District Commission members were happy — no, thrilled — to waive a 180-day period before demolition.
“When we put the (demolition) sign up, people walking by started applauding,” said chair William Harris.
So why is this “offspring of a Burger King and a diner” (architect Christopher Pagliaro’s words) part of this week’s “Friday Flashback” feature?
Because eagle-eyed “06880” reader Scott Smith saw a connection between it and another, now-long-gone structure.
For years, the architectural of 174 Hillspoint Road has reminded Smith of photos he’s seen of the Longshore bathhouse. It stood near the entrance to the pool and tennis courts, right about where the pavilion and snack bar are today.
Smith was not around then — the bathhouse was torn down in the 1970s — but in 2010 he chaired Longshore’s 50th anniversary celebration.
Here are 2 photos of that bathhouse:
Of course, that’s the same architecture that was seen for years at the current Parks & Recreation Department office, across the parking lot from the Longshore golf course pro shop.
Even after a renovation, you can see elements of the Longshore bathhouse — and 174 Hillspoint Road:
(Photo/Lynn Untermeyer Miller)
Smith says that the bathhouse photos — many other images, videos and historical documents — were included on a website the Longshore 50th Commission created, with other committee members.
They were hosted on what was then called the Westport Historical Society’s website.
The WHS took down the content shortly after the anniversary. The committee gave the WHS a hard drive full of digitized historical material, along with a modest surplus from the group’s fundraising efforts.
“If anyone’s interested in further digging, that may be a good place to start,” Smith says.
Every couple of years Bob Weingarten drives up and down the Post Road, counting “For Sale” and “For Lease” signs. (He does not check out Main Street or Saugatuck.)
Right now, the number is 61. That’s in between the 50 or so in 2017, and the more than 65 in 2019 — but fairly consistent with the past.
Mumbai Times (next to Westport Hardware) is newly vacant. So are a couple of bank buildings — Citibank and Bank of America.
But the bank at Morningside Drive North, which was vacant for about 3 years, should reopen soon. And there’s plenty of activity across the street, where the old Barnes & Noble and Marshall’s are being converted into Amazon Fresh.
The former Men’s Wearhouse building has a sign saying “SOLD,” but there’s been no action there in months. The Garden Center near Goodwill has been vacant for quite a while. So has the former Olympia Sports store in Compo Shopping Center.
Here are some of Bob’s photos:
(Photos and collage/Bob Weingarten)
Clockwise, from top left:
Former Blockbuster and XL Men’s Shop (considered for apartments)
The former garden center near Stop & Shop
The former Boccanfuso and Subway
The former Men’s Wearhouse (planned for multi-family housing)
The former bank next to Walgreen’s
The former Bank of America, next to Starbucks.
Looking at Bob’s photos, I thought: Man, those are some fugly buildings.
What do you think of the commercial real estate market on the Post Road? Click “Comments” below.
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