Tag Archives: Bedford Square

Pic Of The Day #3123

Posted on November 6, 2025 | 2 comments

Bedford Square (Photo/Janine Scotti)

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Photo Challenge #492

Posted on June 2, 2024 | 8 comments

Last week’s Photo Challenge showed an interesting perspective of a well-known sight: Bedford Square.

Seth Braunstein’s image — taken from inside, looking out toward Church Lane — was recognized by Susan Iseman, Andrew Colabella, Sal Liccione, Matt Murray, Clark Thiemann, Michael Simso and Linda Vita Velez. (Click here to see.)

That challenge was fairly straightforward. This one should be fairly recognizable too.

If you know where in Westport you’d see this, click “Comments” below.

(Photo/Richard Fogel)

(Every Sunday, “06880” hosts this Photo Challenge. We challenge you too to support your hyper-local blog. Please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!)

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Friday Flashback #380

Posted on January 5, 2024 | 6 comments

It’s been 10 years since the Westport Weston Family Y left downtown, for their new building by the Merritt Parkway.

Nearly a decade’s worth of newcomers live in Westport with no knowledge of what that area of downtown was like, from 1923 to 2013.

If you don’t know: the Y’s original Bedford building is now Anthropologie. It looks pretty much the same.

But Church Lane looked very different. The original main firehouse …

… was replaced in the 1970s by an expanded Y that managed to be as cramped and difficult to navigate as it was ugly.

David Waldman’s Bedford Square project took a couple of years to complete. The first step was moving the Kemper-Gunn House across Elm Street, to its present location (as Serena & Lily).

Kemper-Gunn House, at 35 Church Lane … 

… and in mid-move. (Photo/Wendy Crowther)

Then came a couple of years of construction.

Church Lane, near the corner of Elm Street. The large structure is the old YMCA.

A fence hid much of the construction from sight. It was decorated by artists, with Westporters as models.

Here’s a view from a construction vehicle:

A construction crane hovered over downtown. Onlookers were fascinated by its many moves, and its length and height.

At Christmas, a tree dangled at the top.

36 Elm Street was the site of several restaurants. The last was Villa del Sol. It was demolished (photo below), and replaced by parking in front of and adjacent to Bedford Square. In return, new stores were built across the street, next to Brooks Corner.

(Photo/Jen Berniker)

Anyone who has moved to Westport since 2015 thinks that Church Lane always looked the way it does now.

Anyone who lived here before remembers a very different scene.

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50 years ago today:

After a snowfall of over 7 inches of snow the night before, Elisabeth F.S. Solomon petitioned the town to build a new school for the disabled on 47 Long Lots Road, adjacent to Hall-Brooke Foundation. 

She had taken over the former “sanitarium” — founded in 1898 — in 1964, as its director. A stern leader, she posted guards and guard dogs at the entry to the Long Lots Road property.

The facility had endured scrutiny after one patient fatally strangled another, another set fire to the Compo Inn, and numerous lawsuits were fired for malfeasance. 

The establishment eventually fell into disrepair. Under severe government regulation, it was sold to St. Vincent’s Hospital in 2008. 

Part of the Hall-Brooke Hospital property.

(“06880” covers Westport from yesterday to today, and on to tomorrow. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!) 

 

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Pic Of The Day #2158

Posted on March 15, 2023 | 2 comments

Bedford Square (Photo/Rowene Weems Photography)

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Roundup: World Record Set, Amis Closes, Marigny Art …

Posted on February 27, 2023 | 5 comments

This is one of the greatest sports items I’ve ever run:

On Saturday in Staten Island, Westport’s own remarkable athlete (and artist) Norma Minkowitz broke the 400 meter world — yes, world — indoor record,

For the women’s 85-90 year-old age group.

Norma’s record time was 1:50.99. That smashes the previous record of 1:51.89 — held by Emma Mazzenga of Italy, since 2019 almost a full second.

Here she goes:

And here’s what happened next:

But wait! There’s more — much more!

Norma had just 30 minutes to prepare for her next race: a grueling 800 meters.

Typically they’re run on separate days — certainly not just half an hour apart.

Yet Norma smashed/demolished/obliterated the American record. She ran a 4:33.38. The old record was — are you sitting down? — 6:14.93, set by Florence Meiler last year.

With a bit of rest, Norma might have made it 2 world marks in less than an hour.

Norma Minkowitz, with her medals. (Photo/Jeff Mitchell)

Congratulations, Norma. You’re amazing.

And to the rest of Westport: What did you do this past weekend? (Hat tip: Jeff Mitchell)

BONUS LAP: Click here for an in-depth “06880” story on Norma Minkowitz.

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Amis restaurant closed yesterday.

The restaurant — one of the anchors of Bedford Square when it opened 6 years ago — posted this sign:

(Photo and hat tip/Larry Bartimer)

In response to a request for information, a restaurant representative said: “Simply put, just not enough sales.”

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Earlier this winter, Wendy Van Wie was the winning bidder on a work of art. It showed Marigny, France — our first sister city, since just after World War II — and was donated by residents there to help raise funds for the new sister city our two towns share: Lyman, Ukraine. (Click here for the back story.)

The artwork recently arrived in Westport. Wendy’s husband Mark Yurkiw, his fellow Westport Artists Collective member Miggs Burroughs, and Katya Wauchope of Ukraine Aid International created a short film. It honors and thanks our friends from Marigny, and celebrates our connection with Lyman.

Click below to see:

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Longtime Westporter Martin (Marty) Albert died on Thursday, from complications of Parkinson’s disease. He was 77 years old, and had been diagnosed nearly 30 years ago.

The Brooklyn native graduated from Jamaica High School in 1962. He earned degrees from the Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania, Boston University Law School, and a master’s in taxation from NYU. He worked as an attorney at Cohen & Wolf for 35 years.

He enjoyed golf, skiing and walking. He served as vice president of United Way (Bridgeport), vice president of the United Jewish Appeal, board member of the Jewish Home for the Elderly Foundation, president of Birchwood Country Club and vice president of Temple Israel.

Martin is survived by his wife Janet, children Elizabeth Heyer (Joseph) and Andrew (Rachel), sister Naomi Gardner, and grandchildren Samson, Austin and Presley Heyer, and Madison and Aaron Albert.

Funeral services will be held tomorrow (Tuesday, February 28, 10:30 a.m., Temple Israel). Burial will follow at Temple Israel Cemetery, 225 Richards Avenue, Norwalk. Shiva will be observed at the home of Janet Albert on Tuesday, February 28 and Wednesday, March 1 from 2 to 8 p,m. To share a condolence message, click here.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Michael J Fox Foundation.

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I’m not sure if a rock has ever been the centerpiece of our “Westport … Naturally” feature.

But it doesn’t get more natural than this view, from Compo’s South Beach:

(Photo/Jonathan Prager)

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And finally … in honor of Norma Minkowitz (story above):

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Pic Of The Day #1611

Posted on September 15, 2021 | 6 comments

Bedford Square and downtown (Drone photo/John Videler for Videler.com)

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Photo Challenge #314

Posted on January 3, 2021 | 20 comments

Some Photo Challenges can be answered by anyone who has once lived in Westport. They’re permanent parts of our landscape.

Others are solvable only by those who live here now. But those bits of town will still be around for a while.

Last week’s Challenge could only be known by the latter grouop. If you haven’t seen it though, you better not wait too long.

Amy Schneider’s photo showed a beautiful butterfly. It’s hidden in plain sight — the alley behind Anthropologie, in Bedford Square — but it won’t be there forever. (Click here to see.)

The colorful charcoal work by Susan Fehlinger is part of an outdoor art project called “Vanishing Species/Vanishing Murals.” Sponsored by the Artists’ Collective of Westport, it’s one of 4 pieces that — exposed to the elements — will disappear.

Which is exactly what’s happening to so many creatures around the globe.

“The process of aging, fading and degradation speaks to the attention span of our fast-paced world, and offers its own lesson on the ephemeralness of art and life itself,” the Collective says.

Rindy Higgins, Nancy Axthelm, Lynn Untermeyer Miller, Michael Calise and Jeanne Esposito all knew exactly where to spot the lovely butterfly.

For now, at least.

This week’s Photo Challenge is a lot more permanent. And a lot less friendly.

If you know where in Westport you’d see this, click “Comments” below.

(Photo/Elaine Marino)

 

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Posted in Arts, Downtown, Organizations, Photo Challenge

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Architecture Awards For 2 Downtown Projects

Posted on November 7, 2020 | 1 comment

“Commercial, Institutional, Educational and Multi-Family Residential Design” sounds like a pretty dull category.

But the American Institute of Architects found 12 projects worthy of honors this year.

Two — a full 16% — are in Westport. In fact, they’re within a few yards of each other.

Bedford Square’s Centerbrook Architects and Planners earned a citation for its “thoughtful and highly sympathetic renovation and re-adaption” of the former Westport Weston Family YMCA.

The judges noted, “it’s a multi piece development, and when you walk along the sidewalk, it’s just a remarkable improvement and investment. Westport was lucky to have selected this architect.”

Bedford Square (Photo/Nathaniel Riley)

Across Jesup Green, HMA2 Architects earned a citation too. They transformed the Westport Library from a less-than-workable building on a beautiful property into a functional and handsome space, now worthy of its setting.

Library director Bill Harmer praises HMA2’s “fine sense of design (and) keen understanding of how we were altering the space for 21st century use.”

The firm’s founder, Henry Myerberg, adds, “The design of the transformed library speaks to the extraordinary energy and participation of the Westport Library staff and community. The pandemic has not slowed them down to find new ways to make the library a special part of everyone’s life.”

The Westport Library, before coronavirus. (Photo/Aida Sulova)

Now, if only an architect could do something about the Post Road that separates these 2 award winning projects …

(Click here for the full story of AIA Connecticut Design Award winners.)

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Roundup: Dancing At Bedford Square, New Novel, New Spa, More

Posted on September 20, 2020 | 1 comment

Broadway is dark. But the catchy song “On Broadway” — you know, about neon lights — inspires Westport youngsters to keep their musical theater dreams alive.

Right here in Bedford Square.

The dance floor is concrete. The kids use store windows as mirrors.

But they’ve got a real-live Rockette — 15-year veteran Stevi Van Meter — as their dance instructor.

The Saturday morning classes are the brainchild of Laura Prendergast. The Theater Camp 4 Kids Broadway Academy owner vows to keep musical theater going, whatever it takes.

Bedford Square owner David Waldman donated the space.

When the weather gets cold, the kids will just bundle up and keep dancing. Hey — they’ve already got their face masks. Click below for the video!

Westporters know L.J. Peltrop as a server at Rye Ridge Deli.

He’s also a writer. His debut novel, “Waiting Face,” is a thriller involving addiction, mental health, and the fight to “belong.”

It launches this Tuesday (September 22) on Amazon.

There’s a new holistic business a few feet over the border.

Veda Healing Spa (596 Westport Avenue, Norwalk — just past Whole Foods) is a spa. Owner Harpreet Kaur was born and raised in Punjab, India and has 20 years’ experience as a licensed esthetician in Ayurvedic skin treatments, healing and wellness.

And finally … 50 years ago, Black Sabbath’s “Paranoia” offered not-very-uplifting songs about war, corruption and trauma. Happy half-century! (Hat tip: Mark Yurkiw)

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Posted in Arts, Children, Downtown, Local business

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Happy Birthday, Finding Westport!

Posted on July 19, 2020 | 2 comments

Finding Westport turns 2 years old today. The website for local businesses and services — which includes a comprehensive what’s-up list during the pandemic — is the brainchild of Jillian Elder.

Yesterday she ran around town celebrating. She brought a pineapple — hey, why not? — and visited businesses and other sites, hoping her photos would bring smiles.

She’ll post the shots on social media throughout today. Here’s a preview.

Smile!

Bedford Square

Train station

Compo Beach cannons

Compo Beach lifeguard stand (Photos/Jillian Elder)

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Posted in Beach, Downtown, Media, People, Transportation

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