Last month, “06880” reported on a traffic light at the foot of Kings Highway North. The green arrow suddenly — and erroneously — pointed left instead of right, leading drivers directly into ongoing Post Road West traffic.
Today, the light exiting from Playhouse Square shows red and green simultaneously, instead of green only.
The result, of course, is an even longer backup of traffic in Playhouse Square, as drivers try to figure out what the hell is going on.
We’re on Candid Camera, right?
You may not have heard of Qdoba. But your kids probably have.
As reported in “06880” way back in Enero, the Mexican grill — beloved by college students for its (relatively) fresh food and (somewhat) reasonable prices — is coming to our little ciudad.
The sign went up today:
Burritos, quesadillas and 3-cheese nachos can’t be far behind.
Qdoba is located in the free-standing space at the entrance to Playhouse Square. The previous tenant was Pierre Deux. Before that, it was Alphagraphics. Earlier, it was Sam Goody.
Waaaaay before that, the Crest Drive-In.
And yeah — even longer ago, back when dinosaurs roamed the earth — it was a Dairy Queen.
Fortunately, Qdoba has its own parking lot. So traffic in Playhouse Square won’t be adversely affected — well, not too much.
On the Post Road around that light, though — ¡ay, caramba!
Posted in Downtown, Looking back, Restaurants
Tagged Dairy Queen, Playhouse Square, Qdoba, Sam Goody
It took the intervention of a powerful force — Mother Nature — but the beleaguered Playhouse Square shopping center finally solved its crowded parking issues.
At least for today.
Of course, most stores did not benefit from the open spaces. They were closed.
The new Granola Bar was open — until 2:30. Business was slow. But it was warm inside — so toasty, in fact, that young Ryland romped around in shorts:
The post office was open too. So now there’s no excuse for not mailing that Valentine’s Day card today.
Unless, that is, you wanted to park right in front…
Meanwhile, nearby was a scene that will look all too familiar the rest of today.
And tomorrow. And…
Posted in Local business, Weather
A native Westporter returned home for the holidays. The day before Christmas he picked up his girlfriend at the station, then did some errands.
He parked in front of the post office, and went inside. The Nissan Rogue began to roll backward. His girlfriend could not get the car in park, or reach the emergency brake. She jumped out, was clipped by the door and fell. The right front tire rolled over her leg. The car continued backward, before catching on concrete.
Fortunately, damage to the young woman was limited to ligaments. The car is okay too. No one else — and no other vehicles — were damaged.
So what makes this story “06880”-worthy?
Two cars drove through the Playhouse Square lot. Both drivers saw a young woman on the ground, next to a car that clearly did not belong where it should — and continued on their merry way.
The ex-Westporter — a bit disappointed by this tarnished Christmas (or human) tale — does thank the people who stopped to help.
Once you get into Playhouse Square, why stop for someone else?
For years, a pair of shopping centers — Compo (CVS, Gold’s, etc.), and Compo Acres across the street (Trader Joe’s, Silver’s, etc.) — reigned as Westport’s Worst Parking Lots. Parker Harding gave it a valiant effort, but no other place came close.
Suddenly, a challenger has emerged.
Over the past couple of weeks, Playhouse Square roared out of control. A combination of the holiday post office rush, the opening of the very popular Granola Bar, and snow that makes the narrow lanes even more congested, created — well, the perfect storm.
But don’t take my word for it. Here’s an email from an exasperated “06880” reader:
Today as I drove east on the Post Road, I noticed an enormous line of cars waiting to enter the Playhouse Square parking lot. I’ve made several visits to the post office in the past couple of weeks, and the situation has gotten progressively worse.
Cars stack up on the Post Road, waiting to enter Playhouse Square. It happens both westbound and eastbound.
There are not enough spaces, and when you park near the entrance, it is difficult to exit from your space due to the line of cars entering the lot. But today was the first time that I saw a line on the Post Road itself.
Once they enter the lot, drivers face a long — often unmoving — line of cars. This photo shows at least 7.
This is a traffic hazard for everyone, and the police should be concerned too. I thought about ways to avoid this problem but even if I found a parking spot somewhat nearby and walked, there are no snow-cleared sidewalks, nor is there a reasonably close crosswalk for the Post Road in the vicinity.
They can’t move because the cars in front of them are waiting for spots. And there are no spots, because drivers can’t back out because cars can’t move!
I am not sure where to direct a complaint, so I hope our selectmen will take notice. How long does the post office lease last? This is not a good location for a post office. At least the old one was surrounded by many lots, and one could walk there easily.
Sometimes, 2 exit lanes work. Often, they don’t.
This location has only one access point, in a very busy area in the best of times. When you add snow to the holiday season, it is abysmal. Is it not possible for the postal service to open a satellite location like we used to have near exit 17?
There are 2 answers. One is to use the Green’s Farms post office — but that’s way out of the way, for anyone not in the neighborhood.
The other is to use the Westport Country Playhouse parking lot. At least for now, the gate is open to Playhouse Square. But leaving via the narrow Playhouse driveway is no picnic either — because there is no traffic light, and cars may be lined up in front of you waiting to enter, yes, Playhouse Square.
Meanwhile, there are more problems in the “upper” lot. These 2 drivers parked illegally by the left curb, creating even narrower driving lanes — and more chaos.
Should I even mention the dozens of Dattco buses, spewing smoke as they stack up outside the tiny entrance to their yard across the street?
Nah.
And, past the post office, the sidewalk juts unnecessarily into the lot, near the flagpole. That funnels drivers into yet another bottleneck.
First came the post office. Now The Granola Bar — home of the $1 mini-muffin — has brought even more traffic.
The Playhouse Square parking lot is more crowded than ever.
I know. I live in the condos behind it.
Still, that doesn’t mean you can just drive on the sidewalk and park your Jeeps.
Yes, Jeeps.
The alert — and pretty pissed-off — “06880” reader who took this photo said there was actually another Jeep parked in front of this one. Also on the sidewalk.
The gate to the Westport Country Playhouse lot is now open. Their parking lot is huge.
Of course, that means actually walking a few more steps than if you plant your Jeep on the sidewalk.
Nah. Life is good.
Posted in Local business, Places, Westport Country Playhouse
In the span of about 8 seconds — just a few minutes ago — the skies over Compo Shopping Center and Playhouse Square went from bright blue, to this:
Yikes!!!
By 3:30 yesterday afternoon, Dennis Kassimis was exhausted.
It was the day after a federal holiday — always a busy time for the Westport Post Office, which he serves as postmaster.
It was the first “real” workday after Christmas. Westporters who had been away were laden with packages to return, gifts to send back — and, of course, mail to pick up from PO boxes.
Plus, it was the 1st day in the new, but decidedly smaller, Westport post office in Playhouse Square.
Dennis Kassimis
Over the weekend, the move was made. Kassimis downsized — from 7000 square feet in the downtown location that opened in 1935, to 2700 square feet in the former location of Derma Clinic.
But unlike empty nesters looking for less space, the Post Office staff remains the same. There are, however, fewer sales windows — only 2 — plus 1 to pick up items.
There’s a lot less space everywhere — including the lobby.
The newness of the facility — clerks not sure where everything was, people still moving boxes around, along with the tightness of the waiting area, where bundled-up patrons were burdened with extra packages — made for a tough 1st day.
“We’re getting the kinks worked out,” Kassimis said with a weary smile. “We’re trying to get rid of the clutter.”
Kassimis is sure things will be better soon. He’s already pleased with the PO box area — which finally offers 24-hour access to box holders.
He went from 758 boxes in the old facility, to 678 in the new one. But all 80 boxes that disappeared were inactive. So no one lost a PO box — and everyone got to keep the same number.
The line yesterday at the new post office was literally out the door -- at least, one of the doors.
As a result, the new boxes skip a few numbers here and there. A few years from now, that will no doubt be a trivia question posed to “06880.”
Kassimis is also happy with the parking. There was no dedicated lot downtown; now there are plenty of Playhouse Square spots.
At 3:30 yesterday, they were all filled. One woman parked by the curb, nearly blocking access to the condominiums behind.
Full disclosure: I live in those condos. The new post office will make access a bit more difficult. And the extra traffic will no doubt make leaving the shopping center a lot harder.
Interestingly, the reason for the move was the financial situation of the US Postal Service. Since we all now communicate by email and IMs, and send everything by FedEx, the Postal Service is in tough shape.
Though — judging by yesterday’s lines — there are still plenty of Westporters who need the post office.
Welcome to the neighborhood, post office and patrons! For the sake of us who live (and shop) here: Please drive and park safely!
A woman idling outside the post office -- making driving difficult. She was there when I went in, and was still there when I came out 20 minutes later.
Posted in Downtown, Local business, People, Places, Real estate
Tagged Dennis Kassimis, Playhouse Square, US Postal Service, Westport Post Office
News 12 dispatched its mobile unit, a reporter and cameraman to Playhouse Square, the scene of last night’s break-ins at Silver Ribbon and Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club.
It doesn’t seem like much of a story.
Then again, this isn’t much of a blog post.
Posted in Local business
Tagged Kennedy's All-American Barber Club, News 12, Playhouse Square, Silver Ribbon
When the post office moves into its new Playhouse Square digs a few months from now, it will likely be without fanfare.
They’re downsizing, after all; you don’t cut a ribbon at some spare, utilitarian space.
It’s a far cry from 1936, when Westport’s shining “new” post office opened on (appropriately) the Post Road.
Sheila Murphy remembers that ceremony like it was yesterday. She should: She cut the ribbon.
Sheila Murphy
Sheila was back in town the other day. She’s lived in Florida since graduating from Staples in 1948 — but she’s 82 years young, and still loves Westport.
Her roots are deep. Her own mother Mary is a Staples grad — in fact, Sheila says, Mary helped develop the school lunch program, and came up with the name “Inklings” for the school newspaper.
Sheila’s father John commuted to New York City for his job as an accountant with American Standard. He had 3 children, and when his wife got sick he needed a job closer to Westport.
John Murphy was active in Democratic politics — locally and nationally — and knew Postmaster General James Farley. Soon, President Roosevelt appointed Murphy as Westport’s postmaster.
“It was a plum job,” Sheila says.
The job was even better because a new post office was about to be dedicated. The WPA project replaced what Sheila calls a “ratty building” across the street.
“It was the middle of the Depression,” she recalls. “Things were bad. Having the government build a new building was good. Thank heaven for the WPA.”
So one day in 1936, 7-year-old Sheila stood on the broad steps of the “magnificent edifice” and cut the ceremonial ribbon. Well, she tried to — the oversized scissors were too big, so her father the postmaster finished the job.
He had a lot to do besides pose for photos. Mail was delivered twice a day back then. Westporters — many of whom did not have telephones — communicated with friends by mailing postcards back and forth, one delivery following the next.
The Westport Post Office today. Trees now obscure the front of the WPA-era building.
John lived only a couple of more years. He died very young — as did his wife. From age 9 on, Sheila was raised by her aunt.
Sheila remembers her Imperial Avenue home — near the intersection with Bridge Street — as a wonderful former onion barn. There was sledding in winter, and playing on a nearby 10-acre estate. Owner Rose O’Neill had already earned fame as the creator of the Kewpie doll.
In town, Sheila took dance lessons at what is now Toquet Hall.
Though she stayed in Florida after college, Sheila returned regularly to Westport — with her 3 sons.
Sheila Murphy outside the Postmaster's office. It probably looked the same when her father had the job.
On her most recent visit, she stopped by the post office she dedicated 75 years ago.
How did she feel when she heard the building has been sold — taking with it three-quarters of a century of Westport history?
“I felt bad,” she says. “It still looks like a beautiful building.
“But it’s old,” she admits. “Maybe it’s too expensive to renovate.”
The clerks — and postmaster — may move to Playhouse Square. But one thing will never change, Sheila Murphy insists.
“It’s always been my post office.”
Posted in Downtown, History, Looking back, People, Places
Tagged Inklings, James Farley, Playhouse Square, Sheila Murphy, Staples High School, Westport Post Office
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