“A truck traveling westbound on Post Road East from the area of Long Lots Road had a hydraulic line break this morning, and began leaking hydraulic fluid.
“The operator of the vehicle did not know the fluid was leaking. and continued driving west on Post Road East to Myrtle Ave and Main Street.
“The fluid on the road caused 3 crashes before we were able to get lanes closed.
“The Connecticut Department of Transportation and town Highway Department are currently on scene and in the process of conducting a clean-up.
“The State Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has been notified, but at this time they are not on scene.
“As a result of this incident, traffic on Post Road East has been significantly affected. Westport Police ask the public to avoid the area until the spill can be mitigated. There have been no road closures, but lanes on the affected roads have been closed.
The first step — long before installing turn lanes, crosswalks, shoulders and sidewalks on the stretch between Volvo of Westport and New Country Toyota — was the removal of a dozen or so trees.
They stood for decades in front of Linxweiler House — the former blacksmith shop between Fresh Market and McDonald’s, now owned and operate by Homes with Hope.
That property looks a lot different today, than it did last weekend:
Linxweiler House, as seen from Crescent Road …
… and looking east, from near Fresh Market. (Photos/Molly Alger)
On your mark … get set … and get ready for the 44th annual Minute Man Races
The popular Westport Young Woman’s League — set for Sunday, April 30 at Compo Beach — includes a 10K run, 5K run/walk, and kids’ fun runs (from 50 yards to 1 mile).
For professionals, it’s a USA Track and Field-certified event. For kids, family-friendly activities will take place during and after the races.
As always, there will be music, food trucks and more.
Student and first responder discounts are offered for the adult races. Contact minuteman@wywl.com for a discount code. Click here to register, and for more information. Proceeds benefit local non-profits.
Registration is open for the 5th annual Day of Champions.
The event — family-friendly fun (and fierce competition) that raises funds for Experience Camps, the Westport-based network of activities for children who have lost parents or siblings — is May 21 (8:30 to 11:30 a.m., PJ Romano Field).
To create or join a team — or donate — click here.
To get psyched for the event, click the video below.
But Westport artist Mark Yurkiw — who has Ukrainian heritage, and is a member of the group that raised $252,000 for our sister city, Lyman — is celebrating early.
Throughout his career, he’s been decorating Ukrainian Easter eggs. He sent “06880” a sample of his work:
The red egg in front celebrates the birth of Mark Yurkiw’s son Cooper, in 1994.
In 2001, he created this 5-foot “egg” for the White House.
It was signed by 256 members of Congress.
Slava Ukraini!
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More progress on the house at 233 Hillspoint Road. Town officials halted construction there in 2019, after finding violations of the building permit.
Workers yesterday removed several feet from the top of the chimney. It had been built higher than its legal height.
Workers removing the top of the chimney at 233 Hillspoint. Road. (Photo/Matt Murray)
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In 2020, COVID forced Saugatuck Elementary School to cancel “The Little Mermaid” at the final dress rehearsal — before the opening curtain.
She’s back!
A new cast of 125 students in grades 3-5 act, sing and dance — and run the lights and sound, help construct and decorate sets and props, and operate special effects.
Saugatuck alums from 2020 (and even some of their parents) have helped with the show! Set designer Julie Colotti, costume designer Miriam Young, and prop managers Alexandra Dodwell and Amy Kopisz incorporated many original pieces, along with new additions.
After his daughter Phoebe returned as a student acting coach, John Nunziato jumped in as artistic designer and special effects consultant.
Shows are Friday, March 31 (7 p.m.) and Saturday, April 1 (1 and 6:30 p.m.). Click here for tickets, and more information.
“The Little Mermaid,” at Saugatuck Elementary School. (Photo/Kerry Long)
VersoFest’s headliners and guests, including producer Steve Lillywhite, Psychedelic Furs front man Richard Butler, and Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club drummer Chris Frantz and bassist Tina Weymouth, will autograph copies of their records, for giveaways and auction items during next weekend’s VersoFest.
Festivalgoers can submit their entries for the giveaway starting with the March 30 kickoff concert featuring rising American rock band Sunflower Bean.
Submissions are open through Sunday, April 2. That final day features a record fair (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.), and a vinyl record panel brunch with WPKN DJ Alec Cumming, producer Dooley-O, Kraftjerkz Records’ Kid Ginseng, WFUV DJ and House of Wax host Eric Holland, New Haven Independent arts reporter Karen Ponzio, and moderated by the Zambonis’ Dave Schneider.
The silent auction (April 1-2) offers a chance to bid on a variety of signed albums associated with the festival’s speakers and guests. All proceeds support future VersoFests.
For more information, including concert tickets and workshops registration, click here.
VersoFest vinyl.
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Speaking of music: The Grammy for Best Children’s Album went to Kaitlin McGaw, and her group Alphabet Rockers. (Sure, it was in February. But I just found out. It’s still worth sharing!)
And it’s “06880”-worthy because she’s the granddaughter of longtime Westporters Ed and Kay See.
Ed — an attorney — was longtime town counsel. He played a key role in Westport’s purchase of Longshore, in 1959.
Kay supported many local causes. She was on the Westport Library board, when the new building was built.
The See family’s stained glass window hangs over the altar of Assumption Church, near the Josê Feliciano window.
Eloise See — Ed and Kay’s daughter — is Kaitlin’s proud mother. Sandy is her equally proud uncle.
The award was even more special, because the presenter was presidential inaugural poet — and Kaitlin’s fellow Harvard graduate — Amanda Gorman.
Alphabet Rockers produces and performs music and dance that promotes racial and gender awareness.
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The Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport is a beautiful building.
On April 1 (8 p.m.), its the site too of Damn Tall Buildings.
That’s the hot bluegrass/indie/roots/old-time/vintage swing/Americana band from Brooklyn. The trio will headline the UU’s Voices Café.
There’s table or individual seating. Bring your own beverages and snacks, or buy at the sweet treats table. General admission: $25 per person. A portion of the proceeds support the congregation’s Social Justice Council. Click here for tickets (live and livestream), and more information.
And finally … on this date in 1721, – Johann Sebastian Bach dedicated 6 concertos to Margrave Christian Ludwig of Brandenburg-Schwedt. Today we know them as the Brandenburg Concertos.
(“06880” is your hyper-local blog. We’re a non-profit, dedicated to bringing the community together. We rely on your (tax-deductible) contributions. Please click here to help. Thank you!)
If you’ve been stuck at the westbound Post Road light just before McDonald’s — and who hasn’t? — you’ve noticed a very large, very high pile of logs on the property next to Roseville Road.
And you’ve been very glad the light changed, so you could drive away before it perhaps all started rolling down onto the road.
Many Westporters have asked themselves (and “06880”): Is it safe to store the logs there? Is there an issue with trucks accessing and exiting the site? Is it even legal?
The Post Road wood pile.
I asked Peter Gelderman, an attorney with Berchem Moses who often does municipal work for Westport. He says:
The property is owned by a local attorney, William Taylor. The town has commenced legal proceedings to remove the logs. The town considers the logs to be a zoning violation.
Mr. Taylor has taken the position that the logs are “landscape materials” and therefore are permitted pursuant to a permit that was issued in the eighties. There are also several administrative appeals pending, brought by Mr. Taylor, challenging rulings from the ZBA and a local hearing officer.
There is a scheduled status conference with the court on March 14 to discuss/schedule a hearing on the town’s motion for injunction in our enforcement action. That motion seeks an order of the court mandating immediate removal of the logs.
“06880” will keep readers posted on the proceedings.
And — like everyone else — we will keep our fingers crossed, every time we drive past those precarious logs.
In June of 2017, alert “06880” reader/Westport Museum of History and Culture house historian Bob Weingarten drove the entire Westport stretch of the Post Road. He counted the number of commercial buildings with either a “For Rent” or “For Sale” sign.
Two years later he did it again. This time there were 65 commercial properties looking for tenants — 15 more. Many — including 2 former banks, a gas station and several large retail storefronts — were still vacant from 2 years earlier.
The Mobil Self-Serve property next to Barnes & Noble remains vacant.
Once again, Bob’s story touched a nerve. Fifty readers commented.
The 3rd time — a couple of weeks ago — showed another increase. Now, 72 commercial buildings are available for rent or purchase.
Bob says that one bank building was added to the already empty two. Large retail storefronts still not occupied include the old Pier 1, and XL Clothing building.
The Mobil gas station near Barnes & Noble, and the large garden center near Stop & Shop are still vacant.
Additionally, 2 new commercial buildings near the new Ignazio’s Pizza (just west of Sherwood Diner), with townhouses in the rear, are unoccupied.
Newly constructed — and not yet rented — space at the foot of Long Lots and the Post Road.
Bob is “alarmed” by the number of empty stores adjacent to Fresh Market.
A renovated large office building on Post Road West will start renting in January, for use as co-working and shared offices.
Empty space on Post Road West, just up the hill from Wright Street.
“I don’t understand how we can be told the economy is getting better and better, with the increasing number of available, empty commercial units,” Bob says.
And, he adds, his figures do not include the apartments that may be available across from Greens Farms Elementary School, or the new townhouses near the diner.
“Several empty available commercial spaces are now occupied — but they are relocations from other spaces on the Post Road, filling one spot but leaving another unoccupied,” he notes. These include Sam Slots Coins, Millie Rae’s and Earth Animal.
“What is going on in the Westport commercial economy?” he asks.
Tons of available space near Fresh Market. (Photos/Bob Weingarten)
And this summer, the state Department of Transportation is turning up the heat on turning lanes.
Special left-turn-only lanes are in the works for the Post Road.
There’s one proposed between Roseville/Hillspoint Road, and Terrain. That will permit turns into either the Fresh Market shopping center, or “Village Center” (Dunkin’ Donuts, UPS Store, Mumbai Times) on the other side of the street.
Approximate location of the turning lane proposed for the Post Road.
Also planned: left-turn lanes at Bulkley Avenue North and South, just past Super Stop & Shop headed to Southport.
The project — to cost $5.3 million (80% federally funded, 20% state funds) — will include new traffic signals, curbing, curb ramps, sidewalks and crosswalks.
A public information meeting is set for Monday, July 8 (7 p.m., Town Hall auditorium).
But don’t think about using those new center turn lanes anytime soon.
In June 2017 I drove along the Post Road from the eastern border, near Bulkley Avenue, to the western end, near Whole Foods. I counted the number of buildings — including individual offices or retail space — for lease or sale. I spotted 50 signs, just on the Post Road.
These figures were the basis of an “06880” story: “This Space For Lease.” It drew 57 comments.
Because we have been told that the economy is “so strong,” I decided to drive the same route, and again count how many buildings or individual offices were for lease or sale.
This time I spotted over 65 for lease or sale. That does not include all the new residential construction on the Post Road, such as the 94 apartments at 1177 Post Road East, or the 2 mixed-use buildings with a total of 28 apartments (some in townhouses) at 793 Post Road East.
The former A&J’s Market on Post Road East is available …
While counting, I realized that this mix of for lease or sale buildings and offices was extremely different from 2017.
This time I spotted 2 bank buildings, a gas station, a farm market, a classic car dealer, and several large commercial buildings and retail outlets for lease or sale.
… as is the old Mobil Self-Serve near Barnes & Noble …
During the past 2 years many of the former for-lease buildings have been occupied. But it appears to me there is a larger inventory of space available now, with larger properties.
I have my own opinion as to the reasons — for example, higher rental rates or the economy — but other readers may have better knowledge.
… and the nearby bank, at the corner of Morningside Drive.
The 2017 Post Road story noted that there were “10 or so others on Main Street.” I just drove from the Post Road to Avery Place on Main Street, and counted 10 buildings or retail spaces for lease.
From Avery Place to Kings Highway North I saw an additional 3 more “for lease signs.”
The same questions posed in 2017 are still relevant today: “Is something wrong with Westport’s commercial real estate market? If so, are there solutions?”
If you’re a normal Westporter, you’re probably all meeting-ed out.
So I’m presenting this without editorial comment.
The town of Westport hosts a public information meeting next Monday (March 25, 7:30 p.m., Town Hall room 201). The subject is the “Westport Main to Train Study.”
That’s the project to identify improvements to vehicle, bike and pedestrian safety and circulation on the Post Road and Riverside Avenue. The idea is to create better connections between downtown and the train station, and “promote non-motorized transportation choices.”
The meeting — the 3rd of 5 planned during the study — is open to residents, business owners, commuters and “other local stakeholders who are concerned about transportation in Westport.”
For more information the Westport Main to Train Study, click here.
Post Road East and Riverside Avenue. The “Main to Train” study includes the often-gridlocked intersection.
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