Animal control officer Joe Saponare asks residents: “Please stay away from a baby deer at Grace Salmon Park, on Imperial Avenue.
“The mother deer is close by. But she will not come for her baby, with a lot of people around it.
“Please keep your dogs on a leash there too, for the next few days.”
Animal control officer Joe Saponare, with baby deer.
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“Sunday Gravy” has rapidly become one of the most popular talk shows on WICC-AM and 95.9 FM.
Hosts Chris O’Dell, Mac DeVito and Brian Philpott banter easily about “men’s lifestyle” topics. But they dive deeply into serious issues, and address them with nuance and perspective.
The topic this past Sunday was the non-renewal of Staples boys soccer head coach Russell Oost-Lievense.
O’Dell had a special interest in it: The longtime freshman coach was also not renewed.
But the show was not a gripe session. It focused on process and policies — and broader implications, for Staples and Westport.
You can listen here. (NOTE: The actual show starts about 8 minutes in, following the news.)
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Residents of Wilton Road between Partrick Road and River Lane heard an enormous boom yesterday afternoon. The ground shook.
The wind brought down an enormous oak tree, and entangled power lines. Dozens of customers lost power.
In just a couple of months, The Clubhouse has become Westport’s go-to spot for golf-and-more simulators, huge screen TV sports, karaoke, good food, corporate meetings, parties, and a rooftop lounge.
Now there’s more: a big new mural.
This was the scene the other day, as the colorful work took place:
Whether working remotely, recently retired, or an empty nester, it’s easy to lose touch with community life.
The Westport Weston Family Y’s new Storied Connections Program is a fun and meaningful way to reconnect, by sharing stories about professional journeys (based on weekly prompts).
As renovations of the Inn at Longshore continue, La Plage — the adjacent restaurant — is now open 7 days a week. The patio is also open (weather dependent).
Drummer Matt Wilson is well recognized for his style. He is also a gifted composer, bandleader, producer and teaching artist.
Bassist Harvie S has appeared on over 400 recordings as a sideman, 20 of his own albums, and another 15 as co-leader. He has played with nearly every major jazz artist over the past 45 years.
Both musicians — along with pianist Luis Perdomo and saxophonist Greg Wall — bring their talents to this week’s Jazz at the Post (Thursday, VFW Post 399; shows at 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner from 7; music cover $20; $15 for veterans and students). Reservations are available here.
Today’s way-too-cute “Westport … Natrually” feature comes hopping along, from Wendy Levy’s yard:
(Photo/Wendy Levy)
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And finally … on this day in 1927=, Charles Lindbergh took off for Paris from Roosevelt Field in Long Island. His Spirit of St. Louis landed in Paris 33 1/2 hours later: the first nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic.
More than 2 decades later, he, his wife Anne Morrow Lindbergh and family arrived on Long Lots Road. They lived there for several years, near the Fairfield border, before moving to Darien.
(“06880” will be as lucky as Lindy, if you click here to donate to Westport’s hyper-local blog. Thank you!
With strong support from landlords, and a boost from Westport Downtown Association president Maxx Crowley, the Board of Selectwomen voted yesterday to once again close Church Lane to parking, paving the way for outdoor dining, pedestrian strolling and music.
This year’s dates — May 15 to October 5 — are slightly less than in previous years. But they’re a bit longer than the original proposal.
Major landlords David Waldman and Roger Leifer supported the closure. So did restaurateurs from Spotted Horse, The Blondinit and Pink Sumo, who noted they were in favor despite losing parking in front of their businesses. One business owner in Sconset Square (Bungalow) objected.
This will be the sixth summer for the Church Lane closure. It began in 2020, in response to the COVID pandemic.
Donations to the Westport Downtown Association help pay for the music. Venmo @WDA-DowntownWestport, or click here.
Outdoor dining on Church Lane. (Photo/Dan Woog)
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The third time was not the charm.
Or the fourth.
For the fourth time since December 2023 — and second in 2 months — Savvy Smoker has been busted.
The vape-and-more — apparently, much more — Post Road East store was searched yesterday by Westport Police detectives, and members of the state Drug Control Division.
They found pre-rolled marijuana cigarettes, canisters of THC flower, THC resin products, THC vape cartridges, and THC edible products. All are illegal, at that location.
Less than 2 months ago — on March 11 — police investigated non-licensed cannabis sales, and complaints of sales to minors. Numerous marijuana and THC products were seized, and a sales associate arrested.
Westport Police received information that non-licensed cannabis sales were continuing, resulting in yesterday’s search.
The investigation is ongoing. Additional arrests are anticipated.
Speaking of police: They made 3 custodial arrests between April 2 and 9.
A 38-year-old Shelton man was charged with criminal attempt to commit larceny, identity theft and forgery, after an investigation into the theft of mail containing personal checks.
A 41-year-old Brooklyn man was charged with larceny, following the theft of $2,700 worth of merchandise from Ulta Bueaty. Employees described his vehicle, and he was stopped on the Sherwood Island Connector.
A 62-year-old Weston woman was arrested for driving under the influence, and failure to drive in the propero lane, following a 12:15 a.m. accident at Weston Road and Merritt Parkway Exit 42.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
Driving while texting: 39 citations
Failure to renew registration: 11
Failure to comply with state traffic commission regulations: 11
Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 3
Driving while texting (3rd or subsequent offense): 2
Distracted driving: 2
Traveling unreasonably fast: 2
Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 2
Operating a motor vehicle without minimum insurance: 2
That’s the name of Sustainable Westport’s newest initiative.
“Your Yard, Our Climate” invites Westporters to “reimagine their outdoor spaces as powerful tools in the fight against climate change — demonstrating that meaningful environmental progress can start right at home.”
From April through June, the program will feature a series of events and educational programs to help residents transform their yards into vibrant, climate-positive habitats.
Experts will help residents explore practical ways to rethink lawns, support pollinators, choose native plantings, and adopt sustainable landscaping practices, on any size property.
Events include a native plant sale, “Lights Out Connecticut,” compost workshop, Spring Garden Fest at Wakeman Town Farm, tomato master class and more.
Sustainable Westport says: “The initiative emphasizes the significant role that personal choices in our outdoor spaces play in addressing the climate crisis. Whether it’s planting trees that improve air quality, reducing lawn space to support biodiversity, or shifting to eco-friendly yard care practices, each action contributes to a healthier, more climate-friendly Westport — and planet.”
Speaking of nature: A dolphin washed up on Saugatuck Shores yesterday, near Cedar Point Yacht Club.
Andrew Colabella emailed the Conservation Department, Aspetuck Health District and Animal Control, for assistance in removing it. He hopes a test will reveal what happened.
In the 2 months since it opened, The Clubhouse has become Westport’s go-to events space.
Between its simulators, karaoke rooms and bar/restaurant with ginormous screens (March Madness was huge), the Post Road East gathering spot is taking the town by storm.
Owners Tim and Emily Zobl paused yesterday, for the official ribbon cutting.
From left: 2nd Selectwoman Andrea Moore, owner Tim Zobl, 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker, owner Emily Zobl, Chamber of Commerce director Matthew Mandell, 3rd Selectwoman Candice Savin. (Photo/Dan Woog)
Guests then headed upstairs, for the reveal of the new rooftop lounge.
It’s a large, open and fun space, with tables, TV screens, cornhole — and another bar.
When it opens next week, it will add one more outdoor option to Westport’s entertainment scene.
Since 1943, Staples Tuition Grants has provided need-based assistance to Staples High School graduates. Last year STG awarded $381,500 to 105 students.
That money comes from donations. And, on May 1, some of it will come from Millie Rae’s shoppers.
On that day, the store at 1011 Post Road East will give 10% of all proceeds from sales of its gifts, decorations, jewelry and household items to STG. From 3 to 6 p.m., there will be “sips and nibbles” too.
The event comes right before Mother’s Day, graduation day — and the awarding of Staples Tuition Grants’ 2025 scholarships.
Speaking of Staples: The school’s University of Connecticut Early College Experience program flies under the radar. (Though a story last year described how Staples students take courses in high school for a fraction of the cost of normal college tuition; they’re weighted like AP courses, to determine GPAs).
But the word is out. And UConn just announced that Staples has the sixth highest number of students enrolled in the program in the state: 354.
It’s not often that national events find their way onto the agenda of a local board.
But this morning’s meeting of the town’s Pension Investment Committee (11 a.m., Zoom: Meeting ID: 835 5789 3813; Passcode: 452326) has just one item to discuss: “current market volatility.”
Let’s hope they know what they’re doing. Because not too many others do.
You can almost feel the buds about to burst, in today’s evocative “Westport … Naturally” photo of Schlaet’s Point, where Compo Beach laps up against Hillspoint Road.
(Photo/Patricia McMahon)
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And finally … in response to the getting-to-be-regular news about Savvy Smoker (story above):
(Downtown, business, police, environmental — if there’s news in Westport, you’ll read about it on “06880.” We rely on readers to help us do it. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
In the wake of the announcement that the Connecticut Department of Transportation plans to build a new maintenance building at the state facility on Post Road East between Walgreens and West Parish Road, renewed attention has come to approximately 1.4 acres of the property, near West Parish.
Yet 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker tells “06880,” “The DOT never offered the town of Westport a portion of that property.
“There were discussions regarding building affordable housing on a portion of the property, in 2020 and 2021. However, the land would have been transferred from DOT to the Department of Housing for that purpose, not the town.
“Neither the state DOT nor DOH has advanced that project.”
State Department of Transportation land. The Sherwood Island Connector is at left, Post Road East at top, West Parish Road on right. The proposed new maintenance facility is outlined in black (behind Walgreens). The land once considered for affordable housing is in red, at right.
Just days before the Division I basketball tournament (aka March Madness) begins, NCAA president Charlie Baker sat down with Dave Briggs for a long, and very interesting, interview.
Briggs — a Westporter, former NBC Sports and Turner sports broadcaster, and host of a high-energy March Madness show — asked important questions.
What’s the future of NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) and the transfer portal? Does the NCAA support the Trump decision to ban transgender athletes? How will private equity impact college sports?
It’s a national podcast, but there are 2 Westport connections (besides this being Briggs’ hometown):
Briggs referenced Marc Lasry. The Beachside Avenue resident and private equity billionaire has indicated an interest in getting into the college sports space.
NCAA president Baker is married to Lauren Schadt, a Staples High School graduate who grew up in Westport.
The Clubhouse opened last month, to rave reviews. Now 2 big perfect-for-the-space events are coming up.
From March 14 to 17, the Post Road East hot spot offers Irish-inspired dishes and drinks, and their first-ever brunch specials. They’re open normal hours Friday to Sunday, then noon to 10 p.m. on Monday the 17th.
Starting March 20, March Madness basketball will be live on the massive 22-foot TV wall.
Coming soon: the opening of the roof deck.
The Clubhouse — with the 22-foot TV wall on the right.
Speaking of St. Paddy’s Day: Club203 celebrates the green the next day.
Westport’s social group for adults with disabilities gathers at the Westport Library on March 18 (6:30 to 8 p.m.) for karaoke, Irish soda bread and sweet buns from Cobs Bread, green bagels from Village Bagels, shamrock cookies from Baked by Belle, crafts with MoCA, and free books from the Westport Book Shop.
Everyone is invited to wear green. Click here for more information.
Suspense and legal thriller author David Baldacci has sold over 150 million books worldwide. He’s been published in 45 languages.
His new book, “Strangers in Time,” will be released April 15. It’s about a bereaved bookshop owner and 2 teenagers scarred by the World War II in 1944 London, and the healing and hope they find in each other.
At 7 p.m. that day, he launches it with a keynote address and book signing — at the Westport Library.
The Library is including a copy of the book with each ticket ($40). Attendees can get 2 seats and 1 book for $50. Extra copies are $30 each. There is a special opportunity to meet Baldacci one-on-one ($150). Click here to register.
In its heyday in the 1950s and ’60s, the correspondence course company on Wilton Road promised millions of would-be artists that they could draw like a professional.
The school lives on — at least through June 15, at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.
An exhibit from the Famous Artists Cartoon Course — launched in 1956 — offers a look at famous cartooning “teachers” like Rube Goldberg, Al Capp and Milton Caniff. Click here for more information. (Hat tip: Carol Waxman)
A Famous Artists School cartoon course cartoon.
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The artist known as Inam unveils his latest collection, “Life in Color,” at Clarendon Fine Art on April 24 (6 p.m.). The reception includes drinks and live music. These works include his signature forest scenes, and striking new seascapes.
Clarendon will cover the sales tax on all purchases made at the event (terms and conditions apply).
“Sailing in the Sun” (Inam)
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Westport Police made 4 custodial arrests between March 5 and 11.
A 49-year-old Westport woman was charged with evading responsibility (hit and run), driving under the influence and failure to drive in the proper lane, following an accident on Imperial Avenue. Officers located the vehicle parked at the driver’s residence, while she was still sitting in it.
A 39-year-old Bridgeport man was charged with possession of a controlled substance, after respondingi to a vehicle facing the wrong direction on Red Coat Road. The driver was slumped over in the driver’s seat, with a baggie and straw in his lap. A field test of that, and additional baggies in the vehicle, were positive for cocaine and fentanyl.
A 54-year-old Bridgeport man was charged with burglary, criminal mischief and larceny following an investigation into the theft of $800 from Little Kitchen, after a rear door was forced oopen. He was unable to post $25,000 bond.
A 33-year-old Philadelphia woman was charged with larceny, payment card theft, identity theft, and conspirace to commit those crimes, after investigation into the the theft of a handbag at Panera in 2020.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
Failure to renew registration (6 citations)
Speeding: 5
Traveling unreasonably fast: 5
Failure to obey traffic control signals: 3
Simple trespass: 2
Failure to drive in the proper lane: 2
Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 2
Passing a stopped school bus: 1
Distracted driving: 1
Traveling too fast for conditions: 1
Improper turns: 1
Failure to obey stop sign: 1
Failure to obey state traffic commission regulations: 1
Longtime Westporter Paulette Weibel died peacefully on March 4. She was 98.
The Geneva, Switzerland native immigrated to the US in 1950, to marry her husband Otto Weibel. They were married for 65 years, until his death in 2015.
Paulette lived in Westport for the past 60 years. She was a proud member of the NY/CT Swiss-American; loved nature, walking, knitting, sewing and volunteering, with Girl Scouts and the Westport Library.
She also worked full time at the library. She helped maintain picture files for over 36 years. Her beautiful handwriting can be seen today on many files.
She is survived by her son, Robert (Silvia) of Switzerland and daughter Joyce Bottone (Joseph) of Westport; grandchildren Jessica, Jonathan (Naima), Leonard (Vanessa), Nolan, Stella, Joseph and Jennifer, and great-grandchildren Shayna, Kiana and Ayana. She was also predeceased by her son Peter and brother Jean Lambert.
The family will receive friends and family at the Harding Funeral Home on March 17 (4 to 7 p.m.). A graveside service is set March 18, 2025 (11 a.m., Willowbrook Cemetery). Click here to leave online condolences.
And finally … Joey Molland, the last surviving member of Badfinger, died on March 1 in Minnesota. He was 77, and suffered from diabetes. Click here for a full obituary.
(If you want it, please click here to help support “06880” — “where Westport meets the world.” Thank you!)
The Planning & Zoning Commission discussed 2 big items last night: lights on athletic fields, and the first step in the Longshore renovation project.
They deferred a decision on a text amendment that would add lights to more town fields. Much of the discussion centered, however, not on the effect of the lights themselves, but on noise that might accompany expanded practices and games.
A decision could come at the next P&Z meeting (Monday, February 10).
The board voted 4-3 to issue a negative report on an 8-24 (municipal land use change) request to relocate the equipment shed (currently located between the golf course and tennis courts, on the exit road).
The new complex would include 2 structures, with parking, in the middle of the Longshore golf course. It would encompass 35,000 square feet, with no building larger than 10,000 square feet or higher than 1 story.
P&Z commissioners acknowledged the need for a new facility. They questioned the proposed location in a flood zone; its impact on open space and the golf course, and some procedural questions regarding the proposal.
The negative 8-24 report can be appealed to the Representative Town Meeting, which could overturn it by a supermajority.
Alternatively, town officials could propose a new location for the maintenance facility.
Paul Lane Field is the only lighted field at Staples High School. The adjacent baseball, soccer and field hockey/girls lacrosse fields do not have lights. (Photo/Robin Wolfe-Scheffler)
If Saturday’s sneak preview is any indication, it’s a game-changer for Westport’s entertainment scene.
The 5 simulator bays — featuring golf, with 30 sports in all — are versatile, interactive, and tons of fun.
The 2 dart bays are state-of-the-art. Think soccer’s VAR technology, with feathers.
There’s a cool karaoke room, and another with a University of Michigan theme. (Guess where the owners, Emily and Tim Zobl, went to school.)
The large bar and dining area serves excellent pub food and cocktails. The 22-foot video wall there can show just about anything, in a variety of ways. (The simulator bays can be reserved for viewing big games too.)
Sunday’s Super Bowl is already nearly fully booked. A couple of tables and bar stools can still be reserved. (Call 203-292-3169 or email connect@theclubhousewestport.com.)
Bookings are already strong for corporate events, parties and bar and bat mitzvahs.
Oh, yeah: The rooftop opens in April.
Fore!
Staples High School junior Will Briggs drives, at The Clubhouse. (Photo/Dan Woog)
Speaking of sports: “06880” reported yesterday that Adam Behrends has stepped down after 6 years as Staples’ head football coach. He’ll be taking a position at the University of New Mexico.
Last night, the state champion-winning coach described his new role as “offensive analyst with quarterbacks and wide receivers.”
He’ll be joining a new staff that includes Luke Schleusner, who was Behrends’ coach at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Schleusner will be New Mexico’s offensive coordinator.
We’re less than 3 months away from renovation of the Compo Beach Playground.
To prepare, the playground will close March 1. It will reopen at the end of May.
A “community build” April 21-26 will include new accessible equipment for children of all abilities; widened walkways; safer surfacing around the swings, and replacement of the weathered fence.
Westport’s Parks & Recreation Department and the Compo Beach Playground Committee seek volunteers for Build Week.
They also seek donations, to purchase new pickets ($500), replacement pickets ($250).
As you chow down at a Super Bowl party: Remember those who can’t.
This Saturday (February 8, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Stop & Shop), the Westport Police Department and Sunrise Rotary Club host a food drive.
All donations with support the Homes with Hope and Westport Department of Human Services food pantries.
Police officers and volunteers will accept non-perishable food items and cash donations.
Suggested items include breakfast bars, baking goods, BBQ sauce, macaroni & cheese, canned vegetables and fruit, coffee, canned meats, canned stew, noodles, cereals, gluten-free foods, granola and protein bars, grated Parmesan cheese, hamburger and tuna helper, hearty soups, instant mashed potatoes, ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, oatmeal, cooking oil, pancake mix and syrup, pasta and sauce, peanut butter and jelly, rice, spices, salad dressing, shelf-stable milk, and snacks. (No glass jars.)
Suggested personal care and household items include
body wash, Clorox wipes, deodorant, dish soap, laundry detergent, toilet paper, paper towels, razors, shampoo and oothpaste.
To volunteer, or offer a large pickup, call Anna Rycenga at 203-763-9656.
Last November, Alan Bartus was a last-minute pianist substitute, for Jazz at the Post.
He sight-read the music, and blew everyone away.
Jazz at the Post founder Greg “The Jazz Rabbi” saw Bartus in a duo concert with Dave Brubeck’s long time saxophonist (and Wall’s early mentor) Jerry Bergonzi at the Dave Brubeck Room of the Wilton Library.
The audience — including Brubeck’s son Chris — was floored. Bartus’ compositions were “sophisticated, emotional, and quite worthy of sharing the program with the venue’s namesake,” Wall says.
This Thursday (February 6, 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner service begins at 7; VFW Post 399), Bartus takes center stage at Jazz at the Post.
Along with Wall, bassist Raul Reyes Bueno, trumpeter Michael Cruse and drummer Antonio Cerfeda, he’ll play his own music, and Brubeck’s.
Tickets for the 7:30 show are $20; $15. All tickets for the late show are $10. Click here to purchase, and for moreo information.
And finally … on this date in 1846, the first Mormon pioneers left Nauvoo, Illinois, on their way to the Salt Lake Valley.
(Whether it’s a new Clubhouse, an annual food drive, or a weekly jazz concert, “06880” is where you read about it all. But we can’t do it without readers’ help. Please click here to support us. Thank you!)
It’s mid-winter. But golfers will swing their clubs next month, right here in Westport.
Nearby, batters will swing, hoopsters will shoot, and dart players will toss.
It’s all simulated, of course. But 5 state-of-the-art golf and multi-sport simulators are ready to go at The Clubhouse — Westport’s new, intriguing event space.
The long-awaited facility opens February 5 at 1620 Post Road East, site of the former Pane e Bene restaurant. Permitting and construction has been underway since mid-2023.
The Clubhouse opens February 5.
It will be worth the wait. In addition to the simulators — featuring some of the world’s greatest golf courses, and other sports ranging from football to Zombie dodgeball — The Clubhouse includes 2 private karaoke rooms, plus a bar serving a full range of pub bites and classics (smash burgers, wedge salad, rigatoni, Farmers’ Market crudité, homemade chips and dip), with signature cocktails, local beers and premium bourbon.
A “good ol’ root beer float” is on the menu too.
The simulator bays are versatile. They’re also available to watch sports — football, March Madness, the US Tennis Open, the Masters — for small groups.
One of the 5 simulators.
Larger groups can book part or all of The Clubhouse too, for birthdays, anniversaries, bar mitzvahs, corporate outings, reunions, even fantasy football draft parties.
If you’re a University of Michigan fan, you’re in special luck. Emily and Tim Zobl — the Westport couple who conceived of and developed The Clubhouse — are alums. They call their place “an official University of Michigan alumni bar.” (Emily — a 2012 Staples High School graduate — played varsity field hockey for the Wolverines.)
Tim and Emily Zobl.
For the Zobls, there is no limit to what The Clubhouse can do or be. They envision Trivia Nights, sports leagues — whatever type of entertainment Westporters want, they’ll provide.
It’s taken a while to fulfill their elevated activity space dream. With backgrounds in hospitality, food service, technology, events planning and real estate — they understood the opportunities, challenges and risks.
Karaoke …
Westport has never had a facility like The Clubhouse.
However, decades ago — on the property next door, now Lansdowne Condominiums — there was a driving range, miniature golf course, trampoline center and skating rink. (The rink — which briefly became a discotheque — is now the Westport Tennis Club.)
… and darts. All scoring is done electronically.
Come to think of it, our town golf course does not even have a clubhouse.
It’s in the long-range Longshore renovation plans.
Whenever — actually, if — it ever gets built, it won’t be nearly as versatile and cool, or enjoyed by as many people, as The Clubhouse.
(To learn more, and to book an activity space at The Clubhouse, click here. Their Instagram is @theclubhousewestport).
(“06880” regularly covers sports, local businesses and real estate — and, like today, sometimes they all intersect. If you enjoy our hyper-local coverage, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
On Monday the Planning & Zoning Commission voted 5-1 to approve an application for the family golf entertainment facility, on the site of Redi-Cut Carpet and the former Pane e Bene restaurant.
The facility will include 6 state-of-the-art bays with 13 interactive experiences in golf, football, soccer, hockey, dodgeball and more; private rooms for birthday parties, corporate events, karaoke and big-screen game viewings, plus a bar with craft cocktails and a pub-bites menu.
Last month, the Architectural Review Board gave unanimous approval to the proposed design. Site improvements include new sidewalks, landscaping, drainage and a new parking lot.
Artist’s rendering of The Clubhouse.
On Monday, P&Z chair Danielle Dobin said, “from a green standpoint, it’s adaptive reuse of an old building, which is lovely.” The structure dates to the 1940s.
The biggest concerns raised by the commission and neighbors included environmental issues, potential noise from outdoor dining, capacity, traffic, and the ability to handle large events.
Applicants Emily and Tim Zobl said they had spoken with neighbors. All 4 members of the public who spoke — including a Lansdowne condominium board member, and High Gate Road resident — supported this phase of the project.
During the work session after the hearing, the P&Z voted 5-1 in favor of waiving a traffic study. The decision was based in part on testimony from a traffic engineer, who said that the planned use would have a minimal impact on the 1608-1622 Post Road area.
Emily and Tim Zobl, outside the future site of The Clubhouse.
A townhouse/residential development will be the next phase of the project, requiring its own approval process.
The Zobls will begin working on that phase next year.
Posted onJuly 25, 2023|Comments Off on Roundup: “Clubhouse” Approval, RTM Petitions, Gloria’s Woods …
The Planning & Zoning Commission voted unanimously last night to approve the indoor golf and entertainment center — “The Clubhouse” — proposed for 1608-1620 Post Road East (the current site of Redi-Cut Carpet and Pane e Bene restaurant).
The P&Z also okayed 10 townhouses, at the rear of the property. Two will be affordable, as determined by state guidelines.
That’s a much less intensive use than a previous developer’s plan, for an 8-30g housing development there:
An earlier 8-30g concept for 1608-1620 Post Road East.
Last night’s decision is the first step in the process for Westport residents Tim and Emily Zobl. Next on the agenda: a final site plan.
Speaking of local politics: Want to run for the Representative Town Meeting?
Petitions for our legislative branch — the RTM — are available, starting today in the Town Clerk’s office at Town Hall.
Interested candidates must gather 25 signatures from residents in their district to be on the ballot November 7. The deadline is September 12.
The 36-person RTM is non-partisan; all terms are 2 years. There are 9 voting districts, with 4 members each. Click here for a district map.
RTM members vote on town appropriation requests of more than $20,000; approve town ordinances, and the town budget; serve on 2 or more committees, and review certain decisions of town boards and commissions.
For more information, contact Town Clerk Jeffrey Dunkerton: 203-341-1105; jdunkerton@westportct.gov.
“Gloria” — Alan Sterling’s beloved oyster boat, which graced Gray’s Creek for many years but deteriorated slowly after his death 9 years ago — may have found its final resting place.
(Photo/Bruce McFadden)
Perhaps it was moved into the nearby woods. Perhaps it was deposited there by a very high tide.
Whatever happened, “Gloria” is now out of the water.
To read a number of “06880” back stories on this legendary Westport craft — and its oysterman captain — click here.
The blue-wrapped house at 233 Hillspoint Road has generated a lot of controversy — and not gotten much love — over the past few years.
Another blue-wrapped construction project has not generated many comments at all.
But, many Westporters wonder: What’s going on at the corner of Main Street and Parker Harding Plaza?
(Photo/Dan Woog)
177 Main Street — the restored 1775 house that was most recently home to Local to Market, and before that Talbots and (of course) the Remarkable Book Shop — was purchased by Eleish Van Breems Home Westport.
Headquartered on Franklin Street, and with stores on Railroad Place and Nantucket, Eleish Van Breems offers “a clean, elegant and fresh approach to interiors, all with a Scandinavian essence.”
There’s no target date for opening.
But it’s safe to say it will be a lot sooner than that very-unloved home on Hillspoint.
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Want a sneak peek at Tacombi, the new Mexican restaurant replacing A&J’s Market on the Post Road between Lansdowne and Stop & Shop?
And want to support a great cause at the same time?
Realtor Judy Michaelis and Hightower Financial Group host a pre-opening party on August 4 (5:30 p.m.). There’s plenty of food and drink — and 100% of ticket sales directly support Westport Volunteer Emergency Medical Service.
The recent appointment of Dr. Penny Proskinitopoulos as principal of Coleytown Middle School created a vacancy at Staples High School. She spent the past 2 years there, as assistant principal.
That post has been filled by a familiar face. Micah Lawrence returns to the place where he began his academic career — which is also his alma mater.
Lawrence worked for many years at Staples as a school counselor, administrator and coach.
Micah Lawrence
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Lyman, Ukraine continues to need help.
And Felicia Catale keeps helping.
The owner of Salon Nash on Post Road West is giving free haircuts to anyone who donates to our sister city.
Her cuts and blow dries — for men, women and kids — usually go for standard rates. But anyone who contributes any amount gets one, gratis.
Click here to donate via the Ukraine Aid International website (under “Designation,” choose “Westport-Lyman” from the dropdown menu).
Then call or text Felicia (203-747-9753) to make an appointment. Bring your donation receipt to enjoy your free, generous hair session!
Everyone has a different way to enjoy Compo Beach.
Some people ride bikes, jog, walk, or walk their dogs. Some play basketball or softball. Others rollerblade, skateboard, kayak or kitesurf. A few even swim.
The Vermont-based band with a huge cult following attracted tons of out-of-towners to the Levitt Pavilion. The crowd danced for nearly the entire 5-hour set.
Just to remind everyone where they were, this was part of the scene:
Longtime Westporter Sanford (Sandy) Libow — one of our last World War II veterans — died last month in Stamford. Addie, his wife of 67 years, was at his side. He was 96 years old.
After graduating from Brooklyn’s James Madison High School and
serving in the Army, he earned his master’s from New York University. He was
editor-in-chief of the yearbook and the University Guidebook. Sandy then joined Fairfield Publications as a reporter.
In 1952 he founded Ideal Electrical Supply Corp. in Mt. Kisco, New York. He was president and CEO until he sold the business in 1999.
Sandy’s many community activities included president of Congregation Sons of Israel in Briarcliff Manor, New York and Birchwood Country Club. He also served on the boards of The Jewish Home for the Elderly in Fairfield, and Temple Israel.
In 1973 he was honored by the Westchester County Bond Drive, in
celebration of Israel’s 25th anniversary. He was particularly proud of his volunteer service at Boca Regional Hospital’s Infusion Lab in Florida.
Sandy took pride that from humble beginnings he became a person with broad
interests including sports, politics, art, music, theatre, movies and bridge, with a particular love for jazz.
He was an avid tennis player and golfer, and was extremely knowledgeable in all sports, particularly his beloved New York Mets.
In addition to Addie he is survived by his daughter Lindsey Weinstein and son Marc; grandchildren Scott (Caitlin), Jess, Nick, Claudia, Jordyn and Zachary, and great-granddaughter Alina, who was born just 2 days before he died, as well as his daughters-in-law Elizabeth and Elise, son-in-law Bruce and his brother Dr. Leslie Libow (Linda).His eldest child, Daryl Libow, died in 2018
Sandy Libow
==============================================
Wasps make huge nests.
When they hang on tree branches, we watch them with a combination of awe and fear.
But this one is much closer to home — literally.
It’s the first wasp nest featured on “Westport … Naturally.” Let’s hope — at least at this site — it’s the last.
And finally … in honor of the scene at the Westport railroad station (story above): There are a zillion train songs I could have picked.
This one — by our next door neighbor — seems most appropriate:
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Comments Off on Roundup: “Clubhouse” Approval, RTM Petitions, Gloria’s Woods …
Westport’s Planning & Zoning Commission gave a generally positive reception last night to requests for text changes and a General Development Plan for 1608-1622 Post Road East — the current site of Redi-Cut Carpet and Pane e Bene restaurant, among others — to permit a family golf entertainment facility, landscaping, and 10 townhouses. Two would be below market rates. (Click here for more details.)
Current tenants at the proposed Clubhouse site.
Commissioners asked tough questions, for 2 hours. Approximately 50 attendees joined the Zoom meeting, which had been rescheduled from the previous week after a technical glitch.
The public’s primary concerns involved sound from an outdoor dining roof deck, traffic, and the environmental condition of the site. After a nearby mini-golf course and driving range closed, the area was used as an informal dump.
Both sides seemed open to next steps for project approval. Among them: further discussions, walk-throughs with neighbors, and third party environmental testing.
Most commissioners seemed excited by the possibility of adding a new concept to the town’s entertainment options. Several asked for more time to review the application.
Vice chair Paul Lebowitz noted that granting approval might protect the site from being targeted for a larger 8-30g development.
P&Z chair Danielle Dobin called the concept “a great use. It’s exactly the kind of thing we’re trying to encourage to have more of in the town of Westport. I love the concept.”
Dobin acknowledged neighbors’ concerns over potential noise from a roof deck.
Planning and Zoning Department director said that applicants Tim and Emily Zobl — she’s a 2012 Staples High School graduate and former University of Michigan field hockey player, now co-founder and president of a firm that invests in hospitality, food services, technology and multi-media publishing; he has an events planning background, and is a local realtor — are “kind of a who’s who of Westport….I think these are people you can trust. I think these are people who are going to follow through.”
The hearing continues next Monday (July 24, 7 p.m., Zoom).
Tim and Emily Zobl.
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We’re blessed with outdoor amenities like Compo Beach and Longshore.
But when it comes to indoor fun — family activities, evenings with friends, date nights — not so much.
No movies or bowling, like Norwalk. No golf simulators, like Fairfield and Stamford.
Well, not today.
But — if Emily and Tim Zobl get the approvals and permits they need — hopefully next year.
Tim and Emily Zobl.
The Westporters — she’s a 2012 Staples High School graduate and former University of Michigan field hockey player, now co-founder and president of a firm that invests in hospitality, food services, technology and multi-media publishing; he has an events planning background, and is a local realtor — go before the Planning & Zoning Commission July 10.
They’ll present a concept for The Clubhouse: a “golf simulator lounge” activity space with 6 state-of-the-art bays that have 13 interactive experiences in golf, football, soccer, hockey, dodgeball and more; private rooms for birthday parties, corporate events, karaoke and big-screen game viewings, plus a bar with craft cocktails and a pub-bites menu.
Phase 2 involves 10 homes. Two will be affordable, according to state formulas.
The site is 1608-1622 Post Road East. Redi-Cut Carpet & Rugs, with a long-term lease, will remain. The other tenants — including Pane e Bene restaurant — would move or close.
1620 Post Road East was built in 1946.
It’s a true Westport project. Emily was part of the team that saved the historic Old Mill Grocery & Deli last year, and serves on the Earthplace board. Both are experienced in the hospitality industry, and love golf.
Their goals are to offer fun, new activities that Westport lacks; improve a 1940s-era building, and add landscaping and screening; provide a bit of affordable housing — and save the property from a much larger 8-30g project, which has been proposed in the past.
The Zobls are now in the due diligence phase. The P&Z hearing next week includes a text and map amendment, and review of a general development plan.
If approved, the couple will continue with engineering and architecture plans, an application to the Architectural Review Board and more.
The Clubhouse will include not just golf simulators …
The Clubhouse would be part of a renaissance of the Post Road between Maple Avenue and Stop & Shop. Delamar has torn down the Westport Inn. It will be replaced by a boutique hotel.
Rick Redniss of the Redniss & Mead land use and engineering firm is working on both Delamar Westport, and The Clubhouse.
Just east of the Zobls’ project — at the former AJ’s Farm Stand — work proceeds on Tacombi, the first Connecticut location for the popular New York-based taqueria.
… but adaptations for football, baseball, soccer, hockey dodgeball and other sports. Participants will feel like they’re part of the action.
The acre of land behind The Clubhouse — Phase 2 of the Zobls’ project — has been zoned residential for decades.
The Lansdowne condominiums were built next door 4 decades ago, on the site of a former miniature golf course and driving range. The range became an unofficial dump. Though several proposals were made for the property behind the carpet store — including an intensive 8-30g project — nothing was ever built.
The Zobls have held several meetings with neighbors on George Street — behind the land — and nearby High Gate Road, along with the adjacent Lansdowne condos.
“We’re very sensitive to them,” Emily says. “We want to be an asset. We’re working with them to make this a success for everyone.
“We’re not developers from New York. This is our town. Tim will be on site, running the daily operation.
“He’ll oversee the simulators, the lounge, private events, karaoke — everything. This is a true local business.”
The architect is local too: Rick Hoag.
Though the couple is excited about the possibilities — for family fun, night life, and of course the housing component — they are not rushing things.
“We want to do this right,” Tim says.
It’s their Clubhouse. They look forward to welcoming the entire town to it.
PS: The Zobls first looked at 950 Post Road East — the former Men’s Wearhouse — for The Clubhouse. But there were parking issues, and it was too close to neighbors.
On July 10 — the same night the P&Z hears the text and map amendment requests from the Zobls — they’ll discuss special permit and site plan application to permit a veterinary hospital/animal clinic at 950 Post Road East.
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With a few days off from Little League practice, 10-year-old Beckett O’Malley wanted to work on his hitting.
So last Saturday, his dad Ian looked for a batting cage. He found The Clubhouse in Fairfield.
The door was open. But owner Mike Porzio said, “I’m sorry. We’re closed for the Easter holiday. I’m just here teaching a couple of students.” Ian thought they were high school or college age.
Mike saw the disappointment on Beckett’s face. He quickly changed his mind, and said they could use an area next to where he was teaching — for free.
That was a super-kind gesture, Ian says.
Beckett O’Malley and Mike Porzio.
But there was more.
Mike stopped what he was doing, and began teaching Beckett the mechanics of hitting, in a way the boy easily understood.
Mike is the real deal. The Norwalk native pitched for 3 MLB seasons with the Colorado Rockies and Chicago White Sox.
Within minutes, Ian says, his son’s swing was “night and day.” Mike went back to teaching the 2 older athletes.
But there was still more.
With only a net separating the areas, Mike kept an eye on Beckett. He continued offering tips, and words of encouragement.
“Mike was a total game changer,” Ian says.
Literally and figuratively.
Congratulations to Mike Porzio, our “06880” Unsung Hero of the Week. If you know of a worthy candidate, email 06880blog@gmail.com,
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Both sides seemed open to next steps for project approval. Among them: further discussions, walk-throughs with neighbors, and third party environmental testing.
