What a difference 16 months makes.
ROAN Ventures — developers of the Hamlet at Saugatuck project — filed plans yesterday with the Planning & Zoning Department.
The new design for the redevelopment of the town’s first commercial center show many changes from the original proposal, unveiled in June of 2022.
The modifications and alterations follow input from a September 2023 charette. Officials from P&Z, the Architectural Review Board, Conservation Department, Selectwoman’s Office, Police and Fire Departments, Representative Town Meeting — and the public — offered critiques and suggestions.
Criticism centered on the buildings’ density, height and architecture.
The drawings, landscape plans, and traffic and parking studies filed yesterday reflect changes since then.
The Hamlet at Saugatuck still encompasses the rectangle between Riverside Avenue, Railroad Place, Franklin Street and Charles Street, plus land on Riverside Avenue from Tutti’s to Railroad Place, plus the private parking lot above Luciano Park.
Plans still include retail, restaurants, residences, a 57-room hotel, marina, gourmet market and kids’ club near Luciano Park, boardwalk, underground parking — and a renovation of the 21 Charles Street office building.
But the look now is less massive. The edges are less sharp. The design is more New England.
For example, 3 buildings along the waterfront are more balanced. Setbacks on the upper floor make a 4-story building seem like 3, from the street.
Three buildings on Riverside Avenue, between Railroad Place (left) and the I-95 bridge, as seen from the water. Charles Street is between the middle and right buildings.
Over 50,000 square feet of the project — about 50% of the total area — will be devoted to public space. Midway, a tree-lined walking path from Luciano Park will lead to stadium seating along the river.
A walking path — with cobblestones — leads to the river (top).
The largest of the dozen or so buildings will sit on one side of that pathway. Its location next to the I-95 bridge will mitigate the current feeling of being overwhelmed by the towering span.
The largest building (right) will shield the pathway from the I-95 bridge (not shown, to the right of the building).
Riverside Avenue from Charles Street to Railroad Place — and Railroad Place itself — will be stamped concrete. It looks similar to cobblestone, a surface that slows drivers down.
One of the most intriguing designs is along Railroad Place itself. Architects have gone back more than a century — to when the Saugatuck post office occupied what is now Steam Coffee — to recreate a long-ago look.
A new look — taken from a century ago — for Railroad Place, from Riverside Avenue (right) to the west. The road surface is stamped concrete.
A key selling point of The Hamlet is the re-skinning of 21 Charles Street (the gruesome office building across from Zucca Gastrobar).
Its proposed red brick facade will hark back to old New England industrial towns. Think SoNo in nearby Norwalk; Portsmouth, New Hampshire; Portland, Maine (or, right here in Westport, newly refurbished National Hall).
A new look for the 21 Charles Street office building.
A barn-like building next to Luciano Park — right now, a storage lot for large boats — has been reimagined in all stone. Along with a market and kids’ activities, it will serve as an event space, for weddings, bar mitzvahs, corporate events and more.
Luciano Park, with an event space barn behind it (where boats are now stored).
The Hamlet at Saugatuck will include 57 residential units, spread over 5 buildings. Up to 20% will be affordable, under state guidelines (or up to 25% if off-site — within a quarter-mile of the train station).
Parking for 250 to 300 cars is planned below grade. There will be 2 access points: Railroad Place, and Franklin Street (opposite Luciano Park).
That stretch of Franklin Street, meanwhile, would become 2-way. A roundabout at the curve by Railroad Place would enable dropoffs and pickups at the train station — avoiding a drive down Riverside Avenue and a right turn onto Railroad Place.
Franklin Street would become 2-way, past the 21 Charles Street office building, and the building that now houses a karate studio. Luciano Park is not shown, on the left.
With yesterday’s filing, the special permit process through town boards begins.
ROAN’s goal is for The Hamlet at Saugatuck’s shops, residences, walking paths, hotel, marina, underground parking — and the fresh-but-retro-looking 21 Charles Street — to be open in 2028.
(Westport’s LandTech site/civil engineering firm leads the design team. ROAN Ventures is also working with architects GKV, Phil Cerrone and Bill Bensley; landscape architect SWA, and DPZ design.)
BONUS PHOTOS: Here are a few views of the area encompassed by The Hamlet at Saugatuck.
The parcel between Railroad Place (far left), Riverside Avenue (bottom) and Charles Street (right).
21 Charles Street office building.
Luciano Park, with boat storage behind.
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