Chairman’s View: Expect a High-Density Development on Pine Street, column for July 12, 2018

Chairman’s View: Expect a high-density development on Pine Street

JULY 12, 2018 BY JOHN ENGEL

By John Engel

Town Council Chairman

The Beval Saddlery building at 50 Pine Street and two adjacent brick buildings may have been sold to a developer.

My purpose is not to report on a rumor. But, if it has not sold then it will likely sell in the not-too-distant future. Don’t be surprised. It is logical to expect the eventual buyers to propose another high-density development in this location. 

There will be hand-wringing about the changing character of our town. What is the best use for Pine Street? Some say New Canaan’s “Magic Circle” loses its magic every time it is diluted by the addition of storefronts on Pine, Grove, Cross and Vitti streets. Others say we must evolve, and new, dense development is consistent with the POCD (Plan of Conservation and Development) and adds to the tax base in a way that makes New Canaan a more complete shopping and dining destination.

Both are correct. I would suggest that we talk about what healthy change looks like in our downtown instead of simply opposing whatever represents change. It is good to remember that we are unlikely to solve any perceived current issues (not enough variety in housing stock, not enough senior-friendly housing, too many retail vacancies, etc.) unless we are willing to consider changing what we currently permit.

Two residents, each in town for at least three generations, stopped me last week with diametrically opposed opinions on whether the Merritt Village project is good for New Canaan. 110 condominiums in 4 buildings on 3.5 acres. One of them cited its consistency with our POCD’s intention to encourage senior-friendly housing within walking distance of train and town.  The other said it was too dense, too ugly, and not in keeping with the character of our town.

The three Pine Street lots represent nearly two acres in the BUS-A zone. Our assessor appraises them for nearly $12 million, currently $140,576 in property taxes. Therefore, there is a good chance that we will see a proposal for development that spans all three lots, is built to the height limit of 40 feet, possibly with parking underneath to maximize building size and make use of the slope. While this should clearly raise the taxable value of the property, do we want more dense housing, possibly senior or workforce housing, maybe mixed-use with retail on the bottom at that location? 

One difference: we won’t see the 8-30g threat as a retaliatory tactic by developers who don’t get their way with Planning and Zoning. New Canaan has been working on a multi-phase plan that already exempts us from the 8-30g threat for the next three years and will hopefully lead to up to eight additional years.

50, 58 and 70 Pine have style. They do not loom. They are set back from the road with green space in front. The parking is hidden. The old bricks are warm with character. 

Almost anything new is better than a vacant building, but, please, let’s actively try to encourage the most benefit for the Town as a whole from these unique buildings.

Letter: Calling for buildings sensitive to downtown district JULY 24, 2018 RESPONSE TO MY EDITORIAL JULY 12

Letter: Calling for buildings sensitive to downtown district

JULY 24, 2018 BY MIMI FINDLAY

Editor, Advertiser:

In response to John Engel’s recent opinion piece (‘Expect a high density development on Pine Street,’ July 12, p. 5A):

I love to drive down Pine Street — the little brick buildings on the left, one with lovely grass and enormous trees next to the sidewalk are reminders of our industrial past, while the charming row of businesses opposite, each with its own pedimented and brightly colored door, reflects a residential spirit, looking like townhouses.

As Rachel Carley, the historical consultant hired by New Canaan Preservation Alliance in 2012 to survey that section of town wrote about #50 Pine Street:

“One of a trio, this well-built industrial building designed by William Grey, Redding, Conn. was erected in 1950 shortly after Pine Street was laid out on land donated to the town by the New Canaan Development Co. This structure is identified as an office building on Sunburn Insurance Maps, but the rear loading dock and industrial format of the south election indicate it was also used for light manufacturing. Like its adjacent sister buildings, no. 50 was designed to appear only one-story tall from its side street. By minimizing the appearance of building density in this way, and opting for a Colonial Revival design that displays an eye for detail and workmanship, the architect showed particular sensitivity to the scale and traditional ambience of the downtown business district. The building makes an important contribution to the streetscape, while recalling the role of light industry in New Canaan’s mid-20th century commerce.”

Please note that, in my opinion few, if any, recent buildings in town have shown sensitivity to the scale and traditional ambience of the downtown business district, and none have displayed an eye for detail and workmanship. 

Any new development should at least incorporate these three brick buildings, and put all new construction down the hill behind them.

Mimi Findlay

Planner envisions new mixed-use building on Elm Street By Greg Reilly, New Canaan Advertiser

Planner envisions new mixed-use building on Elm Street

By Greg Reilly on January 29, 2016 in Business News, Latest, Latest News, Lead News, Lead News, News, Real Estate, Town Government · 0 Comments

This parking area adjacent to the Unimin office building and across the street from Karl Chevrolet is targeted by the Town planner for new mixed-use commercial building. — Greg Reilly photo

Town Planner Steve Kleppin has a vision of a new, mixed-use commercial building in part of the commuter parking parking lot on Elm Street, across from Karl Chevrolet.

The lot, known as the Lumberyard Lot, provides parking primarily for commuters, and it is next to the Unimin office building, which is on the corner of Elm and Grove streets.

Kleppin, an employee of the Town of New Canaan, told the Advertiser that he is requesting funds to do a preliminary study with drawings of what the area could look like with a structure for retail / office space possibly with residences. He imagines it would be built similar in style to the nearby office building at 220 Elm Street, which is on the same side of the street closer to the train station.

Kleppin’s vision includes building a two-level parking facility behind the would-be new building, closer to the train tracks. The parking facility, he believes, could add “a minimum” of 100 new parking spaces for commuters and others.

In Kleppin’s plan the land parcel needed for the commercial building would first be sold by the Town to a developer.

A likely hurdle to the the plan, he anticipates, will be designing satisfactory traffic flow.

Tags: new canaan, steve kleppin

Read more: http://ncadvertiser.com/68004/planner-has-vision-for-new-mixed-use-building-on-elm-street/#ixzz3yknUdIwp
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Want to Open a Restaurant? New Canaan has Options For Restaurants of All Sizes

Just listed:

A profitable little restaurant on Elm for $295,000.  To get more information about exactly how profitable this restaurant is you'll have to sign a confidentiality statement (I did) but if you are looking for a restaurant location and you can do it in 1200 feet then this might be the ticket.

For more information call me 203-247-4700

However, for those of you who are a little more ambitious, maybe want your patrons to sit down while they eat then I can recommend another restaurant location of 2300 ft on Main Street asking $575,000.  It seats about 80 and that should be enough to keep you in the black. Happy cooking.

In addition, there are two other commercial listings advertising the possibility of food service in the downtown. However, they are not offering freezers and equipment and are offered as empty shells.

Finally, the Red Mango location seems to be vacant so I am not sure if this listing to sell that business is still valid.

Sold: 15 South Avenue, New Canaan

For Sale: 15 South Avenue, the Heart of Downtown New Canaan

15 South Avenue is a fully leased, 4,390 square foot, four tenant retail building situated on .081 acres in the heart of the downtown shopping district of New Canaan. The asking price is $3.95 million. For more information on this or similar buildings in New Canaan, give me a call at Brotherhood & Higley (203) 966-3507 or email me.

A More Efficient Market: 10 Questions I asked of the Market Demand Study Presentation

Here is the link to NCTV Channel 79 coverage of the Market Demand Study presentation on June 7th. Selectman candidate John Engel asked these questions following the presentation:

1. What is the vacancy rate of retail space in the downtown right now? We have census data to tell us that we have a 7.2% residential vacancy rate but no information on retail vacancies.

2. How many stores are in the downtown? And, how many of them are small, medium and large stores and how are those defined? We need metrics in order to understand the scope of the problem.

3. How many restaurants do we have? Restaurant licenses are issued and I seem to recall the number is over 80 food establishments of all types in New Canaan. How do restaurants draw traffic to the downtown and what impact does it have on shopping? On parking?

4. Is it part of the scope of the Market Study Committee to tell us how to take action, or recruit, desirable stores?

5. What tools, besides zoning changes, does the Town currently have to influence the marketability of our town?

6. Have you or will you survey the rental rates now and historically, and can that be made available to us as a tool for merchants, landlords and realtors to form a more efficient market?

7. What technologies will we have to monitor changes? From the top of my head I can suggest modern online parking meters, online traffic counters, online accessible rental databases of historical prices and vacancy rates, sales receipt databases.

8. How will an aging New Canaan population affect our Market Demand in the future?

9. Have we identified model communities from which we can glean best practices?

10. What is the effect of the Glass House on tourism? on the presence of a Metro North train station in our downtown? Are we doing all we can to leverage those two assets?