13/15 Riverside Ave is home to Transportation Association of Greenwich.

A proposed change of tenant at 13/15 Riverside Ave went before the Planning & Zoning commission on Tuesday.

According to attorney Tom Heagney, the non profit 501c3 TAG, which stands for Transportation Association Greenwich, has lost some funding and is looking to economize by downsizing their space on Riverside Ave which they rent from St. Catherine’s of Siena Church.

The Center for Hope & Renewal offers faith based counseling. Their therapists are trained and equipped to counsel in the areas of Recovery, Depression, Financial Stress, Loss & Grief, Marital Problems, Parent/Child Conflict, Relationship Issues, Sexual Identity Issues, Trauma & Abuse.

Heagney said the move would free up four offices on the building’s second floor.

He explained that St Catherine’s had reached out to The Center for Hope & Renewal to see if they might want to use the second floor space, which comprises 581 sq ft.

Heagney said TAG was approved for the space as a non profit 501(c)3 in 2012, and a condition was that if it went to another 501(c)3 it would have to come back to the commission.

The building’s third floor is an attic with two storage rooms comprising 450 sq ft.

The Center for Hope & Renewal would use the second floor space on Riverside Ave as supplementary counseling rooms to their space at 237 Taconic Rd, which was recently approved by P&Z with conditions. That was after a lengthy process that involved objections from neighbors.

Of the conditions for approval, two have turned out to be an issue.

Heagney said the Center for Hope & Renewal agreed not to have  Tuesday evening counseling sessions, and that was one issue.

Second, he said, the limit on the number of counselors to five at any one time has been a challenge.

Heagney said using the space on Riverside Ave said would give flexibility to The Center for Hope to provide a wider range of counseling hours.

“It also provides more convenient area for people from Old Greenwich and Riverside who come in for counseling,” he said.

Other than changes in carpeting and fresh paint, the building will not be altered.

“I see this as a win, win, win,” Heagney said. “It helps TAG because they need some financial relief and can consolidate their offices and have not as much rent to pay. It helps the Center for Hope & Renewal by giving them counseling at different times not permitted as part of decision approving their facility on Taconic Rd.”

And, third, he said, “It allows St. Catherine’s to support worthy charitable organizations in town while receiving funds to carry on the church’s work.”

The commission confirmed that should the application be approved, in the future a different non profit 501(c)3 tenant seeking to rent the space, would also have to return to the commission for approval.

In the proposed agreement with the Center for Hope & Renewal, TAG would give up five  of their 25 parking spaces.

The entire parking lot is comprised of 238 spaces, which are also used by the GHS alternative high school, a day school that uses 25 spaces and by St. Catherine’s of Siena Church for weddings, funerals and church services.

Heagney said TAG needs nowhere near the 25 spaces they are allotted. That would be modified to 17.

Heagney pointed out that the property was zoned R12 before I95 was constructed and severed it from the adjacent residential area.

There was a move for approval to convert four offices on the second floor of 13/15 Riverside currently being used by TAG to use by the Center for Hope and Renewal, and give them 8 of TAG’s 25 parking spaces.

The change was approved unanimously.

Ryan McCormack performing at GHS in 2010. Contributed photo

Obituary provided by Legacy.com

Ryan Joseph McCormack, 26, of Brooklyn, NY passed away on September 9, 2018.

He was born in Greenwich, CT on April 26, 1992.

He is survived by his parents, Donald and Maggie McCormack of Cos Cob and his sisters, Kellyn McCormack of Hamden, and Kate McCormack of Old Greenwich.

Ryan was a 2010 graduate of Greenwich High School and a 2014 graduate of the College of Wooster in Ohio.

Since graduating college, he has spent most of his time living in Brooklyn, NY where he cultivated a group of friends who encouraged each other in the pursuit of various arts, including comedy and music.

Ryan McCormack performing improv at GHS in 2010. Contributed photo

Wherever Ryan lived throughout his life, he was able to develop meaningful friendships with those around him. He had the type of personality that people gravitated toward.

It is the knowledge of those strong friendships that will give the family peace during this difficult time.

Friends and family may call at the Castiglione Funeral Home, 544 Old Post Road #3, Greenwich from 3:00 pm until 6:00 pm on Friday September 14, 2018.

A prayer service will follow immediately at 6:00 pm at the funeral home. Burial services will be private. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation at a charity close to your heart.

Rendering from Granoff Associates for 581-585 W Putnam Ave.

On Tuesday night, the Planning & Zoning commission entertained a proposal to demolish buildings on 2.334-acres at 581 and 585 West Putnam Ave, and construct two mixed-use buildings, plus a multi-level parking structure.

The result would be a total of 67 residential units, with 14 units (20%) being moderate income.

What will be demolished?

The office building at 585 West Putnam Ave will go.

Next door, the former Connecticut Institute of Art at 581 West Putnam Ave, constructed in 1966, would also vanish. With its peeling paint and boarded up windows it is a Greenwich eyesore few will miss.

Currently its parking lot is rented to nearby car dealerships to juggle cars.

Prior to its life as an art school, the building, set back from the street and constructed high atop ledge rock, was home to Garbo’s Restaurant.

Prior to that, it operated as a night club called The Penthouse.

Many with an even longer memory recall that it was once Acapulco Joe’s restaurant where mariachi musicians in sombreros entertained dinner guests.

During Tuesday’s P&Z meeting, the applicant, Putnam 600 Acquisition LLC and 585 West Putnam LLC – both registered to John Fareri – was represented by a team of experts including traffic engineer from Maser Consulting, architect Rich Granoff, landscape architect Craig Studer, engineers from Risoli Engineering, Kevin Molnar from Gateway Construction, and attorney John Tesei.

Updates to the proposal since the application last went before P&Z included changes to the circulation pattern, reduced curb cuts, and added green space. Another change is that none of the moderate income units will be studios.

At a previous P&Z meeting in February, residents objected to the removal of the rock outcroppings.

However, on Tuesday there were no residents present.

If residents had turned out, they’d have been hard pressed to stay awake as the discussion started around 11:00pm and continued past midnight.

Landscape engineer Craig Studer of Studer Design Associates, representing the applicant, said the ledge rock must be removed.

“There is a significant amount of rock coming out of here,” he acknowledged. “The existing buildings are unsuccessful because of the amount of ledge. What we’re trying to do is take some rock out and create a sense of presence to the street, and relate back and forth across the street to create a streetscape.”

The reference to “across the street” was to 500 West Putnam Ave, (owner is 500 WPA LLC, also registered to John Ferari), where there is a proposed 50-unit apartment complex. Next door to that is Citarella at 600 West Putnam Ave.

Specifically, the proposal includes excavation of more than 20 feet of ledge over an area exceeding an acre.

That translates to about 31,000 cubic yards of material.  Extensive blasting could last for a prolonged period of time.

“We’ve reduced the amount of macadam as originally proposed,” Studer said. “We’re expanding the green swathe.”

A July 31 letter from Town environmental analyst Aleksandra Moch cautioned that in addition to disrupting wildlife, “This plan was designed with the maximum use in mind. No consideration was taken for a design which will better fit the existing topography and demonstrate Low Impact Development principles. It is recommended the applicant go back to the drawing board and provide a plan which would respect the steep slopes, proximity to watercourse, and presence of mature trees.”

That did not happen.

In addition to the “green swathe” being created at 581, the applicant said entire rooftop will be dedicated to residents who will enjoy a view of the adjacent pond.

Similarly, at the apartment complex across the street at 500 West Putnam Ave, which will be connected to Citarella at 600 West Putnam, there will be a recessed seating area, meandering paths and an outdoor dining area.

“The goal is to get an integrated community,” attorney Tesei said. “Introducing residential and retail, to create another center for the west side of Greenwich.”

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The applicant’s traffic engineer said a traffic study for 581 was completed and they are close to completing the 585 study.

Commissioner Andy Fox asked for a combined traffic study incorporating both sides of West Putnam Ave.

The applicants said that would be tricky until the there is certainty of the commercial tenants that will anchor the multi-use buildings.

The applicant said a supermarket tenant had been secured for a retail location in the back of the development. The retail space at the front, which could be restaurant or a fitness center, is not yet spoken for. The applicant said the space could be split into more than one establishment.

Pond is located in top left corner. West Putnam Ave runs across the bottom. Valley Drive is diagonal at right, with two lane entrance to the 581-585 complex.

There was some confusion over whether the building has five stories rather than 4. A 689 sq ft mezzanine, which would connect an elevator stop and access to a level of the parking garage may have been counted as a story.

P&Z Chair Richard Maitland said in the past a mezzanine was never considered a floor.

“We’re treading a new area here,” said assistant town planner Patrick LaRow said, who noted that a mezzanine is not defined in regulations.

“It’s a structure, but has no walls. If Jodi (Zoning Enforcement Officer) is counting it as a story, I think it’s a mistake,” Maitland said.

There was also discussion about a sewer line 20 ft below the building that exists as a result of an easement granted for the property 40 years ago when it was possible to put a building over a sewer line.

P&Z director Katie DeLuca said the old sewer line was made of clay.

The applicant said the line would be capped and protected during construction and that there was no reason to disturb the line.

Attorney Tesei said he did not believe the line was clay, but that the applicant would follow up with DPW Commissioner Amy Siebert.

The applicant will return to a future P&Z meeting with additional details to the proposal. The proposal was set to go before ARC on Sept 12. It will also go before IWWA.

Office building at 585 West Putnam Ave to be demolished to make way for mixed use development.

Building at 581 West Putnam Ave, previously home to the Connecticut Art Institute, to be demolished to make way for mixed use development.

Revised rendering of proposed synagogue at 230 Mason Street presented to the Historic District Commission on September 12, 2018.

Rendering of proposed synagogue at 230 Mason Street presented in July to the Historic District Commission.

A revised rendering of a proposed synagogue at the corner Mason St and Havemeyer Place was presented to the Historic District Commission on Wednesday.

Attorney Tom Heagney listed changes to the design made since July when the proposal was first presented to the commission.

He said his client had incorporated feedback, including making the entrance more welcoming, making it look “less like the Guggenheim,” making it more rectangular, making it more traditional, making it less contemporary, and making it more related to adjacent buildings in order “to protect the integrity of the historic district.”

Heagney said architect Rich Granoff had gone “back to the drawing board” to “address symmetries” and incorporate the commission’s feedback.

Granoff talked at length about symmetries and asymmetries of the neighboring historic buildings including the fire house, which was recently rebuilt in its original art deco style, the Armory, the former Wells Fargo building (originally built in 1922 as a Masonic Temple) and the Town Hall Annex (originally Greenwich High School, now HATG housing).

The right front of the proposed synagogue has been pulled back to create a pocket park. Rendering presented to HDC, Sept 12, 2018

He said that with the revisions, a corner of the building adjacent to Weber Fine Art has been pulled back a bit to create a pocket park and orient the building slightly toward Greenwich Ave.

“My clients want people to walk down Greenwich Avenue and say, ‘Wow there’s a new synagogue,'” Granoff said. “We moved the entry from the corner partly because of your comments on the corner entry being problematic. We decided the entrance on Havemeyer (instead of Mason St) made more sense, so that when you walk down Greenwich Ave it will be visible.”

Granoff said it had been a challenge to reconcile the HDC’s July criticisms of the proposed synagogue as “too modern” considering they had previously approved the design of Richards.

“You said I should look closer at the historic district,” he said, adding that he had, and noted the buildings all stand on their own, including the proposed synagogue. “They’re not infill, as opposed to Greenwich Avenue. They’re mostly free standing buildings.”

“Scale is very important. You said it looked out of scale, too big,” Granoff continued, adding that he had studied the scale of buildings in the area and that the fire department was out of scale.

“What we propose is more traditional architecture,” Granoff said. For example, he said the design, which still utilizes yellow Jerusalem stone, now incorporates 2 ft x 4 ft panels which are larger panels than the first iteration. “We don’t want them too big to look like the fire station.”

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Also he said the new design breaks down the mass of the building by setting back the third story and creating a roof deck as part of the teen center.

When commissioners bristled at the idea of a teen center with access to a roof deck, HDC chair Stephen Bishop said that matter would later be addressed by the Planning & Zoning commission.

“A comment was to integrate religious iconography,” Granoff continued. “We’ve done it above the new entrance over a large stained glass window.”

Granoff explained that the preschool would be on the ground floor, and have a separate entrance on the side of driveway between the Armory and the synagogue. Maryashie Deren, Rabbi Deren’s wife, said the preschool will accommodate 55 children.

Worship space inside proposed Chabad synagogue.

Another change since the first rendition is that the worship space is now recessive.

“You can still see it and know something is going on, but it’s not in the foreground,” Granoff said.

Summing up the changes made in response to the HDC’s feedback that the building was imposing, Granoff emphasized that the third floor had been pulled back and the pocket park created.  

Granoff, who earlier in the meeting had received glowing praise for plans to convert office space to residential units in three buildings at The Mill in Glenville, looked surprised at the commission’s negative response to his revisions.

“What is so traditional about this design?” asked Darius Toraby, a member of the HDC who runs Darius Toraby Architects in New York City. “I don’t see anything traditional about this design. This is devoid of style. This is an innocuous building.”

“Wow, that’s harsh,” Granoff replied. “You’re a licensed architect? Yes, I guess a long time ago.”

“You have a symmetrical facade and a portico at the entry with columns,” Granoff said. “It’s pretty traditional. I’m not designing a neoclassical building. I hope you’re not directing me to do that.”

“I just don’t find it attractive. It’s so massive that it’s going to stand out like a sore thumb,” said Stephen Bishop, the HDC chair. “All the other buildings on the other three corners are set way back.”

“We don’t have the luxury of setting it back further,” Granoff replied. “We are trying to put in a lot of stuff in this. You’re out of your purview here,” he continued, adding that height, FAR and setback are regulated through P&Z.

“We’ve consciously broken down the volume to make it in context. As opposed to the fire department, which is almost four stories of straight up wall. But you don’t think that’s too massive?” Mr. Granoff asked Mr. Bishop.

Central fire house is set back from Havemeyer Place far enough to accommodate the length of a fire truck.

Mr. Bishop pointed out that the fire station is set back from Havemeyer Place, and is set further back than the fire station it replaced.

“We don’t have the option of setting back further,” Granoff said. “I have eight preschool classes on the first floor.”

“All of the buildings give the perception of horizontal,” commented commission member Martin Kagan. “This building gives you the perception of being vertical.”

“The front entrance juts out, and feels a bit invasive,” said commission member Serena Bechtel. “The columns make me uneasy….Though I like how you created a step back and added green space. It’s a shame you couldn’t do that on Mason Street.”

“I don’t like it. I don’t find it attractive,” Mr. Bishop concluded.

And, unlike the July HDC meeting, this time neighbors attended the meeting, and they were invited to voice their opinions.

“We thought you were our voice,” said Linda Hannett, a 38 year Greenwich homeowner. Hannett said she’d been involved in the movement behind preserving the character and charm of the town in the 1980s.

“We could see things beginning to change. We felt it was important to protect the charm of Greenwich Avenue and the streets that came off it,” she said. “With the formation of HDC I didn’t think we’d have to worry. My concern is based more in that we have a historic place that is supposed to be protected in the Armory. It was protected for a reason.”

Rose Nichols who has lived in Town since 1982 said she was surprised that “the shed” could be torn down.

“What people are put through just to put  on a little deck in the back,” Hannett said. “I want to go on record. The next time someone wants to demolish part of a building they’ll point to this.”

Mr. Granoff, who said he worked on renovation of the shed a few years ago said it had been an addition to the original Armory. “The shed was added later. It’s not so pretty.”

The neighbors said they thought there was a legal protection for the Armory.

“It’s not protected – the shed or the Armory itself can be torn down,” Heagney said.

HDC chair Mr. Bishop explained to the residents that there is no protection for the Armory and the owners could tear it down if they wanted to. He said it’s on the National Register, but not a historic district.

“It’s not a historic district under Connecticut law. …It’s on the National Register which doesn’t mean a lot. They can tear it down. And part of the trade-off here is they are going to save the front part of the Armory, they agreed it will be saved in perpetuity. But they can tear it down tomorrow. They are agreeing they are going to save the front part of the Armory in exchange for getting benefits here on historic overlay. It’s a trade off. I’m not saying I’m in favor of it, but there is no protection on the Armory right now. It’s not a local historic district. They could tear it down. If this is passed they won’t be able to tear off the front part.” – Stephen Bishop, chair of Historic District Commission

Granoff and Heagney explained that what is to be preserved would be 6,000 sq ft of the original Armory, not just its façade, which had been the case in a proposal several years earlier.

They said that Nitkin, who are selling the rights to build the synagogue in lieu of the shed and parking lot, will, in the end, keep the 6,000 sq ft Armory and maintain their offices there.

Mr. Heagney said the Armory will remain on the Town’s tax rolls, but the Chabad Synagogue will not be on the tax rolls.

He said the parking garage, which would be shared by the Greenwich Financial Center, the Armory and the synagogue, may or may not be on the tax rolls. He said that would be negotiated with the assessor’s office.

Mr. Bishop explained to the residents that the applicant is offering to save the Armory in exchange for HDC’s recommendation of the overall plan. He said, from there, if Planning & Zoning approves the plan, the preserved part of the Armory will be protected in perpetuity in exchange for the zoning benefits.

“Wow, a veiled threat,” Ms. Hannett said.

Rabbi Yosi Deren of Chabad addressed the commissioners, saying he was confused about what would make the proposed building “traditional.”

“What are we meant to aspire towards?” he asked.

“I don’t know. Honestly, I’m not happy with what’s there. I doesn’t fit. It’s out of character with the Town, location and other buildings,” Mr. Toraby said. “The mass is too big and we haven’t even gotten into the stone. I’m not sure what direction to give you. This is such an important spot, such an important building. It’s got to be something that is a great piece of architecture. I don’t mean to be offensive,” he said to Granoff. “I think it needs a lot more work. I wish the mass would be reduced and pull it back from both streets.”

“Where is the character of this building? Where does it say, ‘I belong in Greenwich.’ You have different components of design juxtaposed and made symmetrical and you say it’s good architecture,” Toraby said. “It doesn’t belong to Havemeyer and Mason Street.”

“You’re saying there is continuity to these six (neighboring buildings) architecturally? There is zero continuity,” Granoff retorted. “I design for context. There’s six six beautiful buildings and I’m trying to create a seventh. You call yourself an architect?” he said to Mr. Toraby.

Granoff said the design had been vetted with the Chabad community. “Everybody loves it.”

“You’re not an architect,” Granoff said to Mr. Bishop. “You don’t even have the capacity to give me feedback.”

“Aris, you’re an architect and I haven’t heard anything from you,” Granoff said to Aris Crist. “There’s a lot of money on the line. All I’m hearing is, ‘I don’t like it.’ You’re being unprofessional here. We need guidance.”

The application was left open.

In the Mazza room, Rabbi Yosi Deren from Chabad, with wife Maryashie seated behind him addressed the Historic District Commission on Sept 12, 2018

Rendering of synagogue with revisions presented Sept 12, 2018 to HDC. View is from Havemeyer Place with Weber Fine Art at right.

Architect Rich Granoff showing residents and HDC commission renderings of revised design of proposed synagogue (view is of entrance now oriented to Havemeyer Place). Sept 12, 2018.

Architect Rich Granoff showing rendering of aerial view of proposed synagogue at corner of Havemeyer Place and Mason Street. Sept 12, 2018 Photo: Leslie Yager

Residents had a chance to ask the applicant questions about the proposed synagogue. Sept 12, 2018 Photo: Leslie Yager

See also:

Chabad Lubavitch Seeks to Demolish Part of Historic Armory for Synagogue (July 2018)

Greenwich Recreation Men’s Softball “A” Flight Tournament Championship Game

A seven run sixth inning erased a 10-5 deficit and led G-Ville Deli to a 12-11 victory over Corbo’s Corno Deli and the Greenwich Men’s Town “A” Softball Championship.

G-Ville held off Corbo’s to win the battle of the delis and their first overall championship before an enthusiastic crowd at Teufel Field.

Corbo’s also had a lead of 7-5 in the third inning of the championship contest but G-Ville club continued to chip and way and in the sixth frame pound away at that lead.

The winners fought a determined Corbo comeback attempt in the seventh leaving the potential tying run on third base when the final out was made.

Robbie Catalano carded a perfect four-for-four to lead G-Ville Deli. Catalano scored twice and drove in two runs as well. Jamie Longo had a pair of doubles in the game and two RBI’s at a crucial time during the sixth inning rally. Alan Pesce’s two hits included a key run producing double in the sixth that scored the ultimate winning run. G-Ville also got a pair of hits apiece from Sal Tromanato and Chris Siapanides, with Tromanato being credited with driving in two scores. Kenny Graveline, Manager Mike Stempien, Jason Herrmann, Steven Pesce and Keith Gallagher also contributed on the offensive and defensive front for the new champions.

The Corner Delimen’s early lead was largely due to Mike Parisi’s two home runs which drove in five scores. He had plenty of help as Steve Connetta went four-for-four, scoring two runs and adding an RBI. Chris Marullo supplied three key hits and drove in two more tallies. Anthony Pennella added a pair of singles and Manager John Bosco’s single drove in two more scores. Jeff Mullin, Jason Grabowski, Chris Mullins, Curtis Vaden and Mike Marullo also contributed to the Corbo cause.

Alan Pesce was the winning pitcher for G-Ville Deli, which went undefeated in the double elimination tournament. Both G-Ville Deli and Corbo’s Corner Deli defeated the defending champion, The Hateables, during the tournament.

Up to the Minute Greenwich Property Transfers, Sept 6-7, 2018 transcribed from the Assessor’s office at Greenwich Town Hall    36 Lockwood Lane from Anthony and Kathleen Byrne to Sebastian Calvanese on Sept 7, 2018 for $1,875,000

117 Bible Street from Clarke & Brooks Enterprises LLC to George Shirripa on Sept 7, 2018 or $2,775,000

29 Upland Street

29 Upland Street from David and Sheila Cabano to Daniel Challita on Sept 7, 2018 for $583,000

138 Milbank Ave

138 Milbank Ave from Joel Leon and Denise Leonto Lenore Berck on Sept 7, 2018 for $4,100,000

75 Loughlin Ave

75 Loughlin Ave from Stephan Hedbabny to Peter Boldt on Sept 6, 2018 for $960,000

194 Bedford Rd

194 Bedford Rd from Rheva Jane Lyon to Fred Wang on Sept 6, 2018 for $1,550,000

See also:

Up to the Minute Greenwich Property Transfers, Sept 4, 2018

Up to the Minute Greenwich Property Transfers Aug 24, 2018

Up to the Minute Greenwich Property Transfers, August 20-23, 2018

Up to the Minute Greenwich Property Transfers, August 17, 2018

Up to the Minute Greenwich Property Transfers, Aug 6-8, 2018

Up to the Minute Greenwich Property Transfers, Aug 3, 2018

Up to the Minute Greenwich Property Transfers, Aug 2, 2018

Up to the Minute Greenwich Property Transfers, August 1, 2018

Federico Perandin and Anissa Nouhi at Il Pastaficio, 213 East Putnam Ave in Cos Cob’s Mill Pond Center. Sept 13, 2018 Photo: Leslie Yager

For months many have been curious about a new sign at Mill Pond Center and wondered, What is that new business?

Italian entrepreneur Federico Perandin will celebrate the grand opening of his Il Pastaficio on Saturday, Sept 15 with an open house from 11:00am until 7:00pm.

Expect passed samples of artisanal Italian pasta dishes made from fresh, organic ingredients, and a chance to purchase homemade pasta to take home and prepare.

Soon to become a destination for people who appreciate high quality, healthy pasta, Perandin’s venture offers authentic Italian recipes he developed after scouring both urgan and remote regions of his home country.

For Perandin, who settled with his wife and young son in the Greenwich after having founded and grown a successful advertising agency in Italy, the new venture is an indulgence in his innate creativity.

Federico Perandin at Il Pastaficio, which offers artisanal pasta from fresh, organic ingredients. Sept 13, 2018 Photo: Leslie Yager

And Perandin’s vision for Il Pastaficio is specific.

“It will be a place for residents to relax and hang out. I want it to be warm and inviting,” he said, adding that was the reason for creating a community table for eight at the front of the store. “It’s a place for people to put their phones down, share food and talk.”

If you eat in, meals are served on real china plates.

Dishes prepared to go travel in bowls made from recycled bamboo fibers.

Months of preparation for Saturday’s opening meant honing close to the theme of authenticity. In the commercial kitchen, visible through a wall of glass front the front of the store, even the machines were brought over from Italy.

Furniture and display cases were handmade by Italian artisans and shipped to the US.

For months, Perandin has had a steady stream of curious residents knocking on the door. “The sign has been up for a while, and I’ve met a lot of people,” he said.

“Il Pastaficio will appeal to the sensibilities of Greenwich residents,” Perandin said.  They’re international. They’re well traveled and they appreciate good food.”

Perandin and his wife Anissa Nouhi said the difference between the processed pasta so many Americans are accustom to, and the organic, homemade pasta offered at Il Pastaficio is striking.

“When I eat processed pasta it takes a toll. It makes me feel sleepy and bloated afterward,” Nouhi said, adding that a lot of people simply have never experienced homemade organic pasta.

“It is a staple in Italy,” she said. “We eat it every day and it’s very healthy. In the US, people put a lot of the butter on it, and there are additives and chemicals in the flour and grain. Many don’t even know what semolina durum tastes like.”

Federico Perandin with Chef Nicolo Bertaccini from Forli, which is near Bologna on the Adriatic coast. In the display case (center foreground) is a brown frilly pasta that resembles seaweed. It is made with durum flour and has a hint of chocolate, which is one of its organic ingredients. Beside it is tri color chicche, a smaller version of gnocchi, in the colors of the flag of Italy. The white chirche is made from plain potato. The green is made using spinach and potato. The red is made from tomato and potato. Sept 13, 2018 Photo: Leslie Yager

Il Pastaficio offers homemade pasta made with fresh, organic ingredients. Pictured in foreground are (left) Tortellini Cacio e Pepe, a traditional dish from Rome, stuffed with Roman Pecorino cheese and black pepper. The black stripes are achieved using black squid ink. Each one-of-a-kind tortellini is handmade and has its own design. (right) The little tortellini containing dollops of mortadella, prosciutto, lonza (paper thin sliced n air-dried cured pork loin), parmigiano and nutmeg. Simply cook for 90 seconds in chicken broth.

Left, Il Pastaficio’s unique creation “Rapici aglio, olio e peperoncino con muddica atturrata”, is an organic pasta made with red beets. Right, linguine made with flour from chick peas, which is a legume.

On Thursday, GFP sampled several dishes including Perandin’s delicious spin on Lasagna Alla Bolognese, made from a recipe that originates in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy.

Next, the Ravioli Ricotta e Spinach, with potato and pesto, was divine and literally melts in your mouth.

Another tasty dish was the chick pea linguini made with chick pea flour, broccoli cream and anchovies. The dish is topped with toasted pine nuts. If you don’t think you like anchovies, give it a try because the anchovies provide just the right amount of saltiness.  The dish is rich in protein and has a different consistency than typical linguini.

“It’ll never be al dente because of how it is made,” Perandin said. “It is low in carbs, high in protein and extremely easy to digest.”

Perandin said Il Pastaficio is set to revolutionize the local perception of pasta. In addition to its classic offerings, every week Il Pastaficio will offer a unique regional specialty dish.

Customers will embark on a “Giro d’Italia,”  a culinary journey to explore the true flavors of faraway corners of Italy.

An example of the adventures will be sweet & sour pasta cupcakes with a shell made from pasta dough incorporating ground coffee and filled with fluffy foaming tiramisu cream.

“It’s one bite,” Perandin said. “The taste is both soft and crunchy.”

Il Pastaficio also sell items including olives from Sicily and three different olive oils made in a limited quantities.They sell hard and soft biscotti  three different aged balsamic vinegars: three years aged, five years aged and eight years aged. They also sell white and black truffle spreads that are perfect on a toasted baguette, as a condiment on pasta or white rice. They sell porcini mushroom oil, and truffle honey which makes pasta elegant for dinner at home.

Perandin has connected with many of the local Cos Cob merchants, including the folks at Fjord Fish Market. “We use their fish for our sauces,” he said.

While Perandin and Nouhi have recreated some of what’s best from their home country, they said they love living in Greenwich.

Nouhi, who lived in Greenwich for 20 years before meeting  Perandin in Italy, confessed, “I dragged him back here.”

“I love the beach and watching NBA games,” Perandin said of living in Greenwich. “People here are very friendly and respectful. The community here tries to help you with everything.”

“Come to Il Pastaficio and explore Italy,” Perandin said. “You’ll never have to leave Greenwich.”

Il Pastaficio is located at 213 East Putnam Ave in Cos Cob.

Il Pastaficio is located in Mill Pond Center at 213 East Putnam Ave in Cos Cob.

Disasters Happen. Prepare Now. Learn How.” That is this year’s theme for National Preparedness Month.

Held annually every September since 2004, National Preparedness Month provides an opportunity to remind everyone to prepare themselves and their families in case of an emergency or natural disaster.

Disasters can be anything from having a fire in your kitchen to a flash flood sweeping away your belongings. In both of these situations your family needs a plan of action to prevent anyone from being hurt and from being caught off guard financially.

National Preparedness Month is sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency within the Department of Homeland Security, and it’s part of a governmental effort to increase the overall number of individuals, families, and communities that engage in preparedness actions at home, work, business, school and places of worship.

Better Business Bureau is proud to partner with FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security (Ready.gov) to offer tips on how to fully prepare for a disaster.

Make and Practice Your Plan: Disasters don’t plan ahead, but you can. Start by making an emergency plan with everyone in the home. Discuss how you will receive emergency alerts and warnings, what your shelter plan is, your evacuation route, and the household communication plan. It’s best to practice your escape plan with your family, including animals, at least twice a year.

Learn Life Saving Skills: Learning basic home maintenance skills can protect your home and your family. Learn how to turn off utilities like natural gas and electricity, and how to test and replace smoke alarms. It’s recommended to test smoke alarms every month, and to replace them every 10 years.

Check Your Insurance Coverage: Insurance is your first line of defense, which is why you should check your insurance coverage, and review your policy to ensure that what you have in place is enough for you and your family. Save all receipts, including those for food, temporary lodging, or other expenses that may be covered under your policy should a disaster happen.

Save for an Emergency: Disasters can be very stressful, but having access to personal, financial, medical and other records is crucial to a quick recovery. It’s important to be financially prepared for any type of disaster. Consider saving money and storing it in an emergency savings account, as well as leaving a small amount of cash at home in a safe place.

Watch Out for “Storm chasers”: No matter how much you prepare, you might have some damage to deal with after a natural disaster. “Storm chasers” are contractors who seek to take advantage of disasters and get consumers to make quick and potentially uninformed decisions. Although not all storm chasers are scammers, they may lack the proper licensing for your area, offer quick fixes, or make big promises they can’t deliver.

Click here for BBB’s tips on how to protect yourself from storm chasers.

At the top of Greenwich Avenue, a new men’s apparel store, Blankenship Dry Goods  has opened at 16 Greenwich Avenue.

This is the first retail location for the Manhattan based company, which has been around for six years and previously operated via wholesale and e-commerce.

While other companies are outsourcing to China, Blankenship Dry Goods apparel are all made in America.

A vertical manufacturer, all construction and manufacturing are done with Blankenship’s own machinery in Connecticut, Brooklyn and Manhattan. Their materials fabrications are sourced in North Carolina and Chicago.

To reinforce the Made in America value, rather than stamping shirts, shorts and hats with a logo, the company discretely features the American flag as a reminder that Blankenship Dry Goods are created stateside.

Eschewing exterior branding, the goal is to have the quality of the apparel speak for itself. Even the storefront is discreet, with the simple circle of stars over the front door.

Visitors to the store, which is decorated with art from SoHo, are met with a pleasant waft of cappuccino, which brews throughout the day from a Brooklyn roast. The free cups of cappuccino are often supplemented with samples of delicious Lady M cakes.

There are just six staples to the Blankenship inventory, but there is a vast array of color choices.

The popular tailgater pullovers are fabricated from a wool cotton berber, and feature two standard pockets for holding keys, phones and wallets, plus two bonus beer storage front chest pockets – hence the name.

The pullovers have metal snaps, canvas detailing and lycra trim, and are great for fall and winter, or even cooler nights during the summer.

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The fabrics don’t pill. And, whereas fleece made from microfibers are not biodegradable and end up in rivers, streams and our diets, Blankenship’s fabrics are cotton based and gentle on the environment.

All the fabrics feature cotton – nothing is synthetic. Even the fabrics that are stretchy are stretch cotton, which is more authentic and natural than, for example, polyester.

Also Blankenship offers the option of customization for special purposes including sailing races, country clubs, yacht clubs, companies, company outings, fraternities, sororities, hedge funds and private equity firms.

Also popular are men’s shorts which feature American flag pocketing, and are designed to fade over time.

They also offer an array of men’s slacks in cotton twills.

Another staple of the Blankenship inventory are men’s Pima cotton Oxford shirts with reinforced arm patches.The store displays are brimming with hats, all of which are manufactured in Connecticut. The hats come in themes including racing, sailing and golf.

Find Blankenship Dry Goods at 16 Greenwich Avenue. (203) 441-0872

Up to the Minute Greenwich Property Transfers, Sept 10-11, 2018 transcribed from the Assessor’s office at Greenwich Town Hall

34 Rockview Drive

34 Rockview Drive form Katherine Vandenbeghe Trustee to Karie McQuiston Loomis on Sept 10, 2018 for $1,325,000

2 Crescent Road

2 Crescent Road sold from Jacqueline Marks to Samuel Sheinin on Sept 11, 2018 for $2,093,000

9 Woodside Rd

9 Woodside Rd from 9 Woodside Road LLC to Woodside Real Estate LLC on Sept 11, 2018 for $6,600,000

22 Angus Lane

22 Angus Lane from Augusto Mini and Maria Antonieta Mini on Sept 11, 2108 for $1,650,000

396 Valley Rd

396 Valley Rd from Gloria Chu to Xiaobo He on Sept 11, 2018 for $1,065,000

35 Crawford Terrace

35 Crawford Terrace from Rhoda Molin, Trustee of the Stanley Molin Estate to Marni Friedenberg on Sept 11, 2018 for $740,000

See also:

Up to the Minute Greenwich Property Transfers, Sept 6-7, 2018

Up to the Minute Greenwich Property Transfers, Sept 4, 2018

Up to the Minute Greenwich Property Transfers Aug 24, 2018

Up to the Minute Greenwich Property Transfers, August 20-23, 2018

Up to the Minute Greenwich Property Transfers, August 17, 2018

US Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) endorsed Alex Bergstein for State Senate, 36th District. The event took place at the Greenwich Democratic Town Committee’s annual barbeque, held on Sunday afternoon at Greenwich High School.

Alex Bergstein is the Democratic candidate running for State Senate, 36th District, which includes Greenwich and parts of Stamford and New Canaan.

“Alex has real solutions to the fiscal crisis in Connecticut and she has a long track record of fighting for our values,” Murphy said. “She’s is a leading advocate for gun safety, the environment, and our children’ health. I know Alex will work to restore fiscal discipline, bring businesses back, and create long-term economic growth in our state.”

Bergstein is an attorney who is is earning her PhD in environmental law from Yale. She was Chairman of the Mount Sinai Children’s Environmental Health Center (2013-2016), the world’s only research center dedicated to studying the effects of early life exposure to toxins in the environment. She helped build the research lab that now receives $100 million in grant funding from the National Institute of
Health. She led “Greening our Children,” a local organization dedicated to educating and informing people about toxins in the environment. Early in her career she was an attorney for the Children’s Defense Fund in Washington, D.C.

Bergstein has worked to protect women’s right to choose and against gun violence and domestic abuse. She founded and was president of The Parity Partnership, an organization committed to educating the public about the economic benefits of gender equal policies.

Bergstein is a longstanding supporter of Planned Parenthood, Connecticut Against Gun Violence, Coalition for Safe & Healthy CT, and the Women’s Business Development Council.

“I’m honored to be endorsed by a true champion of our rights and values” said Bergstein. “Senator Murphy is a courageous leader who prioritizes us and works tirelessly to make our world safer.”

The election is on November 6, 2018.

The League of Women Voters of Greenwich will host a series of Debates on October 10, 2018

Alexandra Bergstein

Scott Frantz

The League of Women Voters of Greenwich will host two debates for candidates running for the State Legislature at Greenwich Town Hall Meeting Room on Wednesday, October 10, 2018 from 7:00 -9:00 pm.

The first debate will be between State Senate candidates Republican incumbent Scott Frantz and Democrat challenger Alexandra Bergstein.

This debate will last 45 minutes.

Stephen Meskers

Mike Bocchino

  The second debate will be for candidates in the 150th House District, Republican
incumbent Michael Bocchino versus Democrat challenger Stephen Meskers and
candidates in the 151 st House District, Republican incumbent Fred Camillo versus
Democrat challenger Laura Kostin. This debate will last 75 minutes.

The debates will use the Cumulative Time Format. Our Moderator is Kay Maxwell from Stamford.

The public will be invited to submit written questions and a bi-partisan Screening Committee of League members will screen the questions for relevance and duplication.

Please plan to attend.

The Voters Guide will be published digitally on the League website around
October 15.

November 6 is Election Day.

Jevney L. Muskus passed away quietly on September 15, 2018 at the age of 75 in her Riverside home.

She was the daughter of the late Louis F. and Aileen Albano of Greenwich and the wife of her high school love Richard A. Muskus who predeceased her in 2007.

“Jev” graduated from Greenwich High School in 1961 and went on to raise three children in the town that she loved so much and where she spent her entire life.

Her passionate embrace of family and friends above all that was hectic in life was in fact her own life’s work. Her biggest delight was the bond she maintained with her six grandchildren Jeffrey and Allison Wilson; Logan, Grayson and Ridge Muskus; and Massimo Risi. She cherished spending countless hours with her lifelong friends who were an extension of her immediate family. Jev will be missed by all. She is survived by her two daughters, Sharon Wilson (Alan) and Rebecca Muskus of Greenwich; her son Richard A. Muskus Jr. (Lindsay) of Riverside; and niece Kathleen Karst (Jack) of Hopewell Junction, NY.

Calling hours will be Friday from 4:00-8:00 p.m. at Coxe & Graziano Funeral Home, 134 Hamilton Avenue, Greenwich, with a funeral service to be held on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church, 95 Henry Street, Greenwich. Burial will be private.

The Cos Cob Inn was in operation until early September, 2018. After an estate sale from 9/21 to 9/22, the historic mansion will be restored and squash courts added to the rear of the double lot. According to the assessor’s office at Greenwich Town Hall, the property is .612 acres. Sept 19, 2018 Photo: Leslie Yager

Rick and Cindy Kral, owners of Greenwich Water Club on River Road, purchased the Cos Cob Inn in the 1990s from the Stuttigs who had also operated the Harbor House Inn on Shore Road in Old Greenwich.

After renovating and decorating it, they operated the inn with 14 guest rooms for many years. In fact, the inn was operating until just a few weeks ago.

Today, with Town approved plans to restore the building and add squash courts, the Krals are excited about the extension of their Greenwich Water Club facilities.

The inn, which was originally a seaside summer estate for wealthy New Yorkers, has had multiple incarnations.

Built in the 1880s, the mansion was converted into a rooming house most likely during the Great Depression.

“There were a lot of little rooms and one bathroom that everyone shared,” Mr. Kral said.

Then, according to local lore, the mansion operated for a time as a brothel in the 1960s.

“Legend has it that when it was open for business, the light in the widow’s walk was white. When it was closed the light was red,” Kral said. “Truckers on I-95 could see the light from the highway.”

“I’m excited to finally get going on the project,” Kral continued on Wednesday as preparations were coming together for the weekend estate sale of the inn’s contents. “There was a lot of planning involved and a lot of emotions.”

Kral said the process was long, and at times he and his wife had second thoughts.

But they worried that if they sold the inn, another owner might tear it down. So they persevered.

In the end they worked successfully with both the Historic District Commission and the Planning & Zoning Commission on a plan to restore the inn and add squash courts to the deep back lot.

“The Historic District Commission was constructive and professional. They were great to work with. Stephen Bishop, the chair, was very passionate and educated on the history of the area,” Kral said. “Once they understood what we were trying to do they were very helpful. They are very excited to see the building preserved and see the streetscape stay in tact.”

Kral said that the squash facility, which will include one double and three single courts, will compliment the rowing activities at the Greenwich Water Club across the street.

“They are both life sports,” he said.

This weekend the estate sale at the historic inn will be massive and items are priced to sell.

All of the contents – beds, TVs, chandeliers, bedding, window treatments, mini fridges, tables, chairs, artwork from local artists, and more (*see full list below) – are for sale on 9/21 and 9/22 from, 8:00am-5:00pm. There will be workers to direct people to parking.

The goal is to empty out the contents of the historic seaside destination in anticipation of the massive restoration and building project.

Vintage illustration of “harbor House” in Cos Cob.

The Cos Cob Inn sits on a property totaling .612 acres on River Road across from the Greenwich Water Club. Sept 19, 2018 Photo: Leslie Yager

The inn, which was constructed as a summer estate, will be restored to its original condition.

The squash courts will be added to the back of the vintage summer estate, which was for a time a rooming house,then possibly a brothel before becoming an inn. Sept 19,2 018 Photo: Leslie Yager

The squash courts will be added at the back of the property, which, according to the assessor’s office is .612 acres.

According to Kral, the main house will remain the center of focus and will be restored in its same federal tradition.

For example, part of the front porch, which was enclosed years ago to create a sitting room, will again be opened to restore the original broad rocking chair porch.

Also, Kral said some of the newer replacement windows will be removed and fitted with ones that match the original windows.

“The whole core of the original building will be restored,” Kral said, adding that he hopes to preserve the compass rose inlay in the wood floor in the foyer entrance, though it is not original to the house.

“We had ripped up a lot of carpeting and discovered the wood floors underneath. We added the compass rose,” he said.

Compass rose inlay in foyer of Cos Cob Inn. Sept 19, 2018 Photo: Leslie Yager

Vintage palladian window over front doors of Cos Cob Inn. Sept 19, 2018 Photo: Leslie Yager

“We will continue the same club environment,” Kral said of the squash facility housed in the historic estate. As far as local squash options, he said, “It will be a little more family oriented and relaxed, and not as commercial as Chelsea Piers.”

Once completed, squash players will enter the existing front doors and either head straight to the squash courts, or go upstairs to the men’s and women’s locker rooms.

The addition will feature an elevator in addition to the squash courts.

A small addition at the back of the estate will be removed.

There are also plans for a greenhouse on the roof.

“We’ll produce vegetables and flowers to support the restaurant at the club house across the street,” Kral said.

According to Kral, the upcoming restoration and squash court expansion is more than a compromise, but rather a win-win for all involved.

“Operating a small inn as a business has gone by the wayside,” he said citing the advent of AirBnB and similar alternatives. “And there’s no economy of scale with an inn this small. You can’t generate enough income for taxes, payroll and maintaining the older building.”

But, he said the plans for the Cos Cob Inn include restoring the original estate and preserving the streetscape. “It’s a good plan,” he said.

Rick Kral in the sitting room of one of the guest suites at the Cos Cob Inn. During the restoration of the historic seaside mansion the sitting room will be returned to an open front porch. Sept 19, 2018 Photo: Leslie Yager

After the restoration the entire front porch will be open and squash players will be able to take in the view of the Mianus River across the street. Sept 19, 2018 Photo: Leslie Yager

Below are photos of the items at the former inn that will be for sale this weekend. Click here for a link to more information.

Joe Darula, Jeff Morris and Matt Criscuolo. Sept 18, 2018 Photo: Leslie Yager

Joe Darula and Jeff Morris at Greenwich Jiu-Jitsu Academy. Sept 18, 2018 Photo: Leslie Yager

A new business is soon to open at 288 Valley Road  in the recently renovated building that was once home to Summer Rain Sprinklers. Jeff Morris, an 11-year officer on the Greenwich Police force, will open Greenwich Jiu-Jitsu Academy in early October. Students can pre-register online.

Morris has been teaching Jiu-Jitsu at other gyms and is a certified teacher for the state of Connecticut. He instructs his fellow officers in defensive tactics and teaches the Police Department’s women’s self defense classes.

A first degree brown belt, Morris trains under Marcio Stambowsky, an influential Jiu-Jitsu eighth degree black belt who has techniques named after him.

“He is a living legend,” Morris said of Stambowsky. “He is actually one of the pioneers of Jiu-Jitsu, and he’ll be here performing the majority of our belt promotions.”

Morris is excited about the transition of the former office space into his Jiu-Jitsu academy. In fact, the paint still smelled fresh on Tuesday afternoon in the white-padded studio where Morris anticipates running extremely small classes.

By design, classes will be limited to a maximum of eight in the adult classes, and no more than 10 in the children’s classes.

Morris said his intention was to target children, and anticipates coed groups with roughly 50% girls and 50% boys. However, he said word got out and there is a demand for adult classes, which he will also accommodate.

Morris explained that Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art that appeals not only to smaller individuals, but also to less athletic people, because the focus is on grappling techniques as opposed to striking techniques.

With traditional martial arts, students learn punches and kicks, and then face off against a partner in the class setting.

In Jiu-Jitsu, the focus is on controlling opponents through techniques that force the them to submit. 

“With Karate, Taekwondo and Kung Fu, you’re never really reinforcing techniques at full speed,” he said. “But with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, it’s a grappling art, and you are grappling with your partner at full speed. You continue until someone has to finally submit. Then you re-set.”

“It’s like a full speed game of can I choke you, can I catch you in a joint lock,” Morris continued. “It really enables you to see if the art you’re practicing is effective.”

Morris said with Jiu-Jitsu, he sees rapid development of children.

“In six months parents come to me and say, ‘We started this for self defense, but now we’re interested in competing.'”

Joe Darula and Jeff Morris grappling on the mat at Greenwich Jiu-Jitsu Academy. Sept 18, 2018 Photo: Leslie Yager

In fact, Morris said beyond self defense, and participating in competitions, other benefits abound.

“People come back and say how much they’re able to focus and are calm during the day,” he said, adding that training and sparring focus the mind. “It’s essentially a physical fitness meditation class.”

In every class at Greenwich Jiu-Jitsu Academy, there will be a dynamic warmup, followed by drills including the submission hold, choke or joint lock. “We repetitively drill it. Then there is sparring, which is grappling with your partner and multiple partners full speed,” Morris explained.

Morris first learned of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 2001 while serving in the US Marine Corps, back when it was in its infancy as a marital art in America.

He explained that although Jiu-Jitsu was popular in Brazil and other countries, it wasn’t until the birth of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), which pitted it against other martial arts, that its popularity grew in the US.

Morris recalled a humbling experience that served as his introduction to Jiu-Jitsu.

“I was a young Marine. At 21, I considered myself big and strong. I had played football. I could bench press hundreds of pounds,” he said.  “A fellow Marine – a small, thin young man from California, asked me if I wanted to wrestle with him and he proceeded to tie me into a pretzel.”

Morris learned that his fellow Marine had trained at a Gracie Academy, and, after leaving the Marines in 2003, Morris found a Gracie Academy in Thornwood, NY where he began his training.

“It sent me on a mission right from leaving the Marine Corps to coming back home,” he said. “It was at the top of my list to do to assimilate back into the community.”

Morris said his A+ students are the children who are not necessarily athletically inclined, but are capable of handling intellectual pressure and also display a level of creativity which allows them to follow through to an end goal.

“Nobody is good when they start,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a good athlete or trained in other martial arts. Grappling at its essence is leverage based. We’re all much closer in size and strength when we’re on the ground.”

Joe Darula and Jeff Morris grappling on the mat at Greenwich Jiu-Jitsu Academy. Sept 18, 2018 Photo: Leslie Yager

In the studio on Tuesday was Morris’s cousin Joe Darula, who graduated with Morris from Greenwich High School in 1996.

Like Morris, Darula, who will be the primary assistant instructor at Greenwich Jiu-Jitsu Academy, also served in the Marine Corps.

“It teaches you how to be comfortable in uncomfortable situations,” Darula said of Jiu-Jitsu. “I was in the military for two combat tours in Iraq, and when I came out I needed something. Jeff inspired me to do all of it.”

“When people start they think they’re walking into a martial arts class, but the are walking out with a lifetstyle,” Morris said. “It teaches calmness and clarity of thought under pressure and a skill set that’s proven.”

Darula said he also does cross fit and weight lifting. “But when I come here it’s another level. I feel more at peace afterward than a gym work out,” he said.

Also in the studio on Tuesday was longtime friend Matt Criscuolo, who many recognize from Pizza Post.

“It opens your eyes,” Matt said. “I went up against the scrawniest little dude. He really schooled me. It throws you for a loop.”

“It’s an ego check, Darula laughed. “You can’t have an ego or you’ll be out of here.”

Greenwich Jiu-Jitsu Academy is located at 288 Valley Road in Cos Cob.

Joe Darula and Jeff Morris grappling on the mat at Greenwich Jiu-Jitsu Academy. Sept 18, 2018 Photo: Leslie Yager

Joe Darula and Jeff Morris grappling on the mat at Greenwich Jiu-Jitsu Academy. Sept 18, 2018 Photo: Leslie Yager

Voting day is Tuesday, November 6, 2018.

If you will be away on Election Day you may still vote by obtaining an Absentee Ballot. This letter has information on 1) how to register and 2) how to vote by absentee ballot.

To check your voting registration status and polling place go to Voter Registration Online.

If you are not yet registered to vote you may register by mail, in person, or online: CT Online Voter Registration. New voter registrations sent by mail must be post-marked by October 30 to be accepted for the November 6, 2018 election. The deadline for online registrations is 11:59 pm, also on October 30.

Hand-delivered applications for mail-in registration must be received by October 30.

October 30 is the in-person cut-off in ALL towns. Applicants must appear in person. Those whose rights as to age, citizenship or residence mature after October 30 (and not others) may apply in the Town Office on a daily basis until 5:00pm on Monday, November 5.

Absentee Ballots

To obtain an absentee ballot, you must request an application for the ballot from the Town Clerk either by calling 203-622-7897, going to Voter Registration Online, or by visiting the office at 101 Field Point Road, Greenwich. The application for an absentee ballot must be completed and mailed back to the Town Clerk.

An absentee ballot will be mailed to you. Complete the ballot, carefully following the instructions that are included and return it by mail or in person. You may deliver it in person before 4:00pm, November 5.

If you choose to mail it in, be sure to mail it early enough that it arrives at the Town Clerk’s office by 8:00pm on Election Day, November 6. The mailing address is Town Clerk, Town Hall, 101 Field Point Road, Greenwich, CT 06830.

If you are able to visit the Town Clerk office on or after October 5, you may fill out the application, receive your ballot and vote at the same time. If you have any questions please call the Town Clerk’s office at 203-622-7897.

Election Day Registration

If all voter registration deadlines have been missed, a bona fide resident of the town of
Greenwich may register to vote and cast a ballot at the special Election Day Registration location, on the second floor of Greenwich Town Hall. Election Day Registration is from 6:00am to 8:00pm.

If all voter registration deadlines have been missed, a bona fide resident of the town of Greenwich may register to vote and cast a ballot at the special Election Day Registration location, on the second floor of Greenwich Town Hall. Election Day Registration is from 6AM to 8PM.

A voter must bring the appropriate proof of identity and residency. See back of this document for acceptable proof. The Election Day Registration process requires verification that the voter is not registered to vote in any other municipality in CT, or, if the voter is registered, election officials must determine that the individual has not voted in the other municipality by telephoning the corresponding Registrars of Voters.
The entire process is lengthy, as it includes voter registration, verification, and then finally the actual casting of a ballot. Depending on the popularity of this option and the individual voter’s circumstances, wait times can vary from a minimum of 20 minutes to an hour.

This option is only available at the EDR location in Town Hall. It is not available at neighborhood polling places.

Acceptable ID for Election Day Registration

Voter must appear in person.
Must provide proof of identity and residence.

NOTE: Current DMV Connecticut Drivers License/Non-Driver’s License/Learner’s Permit satisfy both proof of identity and residence. (Adhesive strip with change of address acceptable.)

Proof of Identity:
• Birth Certificate
• Social Security Card
• Oath of another elector or proof satisfactory to registrars (Reminder: identity ONLY)
• College photo ID, in place of birth certificate, license, or Social Security card
• Drivers License (Reminder: out of state OK for identity ONLY)

Proof of Residence (Examples):
• Current CT Drivers License/Non-Driver License or Motor Vehicle Learners Permit
• Utility Bill—due no later than 30 days post election
• Current college or university registration or fee statement
• Lease
• Current Paycheck/Bank Statement
• Property tax bill
• Naturalization documents
• Passport (recent, and includes residential address)

The League of Women Voters of Greenwich encourages all registered voters to exercise their right to help choose our representatives. If you have questions please call the Town Clerk’s office at 203-622-7897.

Up to the minute Greenwich property transfers, September 12-14, 2018

20 Cognewaugh Rd

20 Cognewaugh Rd from 1661 Worthington Drive from US Bank National Association as Trustee to Ingrid Lenihan on Sept 12, 2018 for $1,212,000

50 Burying Hill Rd

50 Burying Hill Rd from Deborah Stiles Trustee to Hunter Ryan on Sept 12, 2018 for $2,370,000

121 Lockwood Rd from Lockwood Riverside 121 LLC to Jacqueline Marks on Sept 12, 2018 for $3,560,000

27 Bridge Street

27 Bridge Street from NYCT Development LLC to Marks01 LLC on Sept 13, 2018 for $85,000

35 Lakewood Circle North

35 Lakewood Circle North from Harold and Camilla McGraw to Clear Harbor LLC on Sept 13, 2018 for $3,200,000

36 Forest Ave

36 Forest Ave from Karen Horgan to Denis Biangolino Chaves on Sept 14, 2018 for $1,850,000

19 Canterbury Drive

19 Canterbury Drive from Anthony Leto and Patricia Leto to Stephen Michael Ciccarella and Andrea Bennetti on Sept 14, 2018 for $875,000

113 Patterson Ave

113 Patterson Ave from Peter Jovanovich and Robin Jovanovich to Leigh Wit on Sept 14, 2018 for $2,395,000

2 Simmons Ln

2 Simmons Ln from John M Andrews to Jeremy Berkowitz on Sept 14, 2018 for $2,650,000

55 Mallard Drive

55 Mallard Drive from Marc Alex Rieffel and Bich-Ha Henreiette Rieffel to Gang Zhang on Sept 13, 2018 for $1,225,000

See also:

Up to the Minute Greenwich Property Transfers, Sept 10-11, 2018

Up to the Minute Greenwich Property Transfers, Sept 6-7, 2018

Up to the Minute Greenwich Property Transfers, Sept 4, 2018

Up to the Minute Greenwich Property Transfers Aug 24, 2018

Up to the Minute Greenwich Property Transfers, August 20-23, 2018

Up to the Minute Greenwich Property Transfers, August 17, 2018

Greenwich High School students with posters that reflected their support of an ordinance banning fracking waste in Greenwich. Contributed photo

In the early morning hours of Tuesday the Town of Greenwich became the 50th town in Connecticut to pass a comprehensive ordinance prohibiting contaminated waste from out-of-state oil and gas fracturing extraction, “fracking.”

The ordinance, which was originally submitted to the Town of Greenwich in May of 2017 by Greenwich Conservation Advocates, had been reviewed and recommended on its merits by a special subcommittee of the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) not once, but twice.

It passed in a vote of 105-31-2.

The Greenwich Representative Town Meeting or ‘RTM’ is comprised of 227 members.

photo Mary Grace McCooe

“GCA is pleased that Greenwich enacted this comprehensive and protective ordinance at a critical time,” said Richard Margenot. “The Greenwich RTM decided that the health and environment of its residents is paramount and that from a fiscal standpoint, prevention is always preferable to remediation.”

Over a dozen Greenwich High School students attended the meeting, which ran well past midnight.

“We’ve taken upon the goal as GHS students to protect the future generations, without us who would be sitting here for 5 hours fighting for what we believe in,” said Reneta Malyshav. “Greenwich uses wells as a major source of water, we don’t need this in our town.”

photo Mary Grace McCooe

“This is the water we’re drinking this is the water our family is drinking, our grandparents and grand-kids,” she continued. “It’s not just one individual or socioeconomic group will be affected. Everyone will be.”

A comprehensive and truly protective bill – Substitute Senate Bill 103 (SSB103)  – was not taken up in full by the State General Assembly this year and the state moratorium for developing regulations only covers a portion of the waste stream.

This leaves Connecticut residents vulnerable to the millions of tons of solid waste and the billions of gallons of liquid waste generated by the oil and gas extraction industry.

Waste contaminated construction fill or road de-icers are the common methods of entry into municipalities. Eight states currently manage oil and gas waste from fracturing extraction in Pennsylvania.

Waste from both conventional and horizontal hydraulic fracturing operations has been documented to contain many contaminants including chemicals and naturally-occurring elements that are known to cause multiple cancers, organ damage, neurological and developmental problems, birth defects and other serious health problems. Radioactive isotopes are also a critical concern and are documented in two forms: radium-226 and radium-228, a highly radioactive form which leaches from rocks and minerals as a direct result of the fracking process. Additional waste constituents include chemical additives that are often part of proprietary industry formulas and remain unidentified.

“GCA members began by supporting state level action and decided to also pursue a local ordinance because we recognized that it offered protections the state bill in 2017 didn’t,” said Marija Mikolajczak in a release from the Greenwich Conservation Advocates. “We appreciate the beauty of our community’s natural resources but being dependent upon them as a part of the ecosystem ourselves, it is important to conserve and preserve what we have.”

Neighboring Stamford has also enacted a ban as well as 15 counties in the State of New York. The bans address the needs of localities due to the lack of truly comprehensive and protective measures statewide and particular exemptions from signature federal laws such as the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act which were written and passed to protect public health and the environment.

Most recently, the CT Conference of Municipalities (CCM) drafted a ‘model’ ordinance for municipalities, but it did so in such a way to exclude key aspects of the contaminated waste stream.

The CCM engaged in lobbying for weaker provisions at the State Assembly on this issue. They also lobbied against another public protection known as the ‘water in the public trust’ provision which was retained in The State Water Plan this year by public demand.

The Greenwich ordinance received review and endorsements from the Greenwich Conservation Commission; the Greenwich Shellfish Commission, the Greenwich Environmental Affairs Department and the Greenwich Department of Public Health.

Greenwich Conservation Advocates (GCA) is a nonpartisan grassroots neighborhood organization that initially formed in early 2017 in response to concerns about local drought conditions. GCA supports and promotes local water conservation and quality protections. greenwichconservationadvocates.org

On September 12, 2018, A federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging Leonid Pollak, also known as “Lenny,” 58, of Greenwich, with federal offenses related to an investment fraud scheme.

Pollak was arrested Thursday morning.  He appeared Thursday afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector in New Haven and was ordered detained.

As alleged in the indictment, Pollak owned a Norwalk-based company that organized trade shows and expositions throughout the US. In mid-2013, Pollak induced an acquaintance to invest $290,000 in a new business venture that was supposed to organize similar expositions in the Ukraine.  Instead of using the money to build the new business, Pollak spent nearly all of it on unrelated business and personal expenses, including Pollak’s home mortgage loan, groceries and clothing, automobiles, and private school tuition.

The indictment charges Pollak with six counts of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count, and two counts of illegal monetary transactions, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years on each count.

U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and U.S. Secret Service, with assistance from the Greenwich Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi M. Perry.

The indictment was announced by John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut.

A judge in United States District Court in New York’s northern district has ruled in a lawsuit brought by Greenwich residents Laurence and Michelle Allen, the parents of Bradley Allen, against the manufacturers of the drug Suboxone.

Brad died of a heroin overdose at the family’s Maple Ave home in Greenwich on February 2, 2014, a few weeks after attending a program to try to stop using the prescription drug Suboxone.

According to the petition filed by Larry and Michelle Allen, plaintiffs, Brad’s addictions began after he was in a  car accident in 2010 and was prescribed the painkiller hydrocodone, an opioid-based medication.

Later, his physician prescribed Brad Suboxone for his opioid dependency, which the Allens said led to his death.

When he began taking Suboxone in February 2012, Brad was almost 18.

Suboxone mimics some of the effects of opiates, lessening the brain’s need for the actual opiate drug, while preventing the user from experiencing painful withdrawal symptoms.

The Allens sued Indivior Inc., formerly known as Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Indivior PLC, and Reckitt Benckiser Healthcare (UK), the manufacturers Suboxone.

The Allen’s complaint alleged that the defendants were negligent in both their design and labeling of Suboxone and that, as a result, by late 2013 it caused “crippling addiction” for their son, and that when his prescription ran out he experienced violent withdrawal symptoms.

According to the plaintiffs, in December 2013, Brad tried to stop using the drug and enrolled in an intensive in-patient program to help him through the withdrawals. He took his last prescribed dose on December 27, 2013. After the 21-day treatment program, he came home to Greenwich, and on Jan 31, 2014 after watching a movie with his family he went up to his room. According to court documents, in the overnight hours Brad overdosed on heroin in his bedroom in the family home.

According to the Allens’ complaint, the only way to treat Brad’s withdrawals was with heroin, and his death from an overdose was a direct result of his addiction to Suboxone.

In August, the court ruled that it did not have jurisdiction over the defendants in the matter, noting that the only express reference to New York is the allegation that Brad was a successful college student who was in the midst of an investment banking internship at NYPPEX, a private equity advisement firm located New York.

Also, the court found that the claims are untimely because the action was commenced under Connecticut law over three years after Brad died and the statute of limitations expired.

“Plainly, Plaintiffs commenced this action too late,” the judge wrote, adding, “…Plaintiffs’ claims are time-barred and that this action is a ‘sure loser.’ Therefore, it is not in the interest of justice to transfer the case to the District of Connecticut. Accordingly, Plaintiff’s claims are dismissed.”

See also:

Parents of Greenwich Teen Who Died of Heroin Overdose Sue Drug Manufacturer (March 2017)