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Community Corner

Paving Paradise

New cinema deal could change the face of Westport.

The hope of returning a movie theatre to Westport after the last of the town’s four big screens vanished years ago, has peaked the interest of many area movie lovers.

The Westport Cinema Initiative is trying to make it a reality by bringing a two-screen, second-run film theater to downtown.

Three locations have been targeted — a new building behind Tavern on Main; redevelopment of an existing building on Main Street; or the renovation the town’s soon to relocate Post Office on Post Road East.

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The group will launch its campaign in September to raise approximately $4 million for construction and operating costs, as well as an endowment fund for a new cinema complex.

In March, its first screening was held at the , raising $20,000 from angel supporters each donating $1,000-plus.

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“Our intention is very definitely to move downtown, close to Main Street, as the best way to connect all of the communities arts and cultural venues,” said Sandy Lefkowitz, an art educator and director of the Westport Cinema Initiative. “We are looking at new spaces and not existing buildings.”

Unintended Consequences

While an artsy movie house many be appealing to many, proposed precedent-making zoning changes to allow a two-screen theatre may bring with it a whole host of unintended consequences as developers eager to build their projects in affluent Westport already seem to be lining up outside Town Hall.

That is the concern of Conservationists from Save Westport Now (a grassroots group formed initially to prevent an office building on Gorham island). Members of the group (along with developers) have been attending P&Z meetings on the topic of downtown revitalization, held over the past several months.

The P&Z panel plans to vote beginning the first week of September, ahead of November elections that could bring in a new zoning commission.

According to a SWN member, when P&Z met to discuss a Church Lane plan, some of the commissioners offered an amendment to the zoning regulations that would extend the height and density of downtown buildings. Additionally, a bid to build a multi-level parking deck was proposed, along with the possibility of overturning an RTM ruling which prevented transforming the historic Inn at National Hall into an office building. P&Z had voted to allow it but the decision was overturned by RTM after public outcry.

The proposed text amendment that would provide a zoning framework for a new cinema calls for the creation of a Theater Overlay Zone, allowing development of a 10,000-square-foot theater up to 60 feet in height — or six stories.

“The proposed special zoning overlay which would facilitate the presence of a movie theater is only one of several initiatives which the P&Z subcommittees are considering, but it is independent of the others,” said State Rep. Jonathan Steinberg (D-126), president of WCI’s 10-member board of directors.

The amendment also states that a theater wouldn’t require additional parking if located within 500 feet of a municipal parking lot with at least 100 spaces. The Baldwin, Parker-Harding and Imperial Avenue lots each have enough spaces.

The cinema proposal is part and parcel of a push by town officials and local leaders in recent months to accelerate the commercial and cultural revitalization of downtown Westport.

This year, the P&Z has approved a series of text amendments to loosen regulations on outdoor dining, outdoor events and liquor permits.

In May, the panel passed Text Amendment 610, eliminating the town's requirement for restaurants to undergo public hearings to gain approval for outdoor seating, and struck down the town’s ban on retail food establishments adding outdoor seating.

As a follow-up, in March the P&Z approved Text Amendment 628, which allows restaurants to have outdoor music. It also permitted outdoor dining at establishments within 50 feet of residential zones. Last July, the P&Z approved Text Amendment 613 that (among other things) struck down a longstanding rule that mandated a 1,500-foot distance between dining establishments with patron bars.

This has been a very active year for the Commission. And with a flurry of public zoning meetings scheduled this August ahead of September’s vote, many Westporters away on vacation or busy with summer plans remain unaware that huge transformational changes could be made to downtown in the near future. Some who are aware are not happy with those proposed changes.

“Having been raised in Westport surrounded by families that have a genuine concern for of our town, I think the plan to erect a six-story high movie theatre downtown is ludicrous,” said Kathi Sorrentiono. “In addition, it is irresponsible and insulting to allow developers to destroy historic Westport structures or to build a multi-level parking garage.”

WCI President Steinberg is one of 33 freshmen in the State House. A former Westport RTM member, he has a seat on the Energy and Technology Committee, is a member of a moderate caucus that did not support the governor’s budget bill, and seeks to join the legislature’s Results Based Accountability group.

“The Initiative appreciates the consideration of the P&Z subcommittee on downtown, in believing that a movie theater downtown would help enhance it's vitality and increase downtown foot traffic, to the benefit of other downtown businesses and entertainments,” said Steinberg.

Lefkowitz says she cannot identify the backers/investors of the movie project but among the top 40-plus Angel donors is Westport developer David Waldman, who purchased the YMCA building, along with the Sherwood House on Church Lane, which is slated to reopen as a restaurant. He owns other downtown buildings.

“David Waldman has been very helpful in helping us identify spaces and has contributed some funds — no other developer has given us funds,” said Lefkowitz. “There is nothing that has been signed as of yet as our campaign has to raise funds before we will commit to a space and a time line. Lots of people are interested including developers, but no one has made an offer that we can't refuse.”

Waldman is also a principal in the Bedford Square Associates development group, which plans to convert the downtown YMCA into a mixed-use complex. Waldman’s David Adam Realty commercial real estate firm is renovating the Sherwood House.

Waldman has stated publicly that Church Lane could eventually become a pedestrian mall.

Indeed, ideas for redevelopment by real estate developers are plentiful.

“The move theater doesn’t require a parking deck,” said Steinberg. “Nor does it involve approval of residential third-floor apartments, downtown parking reconfiguration, or changes to streetscapes, all under consideration. I don't buy the assertion that the movie theater proposal would lead to unintended consequences, unless the Town Attorney would assert that a 60 ft. exception for a theater would be a legal precedent for others to exploit.”

A Simple Way Out?

Could a new movie house be built on a site that does not require the overhauling of town zoning regulations?

“Two sites most being discussed are the former Post Office and a new structure behind Tavern on Main — both sound good to me,” said Don Bergmann, who has long been interested in bringing change to the downtown. “I have also thought the Inn at National Hall properties could be a location for a movie theater.”

Although the Post Office site could accommodate a two-screen theatre, side-by-side with no need to build additional levels, sellers may not want a movie house because it would not generate a lot of income.

The Inn at National Hall is a multi story building — lending itself to such a project.

“My main concerns are to bring life to that area, which means that Greenfield Partners (a Norwalk-based commercial real estate firm that purchased the inn) must commit to a restaurant and must do all that is reasonable to prevent office space usage from destroying the potential life of that beautiful site,” said Bergmann. “Also, I believe the P&Z should find out from Greenfield why a hotel will not work. I believe it can and that P&Z is inclined to simply accept what Greenfield says and not due its own homework. P&Z should do its own homework when making any legislative change and Greenfield is seeking a legislative zoning change.”

P&Z Chairman Ron Corwin wants to bring a text amendment to enable a parking garage in town. While the amendment must be brought to a full public hearing before P&Z, they are not required to bend to the will of the public.

The P&Z mandate will run out in November, but they may have the votes to push through these changes now, including multilevel parking garages, a multi-plex, height and density increases, and the Inn at National Hall becoming yet another office building.

An overlay zone can be placed in any zone — it’s a tricky way around spot zoning, which is not permitted. The zone allows for structures of 60-feet and if passed could set a precedent. Waldman came to a July 14 meeting asking to allow the property next to the YMCA (where a historic Victorian house stands) to be extended to 67 feet.

The house would be razed for such a project.

All this rezoning talk does not sit well with one prominent Westporter, who served on the P&Z Commission 1997-1999.

“If it turns out to be true this would be a disaster for the quality of life of Westport and that money interests appear to be more important than the long term welfare on town,” said award-winning radio talk show host Lisa Wexler.

“This [movie house Amendment] is part of the effort to address downtown revitalization issues,” said Corwin. “The commission is putting this proposal in front of the public to solicit public comment before making a decision to approve the amendment. We feel directionally this is the right way to go but it is vital to get public input.”

Corwin stated he could not say more because he does not want to give the impression that he has already reached a decision before the public has weighed in.

“The public should decide on certain desirable actions and support them — nothing will be supported by everyone,” said Bergman. “However, everyone should be able to find certain changes that would make Westport's downtown alive again. Also the public should not be afraid of spending public money or providing public incentives. Change costs money and the absence of change is also costly.”

Wexler sees another culprit lurking.

“The real story is it's not P&Z regs that are responsible for Westport's lack of business vitality, it's the businesses and landlords who sold out to the highest bidder and got rid of the bookstores, restaurants, and small businesses that Westport used to have. For example, it was Gordon Joseloff's own family who sold the last movie theater in town, turning it into Restoration Hardware,” said Wexler. “You don't need new zoning for a movie theater, we had four when I moved to town.”

First Selectman Gordon Joseloff is also an Angel donor to the WCI.

[Editor's note: First Selectman Gordon Joseloff has since clarified this, saying: "The facts are the building was not sold and ownership remains with the family-owned Fine Arts Realty, LLC. The theaters were closed at the request of the tenant theater operator which said competition from the multiplexes opening in surrounding communities no longer made the business in Westport viable."]

“I’d hate to think that anyone believes that the movie theater proposal is being used as a pretext to ram through the entire fall agenda,” said Steinberg. “Each of those proposals need to stand on its own merits and understood within the broader context. Let’s not let the movie theater concept, which virtually everyone in Westport believes will be a good thing for downtown, become the emblem of any ensuing controversy over P&Z’s agenda or differing visions of downtown's future.”

Paving Paradise

But the future of small town Westport may well be in the hands of the current Planning and Zoning Commission.

“Growing up in Westport, I loved the fact that it was a progressive town — that knew its limits,” said Sorrentino. “We had the best any town in America could offer because the planning and zoning was smart enough to prevent Westport from becoming city-like with multi-story buildings, as seen in nearby Bridgeport and Norwalk. In 1964, our Fine Arts Movie Theater was located on Post Road East by the corner of Main Street. Many may recall, this theater expanded into additional theaters that were later taken down for reasons that included too much traffic for our small town streets. No one missed them because there were large movie theaters in the neighboring cities of Norwalk and Bridgeport.”

Hopefully paradise and a new movie theater will find a way to peacefully coexist in Westport.

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