Business & Tech

Offices Approved at National Hall Historic District

A place that once restricted offices will now allow them on the second floor.

After a lengthy discussion Thursday night, the Planning and Zoning Commission approved a text amendment to the town's zoning regulations that modified restrictions in the National Hall Historic Design District, located at Wilton and Post roads.

The regulations used to only allow a limited number of office spaces. Now, the text encourages residential use in this area and permits offices on the second floor. It also requires that no less than 20 percent of the floor area be reserved for retail and restaurant use.

Some worried that district would not acquire new retailers, considering many of the spaces there are vacant.

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"The thing is they can get retail there, they just have to lower the price," commissioner Howard Lathrop said. "So they have to subsidize it to get the retail in there."

Some of the merchants who own and operate shops in the district said retail is perfectly viable there.

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Dina Berger of the Age of Reason said her shop has been there since 1983 and goes through its ups and downs, like any store.

"We offer great character to the town," said Age of Reason neighbor Christy Savignol of L'Antiquaire. "It's the old Westport."

Both Berger and Savignol, who opposed the change, said the commission's decision is not what they envisioned but as long as the first floor is maintained for retail "that would ameliorate the situation."

Commission chair Ron Corwin said the initial public hearing also brought testimony from downtown merchants in favor of the change.

"This is an effort to make it viable and compromise in this day and age in a way that preserves the character and adds life and people to that area," he said.


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