With New Owners, Fate of National Hall Unknown

Last year, the future of National Hall was uncertain until a plan to convert the historic brick building into offices was reversed by the town. Now, the fate of the building and surrounding properties is shrouded in mystery with new – but not unfamiliar - owners in control.

Greenfield Partners, a Norwalk-based real estate investment company, has seemingly procured the foreclosed buildings, according to state and town records. Greenfield Partners owned the building until 2006 and were slated to purchase the buildings back from Antares Investment Partners until the town quashed the plans for offices in January. The deal appeared dead at the time.

People affiliated with Greenfield Partners are remaining quiet about what's happening next.

Barry P. Marcus, senior vice president of Greenfield Partners, declined to comment.

"We really can't talk about it," said an attorney involved in the foreclosure proceedings.

The former owners, Antares, were once worth billions of dollars and Anglo Irish Bank held the mortgage for the properties. In April, the mortgage was transferred to M.U.N. Capital LLC, who foreclosed the properties in July.

M.U.N is based in Delaware and was formed just a month before the mortgage was transferred, according to state records. Several documents filed in the Westport Town Clerk's office were signed by Barry P. Marcus, who was listed as M.U.N's vice president.

The buildings were then divided into separate entities titled with variations of "NATHALL." M.U.N. was listed as the principal according to filings provided by the office of the Connecticut Secretary of State, and Greenfield's office in Norwalk was listed as the address.

From a sailor's stop to vacancy

Since its construction in 1873, National Hall has served a variety of purposes due to its prominence in downtown Westport and waterfront location along the Saugatuck River. Initially, it was used as storage for the cargo unloaded by boats at the nearby dock.

Later, it served as state police barracks, among other purposes. The ground floor housed several restaurants over the past decade, all of which have come and gone. Most recently, the building housed a high-end hotel.

Newer buildings, located between Save the Children and National Hall, are mostly empty except for a handful of businesses.

When the original plan to convert National Hall, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, into office space was presented to Planning and Zoning, proponents said it was a great way to take advantage of under-utilized space that is unsuitable for retail or a restaurant. They cited long-term vacancies and a lack of viability for businesses to succeed in the area.

Nearby business owners saw the plans as a death knell for "mom and pop" stores that rely on foot traffic. An office, some argued, would convert the area into a sleepy office park.

Meanwhile, other opponents wanted to save the Inn at National Hall, a luxurious hotel known for its antique furniture and lavish rooms.

Planning and Zoning approved the amendment permitting office space, but opponents appealed to the town's legislative body, the Representative Town Meeting. A Planning and Zoning decision had not been overturned in decades, but the amendment was overwhelmingly opposed by the RTM and voted down.

The vote was not enough to save the inn. The hotel was shuttered in March under orders of the owners Antares.

"I predict a dark future for this place," said Marco Degl'Innocenti, former resident manager of the inn, to the Westport News.

On the south side of Post Road West, several storefronts are empty with "for lease" signs on the building. Across the street, all the buildings – including National Hall – are empty. The only exception is L'Antiquaire, an antique store not involved in the sale. On the empty storefronts comprising the historic district, no "for rent" signs are to be found.