Westport Developer Seeks Letters In Favor of Downtown Proposal

The Bedford Square Associates will go in front of the Westport Planning and Zoning Commission Thursday night

, a Bedford Square Partner and President of David Adam Realty, says the zoning change is necessary in order to combine the lots and provide one unified underground parking lot in addition to various residences that cannot exist under the current zoning.

“Unfortunately the collateral damage is the Victorian-style house that sits there today,” Waldman says about 35 Church Street. “My team is very excited to build something that is very attractive and in-scale downtown.”

Waldman sent the following message out seeking letters in favor of the change:

Friends and Colleagues,

I am sending this email with the hope that you will consider sending a letter to the Chairman of the .  I have attached a few versions of sample letters to help guide you in your letters.  Please try to make each letter personal so the commission does not receive a similar letter from everyone.  If you are not a resident please accept my apology but consider forwarding this email to your friends who may live or work in Westport.  We would also welcome supportive letters to the editors of the local papers prior to the meeting on the 20th.

Next week, on Thursday October 20th, the partners of Bedford Square, of which I am one, are going in front of the Planning and Zoning Commission to seek approval to change the current zoning on 35 Church Lane from RORD to BCD.  Our partnership purchased the property in late 2010 with the hopes of combining it with our redevelopment of the old YMCA and Fire House.  The re-zoning is just the first or many steps required to achieve our ultimate goal, a sustainable development with the proper density, scale, character and diversity of uses (commercial and residential), which would create a more vibrant downtown. 

Assuming we are successful with the zone change, and subsequent public meetings to follow, the proposed project could have over 100 underground onsite parking spaces, 35+ residential units, substantial public space, landscaped courtyards, outdoor dining, pathways and connections from Elm Street, Church Lane and Main Street, as well as additional small shop retail, restaurants and office space moving down Church Lane and rounding the corner up Elm Street (what we are calling the “Golden Triangle”). 

As part of the development team and a resident of Westport for over 40 years, I, as well as my partners, care deeply about the character of our town, the quality of our development and its overall success.  We are well versed with how adaptive re-use and preservation can be achieved and complemented, as well as the principles of smart growth and sustainability. 

I am currently working on the restoration of 101-107 Post Road East (soon to be the new home of Urban Outfitters) as well as the restoration of 26-28 Church Lane (soon to be the home of a new restaurant owned and operated by the operators of the Grey Goose).  I was, along with another principle of Bedford Square, also involved with the historic restoration of 87 Post Road East (home to and recipient of both local and federal preservation awards).  Additionally, I was part of the development team, which repurposed 125 Main Street (home to the new and ).  I continue to work hard to make Downtown Westport a better, more vibrant and active place. 

I realize that many of you may have questions before you decide to send in a letter supporting our zone change and I would be happy to answer any of those questions either in person, by email or by phone.  As most of you know, I am always available and very open with my thoughts about downtown.  If you are willing to send in a letter, please make sure it gets to Mr. Corwin before the meeting on the 20th so they can be entered into the record.  

Thank you again for your consideration in supporting our zone change.  I hope this email will be just the beginning of a continued and open dialogue about the future of our Downtown.  Our project, like all the projects me and my partners have been involved with, will be of the highest quality in terms of material, diversity and sustainability. It is our goal to create something which fits in the fabric of downtown Westport and ultimately something all residents and visitors of Westport will be proud to have in the Downtown area.

Sincerely,

David A. Waldman

President

David Adam Realty, Inc.

Westport CT

David@davidadamrealty.com