Category: Business - Page 92

Sunday, October 18, 2026

P&Z ‘Negative’ about Riverwalk Text Amendment

‘By James Lomuscio

In a straw vote tonight, Westport’s Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) voted 5 to 2 to deny a proposed Riverwalk text amendment.

P&Z Comissioners (l-r) Chip Stephens, Jack Whittle, and Andra Vebell listen to speakers tonight. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

The amendment would facilitate a local developer’s plans to build a two-story, 25,000-square-foot office building and a 47-foot tall residential building for between 15 to 17 condominiums at the former Save the Children site at 54 Wilton Road.

Following the commission’s work session straw vote, P&Z Director Laurence Bradley said he would prepare a negative resolution that the commission could vote on at its next meeting Thursday, Feb. 4.

The planned 47-foot building, 12 feet higher that what is currently allowed, seemed the Achilles heel of the text amendment that aims to create a new Riverwalk District (RD) in a current General Business District (GBD) along the west bank of the Saugatuck River.

Wednesday, January 27th, 2016

Town to Get Improved Rates for Cell Tower Use

The Westport Board of Selectmen today approved a representation agreement with Pelham, N.Y.-based Bench Strength Partners, Inc. for contract negotiation services with wireless companies for the cell tower at the Westport Fire Headquarters, 515 Post Road East (above). Finance Director Gary Conrad said the town has been “leaving a lot of money on the table” under its current contract with a company that has handled leasing the tower and had a ceiling on negotiated rates. He said the town will assume full ownership of the tower in 14 months—something he said was unusual for a municipality—and then will have the ability to realize significantly improved fees. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Tuesday, January 26th, 2016

Terex Shares Jump on Chinese Takeover Offer

Shares of Westport’s Terex Corp. jumped almost 37 percent today after the company said it had received an unsolicited takeover offer from a Chinese company.

The maker of cranes and heavy construction equipment said the offer of $30 per share came from China’s Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science and Technology Co.

Terex shares closed at $20.50, up $5.49, or 36.58 percent, after trading as high as $23.98 during the afternoon.

Some Wall Street analysts noted that the stock was trading well below the offer price, indicating doubt that the deal has much chance of happening in its present form.

Monday, January 25th, 2016

Comings & Goings: Device ER Opens

Device ER, a cell phone and computer repair shop, has opened at 417 Post Road East in the Compo Shopping Center. According to manager Jason Rinaldi (above), it is the third location for the young, rapidly growing company founded by Stratford resident Dave Cordisco. Rinaldi said the first store opened one year ago at 607 Main St., Norwalk and six months ago at 550 Boston Post Road, Orange. A graduate of Platt Tech High School in Milford, Rinaldi, 20, said plans are in the works for adding more Device ER stores in the near future. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Friday, January 22nd, 2016

New Restaurant Replacing Post 154

Westport’s Post 154, which closed Monday at 154 Post Road East because the restaurant’s owners are selling it, have gone to contract with a company that plans to open another restaurant there this year, it was announced today. Laura Leeds, principal of Weston-based Simon David Real Estate representing Post 154, said that the seller is under a confidentiality agreement with the buyer of the business in the former U.S. Post Office building. The restaurant space consists of approximately 9,000 square feet spread over two floors. “A new restaurant will be taking over the space; it will be this year,” Leeds said. “That’s the good news for Westport.” (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Thursday, January 21st, 2016

Comings & Goings: Cake Box to Bay St.

Cake Box, a bakery offering cakes, cookies, cupcakes and coffee as well as nut-free and gluten-free baked goods, will open Feb. 2 in the lower level of 10 Bay St., behind the former Post 154 Restaurant, according to Robert Byrnes, a Ridgefield resident, who co-owns the business with his wife, Jordan Gregory. The couple also own two bakeries in Ridgefield, Cake Box at 1 Big Shop Lane since April 2010, and Swoon, a nut-free, gluten-free bakery at 109 Danbury Road. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Comings & Goings: Harvest Restaurant Opens

The Harvest Restaurant, 36 Railroad Place in the space formerly occupied by Mario’s Place, has opened. For now, it is dinner only beginning at 5 p.m., according to a person answering the phone at the restaurant with plans to open for lunch in several weeks. The owners also operate Cava in New Canaan, Harvest in Greenwich, New Haven, Scena in Darien, and 55 Degrees in Fairfield. Mario’s closed in April 2015. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Wednesday, January 20th, 2016

Rajat Gupta Goes Home But Not to Westport

Westporter Rajat Gupta has been released from a Massachusetts prison where he served 19 months for insider trading, according to federal officials. WestportNow.com Image
Rajat Gupta: released on Jan. 5. File photo

But instead of returning to his Beachside Avenue home in Westport’s Greens Farms area, the former Goldman Sachs and Proctor & Gamble board member is at his Manhattan apartment, they said.

Gupta, 67, was freed Jan. 5 after receiving credit for good behavior against his 30-month sentence, according to Patrick McFarland, a manager for the Federal Bureau of Prisons program in the New York area.

He will remain a federal inmate until March 13, confined to his apartment and required to wear an ankle bracelet that monitors his movements, The New York Times reported.

Comings & Goings: Post 154 Closes

Post 154, the restaurant in Westport’s former main post office at 154 Post Road East, has closed abruptly after almost two and a half years. A source said the staff was notified of the closing on Monday and that Alex Rosado, executive chef, left several months ago and is now at Poloma, Stamford. An investment group with ties to Westport paid $2.35 million for the property in May 2011. (See WestportNow May 23, 2011) The restaurant opened in August 2013. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

‘We Are Saddened to Inform You…’

A sign on the front door of Post 154 Restaurant, 154 Post Road East, notifies all of its closing. There was no immediate word from the owners on plans for the property, purchased in 2011 for $2.35 million from the U.S. Postal Service. The closing follows closely on the heels of the recent closing by Bertucci’s Italian Restaurant and the announced March 31 closing of Bobby Q’s, both longtime Westport dining spots, and last year, by The Red Barn and Mario’s Place (which changed hands). (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com