Westport property transfers as reported by the Town Clerk’s office for the period May 14 - 18, 2012:
Simon and Rosemary Hallgarten to 32 Hyde Lane LLC, 32 Hyde Lane, $2,600,000
Steven J. McCay Trust to Gloria Plotkin, 62 Whitney Glen Drive, $410,500
Christopher and Jennifer Wink to Anne Rutherford, 90 Main St. Unit 4, $280,000
Paul A. Merolla to Scott J and Stephanie M. Mastocciolo, 24 Warnock Drive, $589,000
A new Italian restaurant, Arezzo, will open at Westport’s 5 Riverside Ave. “hopefully in late July,” according to Daniel Saat (above) who co-owns the business with Adele Dezlinnocenti, both New York residents. Saat said the restaurant, which will provide valet parking, will feature prime steaks, seafood and pasta with a northern Italy influence and a full wine list. The 3,200-square feet location will have seating for 80 diners inside and 24 diners outside “with a river view,” he added. “We always wanted to open a restaurant in Westport,” Saat said. “We could have opened in South Norwalk but Westport is where we want to be.” The prior occupant was Napoli Sul Fume which closed in December 2010. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
By Judy Szablak
The latest S&P/Case-Shiller home price indices show that all three headline composites ended the first quarter of 2012 with new post crisis lows. But prices were up in March from February for the first time in seven months—perhaps the latest evidence that the troubled housing market is beginning a slow recovery.
“While there has been improvement in some regions, housing prices have not turned,” said David Blitzer, chairman of the Index Committee at S&P Indices.
Although the headlines in the March numbers were disappointing for the two composites and national index, which came up flat or went down to new lows, it is somewhat encouraging to look at the details in a different way.
While all three composites and five cities hit new lows, if you look at these same indices on a city by city basis, there are peaks and valleys for all 20 cities, and the valleys aren’t as low as they were.
By Dave Matlow
UPDATE (adds additional broker information) A new restaurant in Westport’s old post office at 154 Post Road East will feature a sweeping bar, banquet rooms, and outdoor dining, according to broker Franco Fellah. 
The new restaurant will feature a sweeping bar on the main floor, outdoor dining, and private basement banquet rooms. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
Fellah, executive vice president of Westport’s HK Group, said the deal was completed last week for the 4,650-square foot main floor and 4,200-square foot lower level.
Fellah represented the landlord, Ansley Westport Partners, LLC, and Sharon Maddern of David Adam Realty represented the tenant, 154 Post LLC. Construction is expected to take at least six months.
Fellah did not identify the restaurant principals or the type of restaurant planned for the 1935-built structure. Ansley Westport Partners, an Atlanta-based investment group, purchased the property last May for $2.35 million. A representative said after the purchase he hoped it would “enhance” Westport’s future. (See WestportNow May 21, 2011)
An application for a permit to demolish the house at Westport’s 19 Bayberry Lane is in process. Built in 1949, the 1 1/2-story cape has 1,376 square feet, is situated on a contiguous 2.14-acre property (includes 17 Bayberry Lane), and changed ownership in April for $1,775,000. Because the house was built more than 50 years ago, the application will be reviewed by the Westport Historic District Commission. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
Intermix, a women’s apparel and accessories shop, will open at the end of August or early September at 51 Main St., between BlueMercury2 and Lucky Brand shops, in the space previously occupied by the children’s apparel store, Janie and Jack that closed in April (see WestportNow May 4, 2012). The Westport shop will be Intermix’s second location in Connecticut having opened at 325 Greenwich Ave., Greenwich in April 2011, according to an employee at the Greenwich store. According to its website, Intermix locations are in 10 states, the District of Columbia and Toronto, Ontario. The flagship location for the New York-based company is at 1003 Madison Ave. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
Westport property transfers as reported by the Town Clerk’s office for the period May 7 - 11, 2012:
Jeffrey A. and Marnie M. Nusbaum to Charles R. and Lisa Mounts, 31 Old Hill Road, $2,050,000
Ronald G. Besson and Leslie B. Ramik to Mark W. and Virginia Foxton, 28 Rices Lane, $785,000
John T. and Patricia C. Thomas to Bluewater Yankee Hill LLC, 15 Yankee Hill Road, $1,650,000
Marie DiPasquale to Michael F. and Mary McGee Lesch, 11 Regents Park, $825,000
Another national retailer is headed for Westport’s Main Street. Allen Edmonds, a premium retailer of quality shoes and accessories, has leased 2,000 square feet of space at 69 Main St., said Anthony Malkin, president of Malkin Properties. The retailer will open in August, he said, and its immediate neighbors will be Nike and Theory, which signed leases with Malkin Properties in 2011. “This transaction further validates Westport’s Main Street and the appeal of Main Street to quality retailers who desire the pedestrian shopping experience it offers,” Malkin said. The three adjacent spaces had formerly been occupied by Gap Stores which consolidated into one building at 125 Main St. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
The house at Westport’s 71 Old Road (formerly 25 Maple Ave. North) was demolished today. Built in 1927, the two-story colonial had 1,641 square feet and was situated on a .50-acre property. It was the WestportNow Teardown on the Day on April 18, 2011. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
UPDATE A popular Fairfield restaurant, Safita, specializing in Middle Eastern cuisine, is expanding to 6 Wilton Road in Westport “hopefully in June,” according to its owner Kheder (“Kody”) Hassoun. A native of Syria, Hassoun said he emigrated to the United States at age 2 with his parents. He opened Safita at 2217 Post Road, Fairfield in October 2010. “It was our first venture into the restaurant business,” he said. “My mother was the chef. Now we have customers in line some nights waiting for a table.” He said the success prompted him to expand to the former Vigilant Hose Co. No. 3 firehouse. “About half our customers are from the Westport-Weston-Wilton area,” he said. He expects to have seating for 50 plus 10 seats at a full bar and some outdoor seating. He said he has not yet settled on a name for the Westport location. Built in 1841, the firehouse was at one time used as a homeless shelter, then in the early 90s as De Rosa’s Brick Oven Pizza, and more recently as a kitchen fixture store. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
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