Haiku Moment from Westport’s Poet Laureate
From Westport’s Poet Laureate: Diane Meyer Lowman
Beautiful Brant geese
Canadian hiatus
Change of scenery
Holiday Market at Westport Farmers’ Market next Tuesday
According to a Press Release from the Westport Farmers’ Market:
“Westport, Conn.—The Westport Winter Farmers’ Market will hold a special holiday Artist Market from 10 to 2 on Tuesday, December 15 at Gilbertie’s Herbs & Garden Center (7 Sylvan Lane, Westport). The market, which will showcase area makers, will be separate from the winter farmers’ market held every Thursday through March at Gilbertie’s.
“Local artisans have been hit especially hard this year due to the coronavirus pandemic and need our support,” said Lori Cochran-Dougall, executive director of Westport Farmers’ Market. “We felt an obligation and desire to help them during the holiday season by providing a safe, public, outdoor space where they could sell their craft.”
The Artist Market will take place in three open-air greenhouses at Gilbertie’s and will feature a wide array of one-of-a-kind handcrafted gift ideas. Artists will be spread out among the greenhouses, and food trucks – including Bubble and Brew and On the Fly from Taproot Restaurant – will supply hot and cold drinks and grab-and-go eats.
Make Tuesday, December 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Gilbertie’s your destination for one-stop holiday shopping while supporting your local community of artists and friends.”
Proposed 108,106 Square Foot Facility in Kings Highway North Historic District on Commission Agenda Tomorrow
According to a November 20th application for a Certificate of Appropriateness submitted to the Westport Historic District Commission, Maplewood Senior Living LLC has plans to create a 95 unit, three story, 108,106 gross square foot facility located on the properties 170-176 Post Road West, 38 Kings Highway North.
The proposal states that the facility would provide “49 standard assisted living units” and “46 memory care units”, as well as a theater, spa, multiple dining areas, and gardens. Construction would include the relocation of the historic 1840’s-built “Jones House” currently at 174 Post Road West, as well as the single family house currently at 172 Post Road West, to the 38 Kings Highway North or 176 Post Road West properties.
The 1812-built “Shercrow School” house currently at 38 Kings Highway North would not be affected except for “periodic required maintenance”, but a new 62’ wide driveway opening would be constructed to allow emergency access to the primary facility building.
The site, which is less than 500 feet away from Kings Highway Elementary School, will be discussed during tomorrow night’s meeting of the Westport Historic District Commission, held virtually at 7:00 PM. The public can read the application information or attend the meeting by following this link.
Maplewood Senior Living LLC is headquartered in Westport, and has properties in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Ohio - including Norwalk, Darien, and Southport. The company’s Danbury facility was featured in a May Connecticut Post article after twelve COVID-19 related deaths were reported by the newspaper [the State of Connecticut reports 11 deaths in the same timespan].
A rendered view of the facility from Post Road West. Graphic from the Westport Historic District Commission meeting agenda backup material #3 .
A rendered view of the facility from Kings Highway North. Graphic from the Westport Historic District Commission meeting agenda backup material #3 .
Santa’s Mailbox Pops-up in Saugatuck Center
A mailbox direct to Santa Claus has popped up at 575 Riverside Avenue’s Saugatuck Center, between the Whelk and Saugatuck Sweets, for children who want to assure their most prized writing piece of the year makes it to the North Pole in time for Christmas.