At their June 23 meeting, Greenwich Planning & Zoning commission approved an application from Coleman Business Holdings to convert existing dental office space, a legally non-conforming use, into apartments.
The property is .43-acres located at 23 Maple Avenue in the R-20 zone.
The house, known as the Dr. Hyde House (c. 1906), is on the National Register of Historic Places.
It is located across the street from the 1858 Solomon Mead House at 48 Maple, and just to the north of a small park at the corner of Maple and E Putnam Ave that features a Civil War Memorial with a life sized statue of a Union Soldier carrying a sword and an American flag atop a granite pedestal.
23 Maple Ave. File photo, July 2025
The Hyde House was described in a 1979 application to the CT Historical Commission inventory. The two-1/2 story house has a front gable roof. Its first story, chimney stacks, and portions of the second story are covered with tan stucco, and the roof is glazed red Spanish tile. It is among the few houses in the Greenwich area to show the influence of the Prairie Style.
Hyde House was already approved for two first-floor dental offices and 3 apartments with a total of 7 bedrooms. There are 13 parking spaces behind the building.
The current uses and site plan configuration represent the 1990 outcome of litigation with the P&Z commission and a stipulation of settlement.
Latweek the P&Z commission approve the first floor conversion of dental offices to two apartments:
A 1583 sq ft three bedroom unit will replace the southern dental office and a 616 sq ft one-bedroom unit replacing the eastern dental office. The building will not be expanded.
In the motion to approve the Final Site Plan and Special Permit the commission noted that Greenwich DPW Traffic withdrew their June 8, 2026 comment that the plan be revised to include a minimum 5 ft ADA accessible sidewalk with granite curbing along the frontage, including across the driveway. Instead they said the addition of a grass strip would be preferred where possible.
The applicant was encouraged to consider installing solar panels as portions of the building appear to have a flat sun exposed roof area that may be suitable for solar energy generation.
Whereas clauses mentioned that the addition of an EV charging station would also be an enhancement providing residents with convenient access to on-site vehicle charging infrastructure.
“Whereas the commission notes the proposed residential use could decrease the overall parking demand and trip generation,” they said in the motion to approve.
They also noted the residential conversion would be both more aligned was with the underlying R20 zone and consistent with the applicable special permits standards of section 6-17 of the Building Zone Regs.
They also found the change to residential units was not more detrimental to the neighborhood than the existing non conforming dental office use.
They approved the application with modifications, including:
Other than the use change, all other conditions of the 1990 stipulation agreement are to remain in effect.
There shall be no vehicular access to or from the site directly to East Putnam Ave.
The retaining wall near East Putnam Ave will be screened.
The common driveway easement signed by Barbara Colemen per Greenwich Land records signed on Jan 2, 1990 will be retained and no other access to Maple Avenue will be permitted.
The applicant will retain the parking configuration to the rear of the building, with one more parking space in the front to be designated as walkway to access the rear of the building.
The application was approved 5-0 with the modifications.
Also from the June 23 P&Z meeting:
Greenwich P&Z Creates Parking Map in Time for Housing Growth Legislation Deadline