OGA Annual Meeting Highlights Park Protection, DPW Projects, OG School, I-95 Noise

At the Old Greenwich Association meeting Monday night Candace Garthwaite was honored for her part in protecting Binney Park with a scenic loop and her involvement in the creation of a village district to add protections for the business district.

Also, Martin Waters, part of OG Real Estate LLC, purchasers of the Nolan Estate, with 17 shops, 17 offices, 10 apartments and 5 warehouses, said there were absolutely no plans to change the façades on Sound Beach Avenue or Arcadia.

“What we were talking about is all of our parks need a certain degree of protection against abuse of use.” – Peter Uhry, Friends of Binney Park

Among the other speakers were Dept of Public Works commissioner Jim Michel; Old Greenwich School building committee chair, James Waters; Peter Uhry from Friends of Binney Park; Jane Kuesel, from Friends of Greenwich Point; and Daren Schneider of Stop I95 Noise.

Dept of Public Works commissioner Jim Michel addressed the Old Greenwich Association. Jan 27, 2025 Photo: Leslie Yager

DPW commissioner Michel said his department employs 155 people across six divisions: building construction & maintenance for 116 town buildings, building inspections, engineering, highway (plowing/paving/leaf collection), sewer, and waste disposal at Holly Hill Transfer Station.

In 2023 PW installed sidewalks in Old Greenwich from Tomac to Sound Beach Ave (Shore Rd phase 1).

They also replaced two bridges: one on Sound Beach Ave by Perrot Library and one on Wesskum Wood Rd where it bisects Binney Park.

Mr. Michel said after feedback about pedestrian safety RRFB’s (rectangular rapidly flashing beacons) were installed at the crosswalk on Sound Beach Ave near the new bridge.

Similarly, he said DPW received an additional request for RRFBs near the crosswalk at the new bridge on Wesskum Wood Road, but since it is in the scenic loop they will be required to go before Planning & Zoning commission for their approval.

Commissioner Michel explained that the Old Greenwich force main that runs from the “Old Greenwich sewer plant” (now referred to as a pump station) on West End Ave, all the way to the sewer treatment plant on Grass Island, and the last stretch of that project was in the area of Summit Road and Oval Ave.

DPW has also completed work on the drainage pipe for the Cohen Eastern Greenwich Civic Center and done improvements for drainage on Tomac/Harding/Forest. They will be repaved when the weather warms.

Mr. Michel said Cohen EGCC is tentatively scheduled to open in March.

“They’re doing all the fine tuning pieces on that and the final interior – installing tables and chairs,” he said. “The building is substantially complete.”

Upcoming DPW projects include a combined project with Stamford on a multi-use trail connecting Binney Park to Boccuzzi Park in Stamford.

“We’re just in the initial design process,” he said. “We’ll be having a public meeting some time later this year.”

Another upcoming project is phase 2 of Shore Road sidewalks, extending sidewalks to the beach at Tod’s Point. Some survey work is completed and DPW is working on concepts to determine which side of the road to locate the sidewalk.

“Then we’ll be working with neighbors in those instances where we may not have enough property, to see if we can obtain any easements to put that sidewalk on that side of the street.”

“In addition, we’re trying to determine any obstructions in the way – whether trees, walls, signs, driveways,” he said. “We try to remind everyone that you may have grass going up to the edge of the road, but you don’t always own all the way up to the edge of the road.”

Also, there are four buildings in the 15-year plan to be modified or replaced.

• Old Greenwich highway shed, on West End Ave near the tunnel, which is in the flood zone.

• Sound Beach Fire House needs to be rehabbed.

• The park shed at the bottom of Binney Park, which is in the flood zone.

• Clam bake area restroom needs to be replaced.

Finally, Mr. Michel said the Old Greenwich Pump Station will need to be replaced, and operations will need to be maintained during construction.

Other pump stations are in line before the one in Old Greenwich, but Mr. Michel said it was anticipated to happen within the next five years.

Old Greenwich School Project

James Waters, chair of the OG building committee, reminded the group that two years earlier he’d told the OGA that design funding had been excluded from the budget which would have delayed the project, if not for the efforts of many OGA members.

“I’m here to night to tell you that this project is fully funded, and will be starting this summer,” he said to a round of applause.

He said a week earlier the RTM had approved contingency funding.

The project will preserve the iconic old Greenwich School and bring it up to compliance with the 2010 ADA standards. Mr. Waters, chair of the building committee, announced a dedicated email for questions about the project: [email protected]

The project will preserve the iconic old Greenwich School and bring it up to compliance with the 2010 ADA standards.

To date the project has achieved all its required zoning approvals. All design phases and project estimates are completed. A construction phasing plan  is complete.

Thirteen public forums were held.

Long lead items have been bid and the project is on the state’s priority list for this year.

As for ADA, Waters said, “That involves a lot of work. It’s not just an elevator. It’s ramps. It’s a front entry. It’s door widths, bathrooms, and much more.”

The project also includes a single, secure entryway, building-wide sprinkler systems and HVAC, addressing sewer and drainage issues around the building, partial roof replacement, kindergarten addition to replace spaces that will be lost, and a new playground with interior courtyard.

“There will be some abatement and demolition work,” he added. “This is going to be a phased, occupied renovation. That means we are going to carry on school while this is ongoing.”

Currently, Waters said the committee was finishing up the state’s pre-bid performance review, a required step before the project can go out to bid. He anticipated the project will go out to bid in February.

Work is anticipated to begin the kindergarten addition this summer, with completion anticipated to be in fall 2026.

From there, the plan is to move on to the cafeteria, kitchen and gymnasium.

There will be some impact on voting if there is a primary election in summer 2026, but that is being coordinated with the Registrars of Voters.

After the kindergarten addition, work will focus on the main building, working from left to right (as viewed from the street).

“That’s our objective: on time and on budget,” Waters said.

Waters said construction fences will be erected behind the school this April/May and  a groundbreaking ceremony is in the works.

The playground will not be available to use this summer, but a new playground will be unveiled in the fall.

There will be some impact to fields, but the committee is working with Parks & Rec to eliminate conflicts.

Waters asked for residents’ patience.

“Do not expect massive changes overnight. With this phased, occupied renovation. It’s going to take about 32 months,” he said.

The project’s anticipated completion is January 2028.

Peter Uhry

Friends of Binney Park
Peter Uhry said the Friends of Binney Park held a panel discussion the previous week with a focus on protecting the park.

Pedestrian bridge in Bruce Park. July 2, 2020 Photo: Leslie Yager

“Because of what happened down in Bruce Park with the pedestrian bridge. People spoke up and said that was not particularly appropriate,” he said evoking Eversource’s green bridge that surprised residents in 2020. There were no public hearings. Instead, the bridge was approved by the Siting Council.

“What we were talking about is all of our parks need a certain degree of protection against abuse of use,” Mr. Uhry said.

“They all have a particular character. Binney Park is 90 years old. It has a very clean feeling. On the south end there are sporting opportunities. The north side is passive. We have a ‘hillside annex,’ many know for the 10,000 daffodils that bloom there each spring on the hill, but we’re going to start to replace rhododendrons, azaleas and other native plants that Mrs. Binney had back in the 1930s.

Mr. Uhry said the 10-acre woodland across from Perrot Library was also part of Binney Park, but it is a challenge to access because, “it is a bit of a wetland.”

“We also have Greg Kramer, our tree warden, working with us to add to the second generation of trees in that area,” he added. “We’re going to be very careful how Jim Michel replaces that shed in the south end (of Binney Park).”

Dune Protection with Christmas Tree Recycling. Friends of Greenwich Point Park

Also, Jane Kuesel, president of the Friends of Greenwich Point Park  talked about efforts to protect the beach and park.

Ms Kuesel reported that the previous Saturday the Friends group had 40 volunteers joined by six staff from the Parks Dept to use recycled Christmas trees to support the first dune at the beach.

Kuesel said there are plans in progress for for vine cutting and removing invasive vegetation from the park.

Last year the group planted 25-30 native trees and over 80 shrubs in the park.

 

Daren Schneider of Stop I95 Noise.

Daren Schneider from Stop I95 Noise, said the I-95 project was “massive,”as the Dept of Transportation will be looking at 7 miles of highway, 7 exit ramps, 7 entrance ramps, the Mianus River bridge, as well as issues on Route 1.

Mr. Schneider estimated the multi-phase project would take 8 years. Currently the CT Dept of Transportation is identifying noise levels.

Later the DOT will validate, identify and consider noise abatement measures.

“The good news is that with this study – even though longer than we anticipated – they are going into every nook and cranny, and reaching out to every organization in Greenwich, which is impressive,” Schneider said, noting there were about a dozen similar organizations to OGA.

Schneider said the DOT’s noise abatement criterion was 67 decibels and they had identified every house in the area 500 ft to 1500 ft from the highway and identified the ones with serious issues.

The final study won’t be completed until June 2026.

There is a dedicated DOT web page for the I-95 Project.

See also:

Candace Garthwaite Honored for Advocacy for Preservation in Old Greenwich