It wasn’t that long ago that people in Greenwich joked that every time a restaurant closed a bank branch would open.
Remember when Bella Nonna that was torn down in 2011 so Chase could build a branch?
Remember when Friendly’s gave way to M&T Bank?
Ku, the Japanese restaurant, gave way to a 3-lane drive through for People’s United Bank.
And those examples are in Cos Cob alone.
Another trend that has concerned Greenwich residents was the shuttering of brick and mortar retail stores.
Back around 2018 there there were between 24 and 28 empty storefronts on Greenwich Avenue, but after the pandemic, Greenwich Avenue re-emerged as a restaurant destination.
Pause Studio
The original Bella Nonna restaurant in Cos Cob was demolished in 2009. Credit: Leslie Yager
Last week, Planning & Zoning chair Margarita Alban, who has been on the commission for 18 years, shared a recap for the benefit of Jasmyn Pizzimbono, who proposes to open Pause Studio in the ground level retail space at 100 East Putnam Ave, which is the former site of Friendly’s, and more recently home to M&T Bank.
It seems Cos Cob is where trends come full circle.
Ms Alban referred to a proliferation of “hands-on” services, including Wellness Facilities and Medical Spas, but also yoga studios and crafting venues like Make Modern.
Pause will seek a change of use from one non-conforming use (bank use) to another (wellness studio) in the LBR-2 zone, per section 6-141 of the building zone regs.
According to their pre-application, “Our unique blend of products and services offers our customers the ability to hit ‘Pause’ in their hectic lives so they can allocate time for stress reduction, athletic recovery and overall health optimization…”
Pause is a franchise. It has 70 locations across the country including 5 in Los Angeles alone. They plan to open 6-10 locations this year and 20-30 locations next year.
In Cos Cob Pause proposes seven core services including cryogenic therapy, floatation therapy, vitamin infusion therapy, cold plunge/contrast therapy, sauna therapy, LED light therapy and compression therapy.
The application notes that since a portion of the program includes services under supervision of licensed medical professionals, they are not considered a personal services establishment, but rather a medical spa.
The floor plan includes 7 therapy rooms, 3 IV stations, lobby, retail area, and office space.
Front of 100 East Putnam Ave, was home to M&T Bank in 2019. Photo: Leslie Yager
Ms Alban explained why she was cautious.
“We have been getting complaints about a use that went in on the next block up. This type of class where everyone shows up and stays an hour or so,” Alban said. “We got a little uneasy with HotPhiit.”
HotPhiit is a group fitness center in Cos Cob Commons by CVS that was previously home to a dry cleaners.
“We recognize that this is the trend in applications, but we want to get ahead of it and accommodate them,” Alban said. “And we’ve made a couple mistakes in what we’ve approved because they’ve exceeded what they’ve been approved for.”
Mixed use development with some apartments including some workforce housing and commercial space at 100 East Putnam Ave in Cos Cob. Photo: Leslie Yager July 24, 2024
The Pause space would be on the ground floor of the mixed-use moderate income, “workforce housing,” development at 100 East Putnam Ave in Cos Cob that is nearing completion.
Approved under the town reg 6-110, the large building will contain 22 dwelling units, of which 5 are designated for moderate income tenants. Of course parking is a concern for P&Z.
There are 46 parking spots and 4 ADA spots. There are 22 spaces allocated to the residential units, leaving 24 available for commercial.
“The world is increasingly chaotic and we’re having physical and mental health crises across the country,” Pizzimbono told the P&Z commission on July 23, adding that the Pause services focus on health and longevity, “reducing effects of physical and mental stressors we see in daily life.”
“Most people leave after 30 minutes,” she said, adding that 75% to 80% of services are done within 30 minutes.
“A vitamin shot or cryotherapy chamber or a LED light bed are only 10 minutes,” she said.
All sessions are appointment based, with no walk-ins and no group sessions. Pause proposes to use 60% of the commercial space for the 7 treatment rooms and 3 IV stations.
P&Z is interested in the length of time for appointments, gaps between them and turnover of parking. Ms. Pizzimbono said all the therapies would be governed by a manager and nurse who is required for the IV treatments.
Mixed use development with some apartments including some workforce housing and commercial space at 100 East Putnam Ave in Cos Cob. Photo: Leslie Yager July 24, 2024
Mixed use development with some apartments including some workforce housing and commercial space at 100 East Putnam Ave in Cos Cob. Photo: Leslie Yager July 24, 2024
Sage + Sound
Other recent “hands-on” wellness facility applications include Soft Life in the retail strip shared with Old Greenwich Social Club, and Sage + Sound who propose to use space at 116-136 East Putnam Ave, between Freebird and Patsy’s Pizza, which has yet to open.
Sage + Sound’s application which is in the works, proposes a wellness facility with a small café, retail area and outdoor seasonal dining. The space is on two levels, formerly home to a carpet and rug distributor.
The café will require a special permit .
On June 11, Sage + Sound owner Lauren Zucker explained to her business model to the commission, noting services would include massages, facials, energy work, wellness products from skincare to body to things in the home and a small café for breakfast and lunch.
Zucker likened the retail space to a “mini Sephora.”
Downstairs they propose 5 treatment rooms and a facial suite, as well as a classroom for a maximum of 15 people for mindfulness classes, meditation, pilates, yoga, and seated sound classes.
When she mentioned she proposed a “head spa,” she had to explain that referred to a relaxing scalp treatment.
Zucker said Greenwich would be the second Sage + Sound location, joining the first wellness center at 84th and 3rd Ave in NYC.
The principal owner of property is Alyssa Keleshian, who assured the commission there was plenty of parking in the lot on the lower level. “We’re finding that people are moving away from traditional retail to doing more hands-on, experiential. That’s our take,” Alban explained to Ms Zucker.
The Soft Life
On May 14, the P&Z commission unanimously approved Kristen Updike’s business, The Soft Life at 146 Sound Beach Avenue, that she described as a longevity center.
The application required approval of a change of use from a retail bank to Medical Spa.
Services include sauna, cryotherapy, Red Light Therapy, EmSculpt, and Hyperbaric 1.5 ATA therapy, and Vitamin IV therapy.
“We know that retail is shifting and changing and that the kinds of ‘hands-on’ or syringe on service that this an indication yoga, pilates, Make Modern – are replacing bricks and mortar traditional retail because you can’t do those virtually,” Alban said during the May 14, 2024 meeting during the discussion about The Soft Life.
“Once upon a time, we had jillions of bank applications in Greenwich. Just tons. All over the place,” Alban added. “People got very uncomfortable,” she recalled. “We wrote a regulation that forbade bank uses on the ground floor.”
The bank use was non-conforming as banks are only permitted on upper floors in the LBR-2 zone.
See also:
P&Z Discussion of Proposed Additions to Chabad Center Focus on Parking
P&Z Approves 210-Seat Restaurant with Entrances via Pickwick Plaza and Greenwich Ave
More about 100 East Putnam Ave
Jan 7, 2020
March 13, 2020
P&Z Advances Application for Moderate Income, Mixed-Use Development at Former Friendly’s
May 6, 2020