At 155 Taconic, Existing 1890 House Proposed to Become ADU, Subordinate to New Construction

A new special permit application has been submitted to the Greenwich Planning & Zoning commission to convert and renovate an existing historic residence at 155 Taconic Road for use as an Accessory Dwelling Unit subordinate to a proposed new principal residence to be constructed on the same lot.

The existing house dates to 1850. It sold for $5,000,000 back on July 11, 2022. The owners are Pablo Cagnoni and Lesley Hathaway.

Existing house at 155 Taconic Road. Photo from applicant file.

The existing house, described in the project narrative as a substantial and architecturally distinguished older home, would be comprehensively renovated and repurposed as a guest house ADU while retaining its historic character and exterior architectural integrity.

The existing house is a is of classical Georgian or Federal inspiration, featuring a mansard-influenced roofline with prominent dormers, symmetrically composed facades, multi-pane double-hung windows with shutters, and a formal entry portico.

The proposed conversion retains the existing building footprint and exterior massing while updating the interior to function as a self-contained accessory dwelling.

The narrative says the overall program for the ADU is appropriately scaled for use as a guest house or accessory dwelling and is clearly subordinate in size and function to the proposed new principal residence, which would be designed in a complementary traditional New England style, sited separately on the lot.

Both structures would share the lot at 155 Taconic Road under single ownership.

The proposed scope of work for the house to become an ADU would be limited to interior renovation with no significant alteration to the exterior character-defining features.

Per the project narrative, “The retention and adaptive reuse of this historic structure as an ADU is consistent with the residential character of the neighborhood and represents a sensitive approach to preserving an existing building of architectural significance while allowing for the orderly development of the property with a new principal dwelling.”