The building at 267 Greenwich Ave, formerly the longtime home to Fred D Knapp Funeral Home, is undergoing changes inside and out.
The applicant received approval in 2024 for a change of use to retail and a facade change to restore the building to its original appearance.
The building was constructed in 1904 for the funeral home business and the Knapp family. the P&Z chair Margarita Alban had urged the applicant to preserve the Gothic details, but architect Rudy Ridberg had explained that those details had been added in the 1930s and were fragile and hard to maintain.
Based on the 2024 approval, there will be retail spaces on the ground floor and basement, one accessed from Greenwich Ave and one accessed from the municipal lot at the rear.
267 Greenwich Ave, where an approved restoration includes the removal of Gothic features. After an interior renovation, the building will have a total of five apartments. October 21, 2205 Photo: Leslie Yager
267 Greenwich Ave, where an approved restoration includes the removal of Gothic features. October 21, 2025 Photo: Leslie Yager
In the more recent approval, Planning & Zoning approved an interior renovation to convert the existing second floor office to residential use for three 2-bedroom apartments.
Mr. Ridberg said he had worked on this building for almost 30 years and recalled the second floor was the casket room and third floor was where the Knapp family resided.
The existing third floor, which has two exits, includes an two apartments that would be retained.
The applicant was 267 Greenwich Avenue Associates LLC. the property is .105 acres in the CGBR and CGIO zones. The building runs property line to property line so there are no parking requirements.
There are two existing staircases, one for access to the rear apartment and one for the middle and front apartments.
The building has an elevator that was added 10 years ago. It goes to the second floor. All apartments have existing windows for light and ventilation.
No additional changes to the exterior of the building will occur beyond what was already approved by the Commission.
Apartments are a permitted use in the CGBR zone and are encouraged by the use regulations.
During the early October P&Z meeting, commissioner Mary Jenkins asked if one of the apartments could be made available for middle income level tenants.
“It’s great we’re seeing more residential and less office in this location,” she said. “It would be wonderful if one of the units could be made available for middle income level people.”
Attorney for the applicant Michael Thomason described the existing apartments as relatively small and might already be affordable.
“The market already will address some of those concerns,” he said. “This isn’t a 3,000sq ft apartment with a water view.”
Jenkins said it would be appreciated if one of the units could count toward Greenwich’s 10% affordability requirement from the state.
The application was approved unanimously 5-0.
Knapp building, Feb 21, 2024 Photo: Leslie Yager
From the National Park Service gallery of the Greenwich Avenue Historic District
From the application file, an undated historic photo of 267 Greenwich Ave in its original use as retail space.