This week Greenwich Planning & Zoning Commission discussed an application from TMEC Riverside, Inc to renovate and expand the two-family house at 114 Riverside Ave, reduce the parking non-conformity by adding ADA parking and meeting aisle widths requirements, and renovate the interior of the retail building without changes to its exterior other than painting and general maintenance.
The property is 112-114 Riverside Ave, with 112 being the former Ada’s Store – most recently home to Roost, which closed in the fall of 2023 – and 114 being the adjacent 2-family house, which dates back to 1950.
The property at 112-114 Riverside Ave, with 114 being a non-conforming two-family house and 112 being the former Ada’s store, originally the Riverside Post Office. Who was Ada? For decades Ada Cantavero ran a penny candy shop and sold newspapers to rail commuters in the store her parents had purchased in 1950. Dec 13, 2025 Photo: Leslie Yager
114 Riverside Ave is a non-conforming two-family house in the R12 zone. Dec 13, 2025 Photo: Leslie Yager
From applicant’s presentation to Greenwich P&Z.
114 Riverside Ave is a non-conforming two-family house in the R12 zone. Dec 13, 2025 Photo: Leslie Yager
The properties are across the street from the Riverside train station and the commissioners noted that with the new housing law, there would be other possible options for developing the property.
Engineer Tony D’Andrea represented the applicant.
P&Z chair Margarita Alban said the commission had wondered about what could be done with the site, considering the new state housing law that was passed over Thanksgiving.
“We’re going to be looking for where you can add some more density in town without it damaging the fabric of the town,” Alban said.
She also asked whether the applicant might be interested in a possible Historic Overlay for the Ada’s building.
Mr. D’Andrea said the plans were for a complete interior renovation of the two family house to improve its function as well as the aesthetics of the building overall.
Alban noted the two-family house is a non-conforming use in the R12 zone, a single family residential zone which requires larger lots, of about .28 acres.
“The commission may allow you to expand but given the magnitude of expansion, we had pause. If you were making a minor change it might have be easier,” Alban said. “This is a big expansion. I wonder if you would consider doing an HO because that gives you more flexibility for the expansion.”
The number of bedrooms in the building would not change and parking would become compliant with current regulations.
He said both the two-family house and building that housed Ada’s were built around 1900 and the only change was a small addition to the southeast corner of the residential building to enlarge a family room.
In 2014 the Romaniello family did an extensive renovation of the landmark building at 112 Riverside Ave, known simple as Ada’s. Ada Cantavero sold candy and newspapers in the building for 58 years, but its previous incarnations included time as a general store and, prior to that, service as the Riverside Post Office. The renovation included peeling away aluminum siding and asbestos shingles and asphalt shingles underneath.
Mr. D’Andrea said that while there was a proposed expansion of the two-family home’s footprint, it was mainly to add an attached garage. He noted that area was already paved and the result would be less non-conforming parking on site.
Today, he said, “Under existing conditions the parking on the site doesn’t meet aisle widths or location. There is no handicapped space designation.”
“It’s a very good point you’re raising, which is you are reducing another nonconformity on site by modifying parking on the site,” Alban said.
She suggested exploring other long-term residential uses for the site.
“This is an interesting residential site,” she said. “At some point when we move forward with this new state law, you could kick around with Patrick (LaRow) if there was some sort of possibility to do something within that state statute.”
“We’re going to be looking for where you can add some more density without it damaging the fabric of the town,” Alban added.
D’Andrea said the applicant was intending to improve the property for his own use and maintain the historic retail use next door.
As for the idea of an HO, Alban added, “People love the building, so if you were to preserve that, I think people would like that. You’d get a zoning bonus if it was an HO.”
D’Andrea said he would discuss the idea of a Historic Overlay with the applicant and his architect.
“We will definitely consider that,” he said.
The property at 112-114 Riverside Ave sold from RSDR LLC to CEMT Old Greenwich Inc on March 12, 2024 for $3,000,000.
From applicant’s presentation to Greenwich P&Z.
From applicant’s presentation to Greenwich P&Z.
See also:
P&Z Approves Bush Statue Located Close to Havemeyer Front Door
Six-Unit Residential Building Proposed to Replace 2-Family House in GB Zone
Up to the Minute Greenwich Property Transfers, Nov 20-21, 2025