P&Z Vote Anticipated for 210-Seat Restaurant with Free Parking in Pickwick Plaza Garage

After several P&Z meetings, a new 210-seat  restaurant at the top of Greenwich Avenue – 3 Pickwick Plaza to be precise – hangs in the balance.

This week, 4 of the 5 commissioners seated for the application seemed to be leaning toward approval with a list of conditions.

Over the course of several meetings, the commissioners had concerns about whether patrons would take advantage of free parking in a lower level of the parking garage at Pickwick Plaza.

Attorney for the applicant John Tesei said there were hundreds of unused spaces available.

Patrons would enter the garage from East Putnam Avenue, follow signage to the lower level, and take an elevator up to the restaurant.

There will also be a valet attendant. Both self-parking and valet parking will be free of charge.

The restaurant will also have an entrance on Greenwich Ave.

A 210 seat restaurant is large for Greenwich Avenue. For example, Ginger Man has 150 seats. Miku Sushi has about 50 seats.  The Cottage has about 60 seats.

In August of 2022, the P&Z commission approved an application for Kyma Greenwich, with 200 seats at the corner of Lewis Street and Liberty Way.

The application had been controversial for its size and was even referred to as an ocean liner in the harbor by one commissioner.

The commission was concerned a restaurant that size could hurt other nearby businesses who also rely on parking spots in the municipal lots behind the Avenue. The restaurant, which is under construction today, was approved after the applicant reduced the seating from about 247 to 200, and secured an arrangement with an office building at 67 Mason Street to lease 25 surface parking spots in the evening.

As for the Pickwick Plaza restaurant, prior to Tuesday’s P&Z meeting the commissioners did a site visit in June that seemed to allay many concerns.

On Tuesday, attorney Tesei shared photos of the parking garage with hand written notes for parking signage to direct patrons to the free parking, then to the elevator to take them up to the restaurant.

He said the booth at the entrance to the parking garage would always be manned and that  there would not be a ticket program, which would prevent potential queuing.

He acknowledged the signage could be bigger, and said his client would be willing to take advice from P&Z staff on the matter.

Tesei shared a mocked up website with the restaurant name “ZenSai,” which he noted was a placeholder name, not the actual name of the proposed restaurant.

There were no specifics on what type of restaurant is in the works, but there is an oyster bar included in the drawings.

 

Signage would indicate that all spaces would be available after 5:00pm, as well as all day Saturday, Sundays and holidays. During the weekdays the spots closest to the elevator are reserved for office employees.

Commissioner Dennis Yeskey worried that a map proposed to be on the restaurant website might encourage patrons to drive around the block to look for on street parking or to drop people off on Greenwich Ave.

“What I’m trying to do is prevent traffic congestion at the top of the Ave,” Yeskey said.

Also, Mr. Yeskey said that parking information should be sent to invitees of special events.

Attorney Tesei said he agreed with Mr. Yeskey’s suggestions.

 

Commissioner Levy asked whether patrons could enter the garage from Mason Street.

Tesei said that entrance was used by office employees, and that to add a second entrance would require double security.

Tesei said the client was willing to provide one valet parking attendant on weekends, holidays and evenings beginning at 5pm, possibly two attendants during special events.

Ms Alban said it might make sense to also have a valet at lunch time for six months as people get used to using the parking garage, especially since at lunch time the spots closest to the elevator are reserved for office workers.

“We know that this population is not used to parking in garages,” she said.

Mr. Tesei said his client was an experienced restaurateur and would absolutely not agree to that.

Alban said the commission was experienced as well.

“Second, at night, you can park anywhere, but the guard – you might just drive by him. Would it be possible to have a valet from 7-9 on evenings on weekends for 6 months, or less, just when it opens, to get people used to parking there?” Alban asked.

“How about three months?” Tesei asked.

“I think 3 months is fine,” commissioner Peter Lowe said.

Commissioner Mary Jenkins agreed 3 months would be fine.

Ms Alban said the commission was required per regulations section 6-15 and 6-17 to protect surrounding businesses.

“We need to get those people into the garage,” she said.

“We have to think of all the businesses. We don’t want to impact someone else,” she said. “For events, people arrive at the same time. Maybe for the first year you have a valet for events at lunch time?”

Tesei agreed to a valet attendant at lunch time for special events and a limit to 100 people at special events.

There was some back and forth about whether the plan for seasonal outdoor dining should be presented to the commission before next spring or done through staff.

Alban said by law the commission is allowed to elevate to itself anything that would otherwise be handled administratively.

Mr. Tesei balked.

“If you don’t approve it with the outdoor dining tonight, then we don’t have a restaurant. The restaurateur will walk away, and we don’t have a restaurant,” he said.

Mr. Macri objected to the way the conversation had become a negotiation with the applicant’s attorney rather than a discussion among the commissioners.

The commission closed the application.

Hours later, at the end of the very long meeting, around 11:00pm, Mr. Macri offered a motion to deny.

He said the applicant had not been forthcoming with adequate details on the parking signage or website details, and worried it would not be “intuitive” for patrons to park off Greenwich Ave in a garage.

Arn Welles said that site visit had answered his own questions.

“I think this is an empty space and we want to encourage a healthy Greenwich Avenue,” Welles said. “To expect a full blown website with every detail on it is expensive prior to approval.”

“This is an office building, so during the weekend, it’s dead. There’s no one there. It’s empty space. Get a restaurant in there and there will be more life to it,” Welles added.

Mr. Yeskey said he had no problem with conditioning the applicant to provide further specifics on signage and details about the valet service.

He also said the restaurant operator had two other restaurants on Greenwich Avenue and it would be in his self-interest for patrons to use the garage.

“I think we’re there,” Yeskey said.

“This building is the second highest taxpayer in Greenwich,” Ms Alban said. “It has a taxable value of $150 million, and that’s just the taxable basis, I’m sure it’s worth a lot more. For it to have vacant space is a negative for the town because it’s a source of revenue for us.”

“Weigh that against the impact if this thing goes sideways for the top of Greenwich Avenue, which now effects everybody down below on Greenwich Avenue,” Macri said.

“There is nothing we can ask for that they can give us that will protect us from disaster,” he added.

Peter Levy suggested adding garage lighting and striping.

“A wayfinding program that staff would review,” Alban said. “If you can get people to make a habit of parking in that garage, it would be fantastic.”

“It’s not intuitive to go into a garage, and down two levels to get to a restaurant which is on the street,” Macri said.

The motion to deny failed:

Macri, yes.
Welles, no. Yeskey, no. Levy, no.  Alban, no.

Since the item was closed, commissioners were asked to funnel suggestions on conditions of approval to town planner Patrick LaRow.

LaRow said he’d collect all the comments and make a list of items to prepare the commission for a vote on a revised motion at the next meeting, which is July 23.

See also:

P&Z Watch: Is 92-Unit 8-30g “The Missing Tooth” in the Fabric of Downtown Greenwich?