Business

New Post Office To Open ‘Hopefully By Thanksgiving’; Gates ‘In the Coming Weeks’

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Planning officials on Tuesday night received updates on two of New Canaan’s most widely anticipated projects downtown: the Post Office and Gates. New Canaan’s Richard Carratu, developer of the Post Office, told members of the Planning & Zoning Commission at their regular meeting that he’s contractually required to “hand off” the building to the U.S. Postal Service at the end of August. “The plan is they take two to three months to do the interior—they want it open by Christmas—so hopefully they will have it open by Thanksgiving,” Carratu told P&Z at the meeting, held at Town Hall. Asked by P&Z Commission Chairman John Goodwin whether he has a “high confidence level” that he will meet that deadline, Carratu responded: “If I don’t I think the penalty is $550 a day, so we are highly motivated.”

The Post Office is taking shape opposite Joe’s Pizza on Locust Avenue, in what had been two separate buildings—the former Carpe Diem restaurant and (going way back) former Nicoletti’s Market. (Carratu, represented by his attorney Michael Sweeney of Stamford-based Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey LLP, was appearing before P&Z to request a small alteration to his site plan.)

P&Z during the same meeting unanimously approved outdoor signs for New Canaan Chicken—now open in the former Chicken Joe’s space on Elm Street—and Gates, which has been closed since last April and is undergoing an extensive renovation (sneak peek here).

Business

‘New Canaan Chicken’ To Open on Elm Street in Former Chicken Joe’s Space

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Great news here for fans of the recently closed Chicken Joe’s on Elm Street: The popular eatery is reopening under new ownership with a similar though expanded menu, as early as this Thursday. ‘New Canaan Chicken’ owner Pren Lleshdedaj said he’s excited to have hired three chefs from Chicken Joe’s to work the line while making plans to expand fresh offerings such as salads and even fresh made hamburgers from scratch. “I like this little town,” the Norwalk resident said Tuesday morning as his crew hustled to prepare the space at 151 Elm St. for launch. “I am glad that I am starting something in New Canaan and I hope that it will go well.”

A Croatia native who had owned his own restaurant in Kosovo, Lleshdedaj moved to the United States in 2002 with his wife and their children, and he’s worked in the food business here, recently managing Bronx restaurant Frankie & Johnnie’s.