Business

Wine Shop ‘The Red Grape’ Moving into New Space at Forest and Locust

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The Red Grape, a wine and spirits shop that’s been located for more than a decade on Burtis Avenue, is moving into a new commercial space downtown. The business is getting ready to move into a “brand new state-of-the-art” space at 42 Forest St., owner Ravi Punjabi told NewCanaanite.com. 

The street-level retail space is part of the townhouse mixed-use development on the corner of Forest Street and Locust Avenue. 

Punjabi through a limited liability company purchased the new retail space last month. It wasn’t immediately clear when The Red Grape would make the move. Asked about it, Punjabi said only that “more exciting news” will follow in two weeks. During the Jan.

News

Police: Security Cameras at Waveny Working, But Not Helping in Current Investigation

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All security cameras at Waveny’s motor vehicle entrances are now functioning, police say, though images captured did not help with recent smash-and-grabs in the park. “The cameras at Waveny work—let’s just put that out there,” Deputy Chief John DiFederico told members of the Board of Selectmen at their regular meeting Tuesday, held in Town Hall. “They are working. They are cameras and they take pictures of a static location and they assist us, but they don’t solve every crime. So they are working.

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Traffic Engineer Recommends Safety Improvements around Sharp Curve on Route 106

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The town and state could improve safety at a sharp curve on Old Stamford Road/Route 106 by installing roadside radar speed signs and “rumble strips” along the double-yellow centerline, according to a traffic engineer hired to review the area. The town also should paint hatched pavement lines in the wide paved shoulder of the curve near 93 Old Stamford Road, according to Michael Galante, director of traffic at Norwalk-based Hardesty & Hanover. “This section of Old Stamford Road is not illuminated with street lights and, therefore, further reduces the visibility of a motorist traveling through this curve,” Gallante added in a Nov. 8 report obtained by NewCanaanite.com through a public records request. 

“The accident study indicated that 67 percent of the accents occurred at night, as well as all three fixed object accidents occurred at night. Therefore, it is recommended that the Town work with the Utility Company to install light fixtures on existing poles, located on the easterly side of Old Stamford Road, north of Old Studio Road (northerly intersection) and the vicinity of the [Bristow] Park.”

The recommendations come as town officials say they’re working on a plan to improve safety at a dangerous curve on state Route 106 where serious crashes involving teenage drivers occurred in September. 

The town hired Gallante to review the area of the sharp curve between the northern intersection of 106 and Old Studio Road and Bristow Bird Sanctuary—to see “if any improvements can be made,” according to New Canaan Police Deputy Chief John DiFederico.

Billy MacLeod

‘Something Is Not Adding Up’: Owner of New Canaan Valet Seeks Clear Answer on Forest Street Proposal

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The Police Commission at its most recent meeting put off a yes-or-no vote on a proposal from a New Canaan business owner seeking to operate a valet stand on Forest Street on weekend nights for a trial run, saying there could be legal reasons for denying the request. 

Commission Chair Paul Foley during the appointed body’s Oct. 20 meeting that he’s uncomfortable with the idea of “giving up public parking spaces to a private company.”

“I can’t go along with this, because I cannot give up public parking spaces on our street to a private business,” Foley said during the meeting, held at police headquarters and via videoconference. “I think it works great at a Roger Sherman Inn. I think it works great at a private party, and I think it works great in a parking lot where you have a restaurant and a private parking lot, if you will, at a mall or something where you pull up, you get out of your car and they valet your car. Or you pull up to a hotel, they valet your car.

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Consultant To Study Traffic at Main and Cherry 

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Police say they’re working toward solving a longstanding traffic problem in downtown New Canaan. The town has hired a traffic engineer to find a way to keep vehicles moving at Cherry and Main Streets, where motorists seeking to turn left often are held up for multiple light cycles, according to New Canaan Police Deputy Chief John DiFederico. 

“If you travel through during the daytime, if you’re on Cherry Street turning left in either direction onto Main Street, it’s quite likely you’ll get caught in several cycles of the light,” DiFederico told members of the Police Commission during their regular meeting, held Oct. 20 at NCPD headquarters and via videoconference. 

“And so the timing is off. There’s no quick resolution because a lot of that traffic delay is due to pedestrian traffic. Someone comes along, pushes the button, it goes four-way red and then traffic backs up.