News

Police: 32-Year-Old Man Arrested Following Sunday Break-In at New Canaan Historical Society

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Police on Sunday night arrested a 32-year-old Orlando, Fla. man in connection with a break-in at the New Canaan Historical Society. At about 6:27 p.m. on March 25, officers were dispatched to the God’s Acre organization’s campus on a report that someone had just broken into a building, police said. There, officers found the man walking down Main Street holding an umbrella, rock and stick, according to a police report. The witness identified him as the person seen leaving the Historical Society, the report said.

Around Town

Did You Hear … ?

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An estimated 1,000 New Canaan High School students joined in a nationwide, 17-minute “walkout” Wednesday to rally for what organizers call “federal gun reform legislation” following last month’s mass school shooting in Florida. Principal Bill Egan in a letter addressed to the ‘NCHS Family’ said that “every school district in the area allowed students to have their voice during this time.” His letter continued: “Our students honored the lives of people lost to gun violence and showed solidarity with students in Parkland, Florida. Our students’ efforts focused on their desire to keep schools safe in New Canaan and around the country.”

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The 1836-built Greek Revival at 63 Park St.—formerly the home of famed Scribners editor Maxwell Perkins (Hemingway, Wolfe, Fitzgerald)—is back on the market at about $2.9 million. Its owner since 1973 last summer had applied for a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals in order to gain more flexibility in the stately house’s home-office use, but after two continuances that application did not come before the ZBA again. Instead, the Planning & Zoning Commission in August voted in favor of a Special Permit for the same.

Government

Town Imposes 90-Day Demolition Delay on Antique Valley Road House

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Saying that buying some time prior to a planned demolition could help the owner of an antique and conspicuous Valley Road home find a way to transfer the structure to preservationists or otherwise avoid the wrecking ball, officials voted unanimously last week to impose a 90-day demolition delay. Representatives of the owner of 1124 Valley Road, Norwalk’s first taxing district, are not fighting against that delay, members of the Historical Review Committee said at their March 1 meeting. It would be interesting for the public at large “to know the purpose of the use” of the 18th Century home, committee member Laszlo Papp—formerly a neighbor of the house, for 54 years—said the meeting, held in the Town House of the New Canaan Historical Society. “Is there going to be open space attached to the land the water company has or do they intend to build a McMansion there or exactly what is the future?” Papp said. He added: “During the period of the delay, I think, all political pressure should be borne to Norwalk to influence that [trustee].

Around Town

Did You Hear … ?

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Something must’ve happened out front of the 1850-built commercial building on the corner of Main Street and East Avenue, home to a gift shop, swimwear store and tailor. The town on Wednesday received a Freedom of Information Act request from a Stamford-based law firm for all New Canaan Police Department incident reports this month concerning snow or ice at 102 Main St., including abutting sidewalks. The request, from Wofsey, Rosen, Kweskin & Kuriansky, also seeks info on falls, complaints, fines, blight citations, 911 calls and building permit applications related to gutters, downspouts, roofs or sidewalks there. ***

Now that we’re in budget season, here’s a look at what the highest elected official is paid in New Canaan and nearby towns:

 

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The developer who earned high praise recently from historic preservationists for his design of a new house on Forest Street said throughout the process that it was important to him to be respectful of the neighborhood’s history. In fact, Tom Sturges is the great-grandson of Imogene Seymour, who had been curator for the New Canaan Historical Society from 1959 to 1968.

Around Town

Eight Photos of Downtown New Canaan in the 1950s

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This week, we’ve featured photo galleries of downtown New Canaan from eras gone by, the 1970s and the ’60s. We reach back one more time today, to share photos of the downtown from the 1950s. Most of these are courtesy of the terrific New Canaan Historical Society. Enjoy.