Norwalk Inn Breaks Ground on Phase One of Expansion Project

Nicole Rivard
Stamford Advocate
September 1, 2011

Contrary to many predictions, the historic Grumman-St. John House withstood Hurricane Irene's fury over the weekend. But it's not the first time the landmark building had beaten the odds, and on Tuesday afternoon the community turned out to commemorate its continued endurance.

Located at 93 East Avenue, it was one of the few buildings to survive the burning of Norwalk by the British Army in 1779 and has long been among the oldest structures in the city. It was first listed on the National Register of Historic places in 1986.

From 2001 to 2009, however, the Grumman-St. John House was subject to political and legal wrangling between the Norwalk Inn’s owners and local preservationists. The hotel, which bought the neighboring property in 2000, had pushed for plans to demolish the home in order to expand its existing facility.
 
Last year State Senator Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) and State Representative Larry Cafero (R-Norwalk) helped work out a compromise plan, one that called for both a multi-million dollar hotel expansion and the Grumman-St. John House’s continued existence. The agreement was approved by representatives from the hotel, preservationists, and area neighbors before being ratified by City Hall.
                                 
On Tuesday hotel management, neighbors, and community leaders all turned out for a groundbreaking event that marked the official beginning of the expansion / preservation project.

At the event State Representative Cafero said that "we can't believe we are here. This is a thrill. As Bob and I have said many times-  this was quite a challenge. We didn't always enjoy it, but it was so rewarding." He explained that dozens of participants met over a 13-month period to work out plan details. "They said that we could never do it, but all of us made it happen."

Tod Bryant, president of the Norwalk Preservation Trust, also spoke at the groundbreaking. "I cannot tell you how emotional this moment is for me. There was a years-long struggle that went from people being adversaries to groups working together and understanding each other's points of view." He added, "it's a powerful thing, the idea that our city's past can get so many people working toward a single goal. This home will remind us not only of our history, but of the process that got us here."
 
In addition to State Senator Duff and State Representative Cafero, Bryant singled out Norwalk Mayor Richard Moccia and Common Council member Nicholas Kydes for praise.

                
In addressing a crowd of more than 50 near East Avenue, Mayor Moccia stated that "it goes to show what can happen when people with different points of view sit down and coordinate. I know Nick Kydes originally asked to bring people together, and then Senator Duff and Representative Cafero took the bull by the horns." He added with a laugh, "maybe these guys can go down to Washington and figure out what they are doing wrong because they did it right!"
 
The mayor went on to say that "on a personal note, I am so happy for (Inn co-owners) Chris Handrinos and George Katsaros. I knew them on a personal level before I became mayor. I know that there are no better business people in this community, and once everything is done this will be a jewel for the visitors and residents of our hometown."
 
Phase One of the project, which involves landscaping, will take place over the next few months. Advocates believe that the introduction of dozens of new trees, shrubs, and fences along the property lines will improve a neighborhood which involves more than 60 Norwalk families living on Morgan Avenue, Colonial Place, and Buckingham Place. Extensive renovations to the Grumman-St. John building are scheduled to begin early next year.
 
State Senator Duff said that "when this is all done the neighbors are going to have beautiful landscaping, the Grumman-St. John House will be restored to its original beauty, and, because the Norwalk Inn will be able to serve more guests, it will create jobs and pay more taxes to the city," Duff said. "It's a win-win-win.”
 
"We didn't do this because it was in our job descriptions as a State Senator or State Rep. We did this because it's for Norwalk. It can improve Norwalk."
 

 

New Landscaping Will Come First, Followed by Grumman-St. John House Restoration and Norwalk Inn Expansion

Robert Koch
The (Norwalk) Hour
August 30, 2011

Expansion of The Norwalk Inn & Conference Center and the restoration of the adjacent Grumman-St. John House-  projects once deemed incompatible-  got under way on Tuesday with a ceremonial groundbreaking attended by nearly 100 hotel representatives, area neighbors, and community leaders.

Starting in 2001 the Norwalk Inn's owners had sought to expand its hotel facility by razing the historic building at 93 East Avenue. The Norwalk Preservation Trust opposed the move and years of legal battles ensued before State Senator Bob Duff (D-25) and State Representative Lawrence F. Cafero Jr. (R-142) helped craft a compromise agreement last year. As a result, a three-phase plan now calls for the addition of new landscaping between the Inn and its neighbors, the restoration of the Grumman-St. John House, and the addition of a third story to the hotel.

State Senator Duff was in attendance at the groundbreaking that officially kicked off the expansion / renovation project. In speaking to the upbeat crowd along East Avenue, he made reference to a future with an improved neighborhood, a more beautiful Grumman-St. John landmark, and a hotel capable of adding new city jobs and tax revenues. State Senator Duff dubbed the plan " a win-win-win."

State Representative Cafero, who was also in attendance at the groundbreaking, stated that "the [negotiation] process was tough. There were times we didn't enjoy it, but it was so rewarding. Today is really the icing on the cake."

At the event Norwalk Mayor Richard A. Moccia made light of the years of extended wrangling that proceeded the new plan. "I said that we would probably have a hurricane hit before [an agreement] would ever happen!," referring to this weekend’s tropical storm. "But it's a great day and it goes to show what can happen when people of different points of view sit down and coordinate."

Tod Bryant, who lives on nearby Morgan Avenue, fought for years to save the Grumman-St. John House, which dates back to the Revolutionary War era. Bryant said that "this was a struggle that went from people being pitched adversaries to groups working together. Many thanks to Bob and Larry and the neighbors and the mayor and everybody else."


                   

Rep. Cafero, Sen. Duff & Leadership that Works

The (Norwalk, CT) Hour editorial
October 26, 2010

As many Norwalkers know, our hometown had long been afflicted with a business-activist standoff that has hurt not only the parties involved, but our entire city. However, with the help of two key leaders, a situation that engendered so much past confrontation & frustration can transition into a future based on compromise & coordination.

In many ways the problem dates back to 2001, when the owners of the Norwalk Inn bought an adjoining property at 93 East Avenue. In order to allow for a new hotel wing the Inn planned to demolish a worn-out building sometimes known as the 'Grumman / St. John House', but the plan was immediately opposed by a group called the Norwalk Preservation Trust (NPT), which argued that the house was an important part of the city's historic legacy.

By 2009 the Norwalk Inn / NPT disputes had dragged on through no less than eight years of bureaucratic wrangling and court battles, thereby producing a legal limbo that was a detriment to both sides;  with the house falling into a state of terrible disrepair, the hotel couldn't make any money off its investment, any more than the NPT could see any improvement work.

The ongoing debacle affected all of Norwalk. One of the most visible houses in our hometown, standing on our most busy street, was a civic embarrassment widely known as 'the East Avenue Eyesore'. And in the last couple of years, when our city economy has needed investment more than ever, some of our most prominent businessmen were spending money on nothing but go-nowhere lawsuits.

It was a terrible situation that cried out for a better way. Thankfully, we found it. With the prompting of Councilman Nick Kydes and Democratic leader Bobby Burgess, we gained the assistance of State Representative Larry Cafero and State Senator Bob Duff.

Starting in August of last year Representative Cafero and Senator Duff volunteered to mediate a new negotiation process between the Norwalk Inn and NPT, a process that would entail far less suing and far more talking. In dozens of meetings over the following year, the two politicos communicated with both sides, clarifying the issues, identifying areas of common ground, pointing out realistic compromises, and setting out step-by-step follow-through.

The parties eventually formulated a detailed plan that can deliver a landmark renovation project for 93 East Avenue while providing an alternative means for the Norwalk Inn expansion. When the plan was recently ratified by the City Hall, we all moved from a 'lose-lose' scenario to a 'win-win'.

For the Grumman St. John-House, the new plan calls for a first-rate rehabilitation and beautification. The hotel envisions a time when the building will feature extended-stay hotel suites, thereby acting as both a historical landmark for the city and a strong asset for the owners;  both architectural and business purposes win when we have new gateway to the Town Green.

Just as important, the Cafero-Duff plan allows for the Norwalk Inn's five-million dollar investment in first-class infrastructure and service.

We expect the Norwalk Inn's new expansion to create dozens of new jobs and to draw approximately 7,000-8,000 new guests per year. These visitors can represent a much-needed 'shot in the arm' to the local economy by delivering new partnerships with local businesses, new customers for local attractions, and new tax revenues for the city's coffers.

Pretty good news, all in all, but almost as remarkable was the negotiation process that got it started.

Think about the context for Representative Cafero and Senator Duff. From the start, they contributed their services without publicity and without pay. They had no personal stake in the eventual outcome. As veterans of two rival political parties, they knew that any compromise solution could risk alienating their own supporters. Surely they had more enjoyable things to do than listen to the squabbles of two bitter antagonists.

And yet, over the many months, they showed up in the early morning hours, selflessly giving up the time and energy they could've otherwise devoted to their own schedules. In the end they succeeded where many others refused to even try.

As far as I am concerned, Representive Cafero and Senator Duff's role in the Norwalk Inn-NPT negotiations was an example of public service at its finest. In an era when too many office-holders choose to take posture and play politics, these two chose to roll up their sleeves, tackle a tough issue, and produce some real results. 

That's leadership that works. Norwalk can be a better place because of it, and if we had more of that spirit it in Hartford and Washington, our state and nation would be better off, too.

Norwalk Inn Will Expand Into Grumman-St. John House

Tom Evans
The (Norwalk, CT) Hour
August 12, 2010

Calling it a "win-win" situation, local and state officials applauded a compromise agreement between the owners of the Norwalk Inn & Conference Center and preservationists over the future of the Grumman-St. John House.

During a Thursday press conference Attorney General Richard Blumenthal put the final signature on the settlement
agreement between the Inn and the Norwalk Preservation Trust, thus halting a four-year lawsuit intended to prevent the razing of the Grumman-St. John House.

That agreement will allow the Inn-  which owns the dilapidated Grumman-St. John House at 93 East Avenue-  to renovate the building that has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1986, provided the proposed improvements make it through the city's zoning process.

Zoning approvals will allow the Inn to restore the house to its Revolutionary War-era grandeur and convert it into seven or eight extended-stay, suite-type rooms. They would also give permission for the Inn to expand to add up to 40 more rooms, and provide visual buffering around the Inn from neighbors on surrounding streets.

State Rep. Larry Cafero (R-142) and State Sen. Bob Duff (D-25) spearheaded the compromise that ended nearly a decade of squabbling.

"Today is an exciting day in Norwalk," said Cafero. "A year ago almost to the day, Bob Duff and I agreed that East Avenue had a black mark on it (with the rundown house), and its use was subject to a lawsuit. Bob and I thought we'd give a try to bring the parties together. We found common ground, and this is a win-win-win for everybody. We structured a solution to the problem that is acceptable to the owners of the Inn, the Norwalk Preservation Trust, and- most importantly- the neighbors."

Duff bristled at the idea that he and Cafero had to bury some perceived hatchet to help reach this compromise. "We are not political rivals," Duff said. "We are Norwalk natives, born and raised here. We love this community. There was a black mark on the city for 10 years, and we worked together to find a solution."

Inn managers Chris Handrinos and George Katsaros were happy with the outcome.

"Representative Cafero and Senator Duff helped find a solution to this problem," Handrinos said with Katsaros next to him at the podium. "In dozens of meetings, they worked to clarify the issues, identify areas of common ground, point out possible compromises, and set out step-by-step plans. In time, we formulated a plan that can deliver sorely needed economic growth and a landmark renovation project, not to mention a significant neighborhood improvement plan."

Handrinos and Katsaros filed their zoning application on Thursday. Duff said a public hearing before the Zoning Commission on the project would likely occur in October or November.

Zoning Panel to Review East Ave. Plans

Robert Koch
The (Norwalk, CT) Hour
August 22, 2010

A plan allowing The Norwalk Inn & Conference Center to expand and the nearby Grumman St. John-House to be restored to it original grandeur will get it first official vetting next month.

On Sept. 2, the Zoning Commission's Plan Review Committee will begin its review of the site plan, which calls for adding a third floor to the Inn at 99 East Ave., and restoring the Grumman-St. John House at 93 East Ave.

"Everybody gets something out of this. What we get is the Grumman-St. John House rehabilitated to the Secretary of the Interior's standards, so the house will once again be the gateway to the (Norwalk Town) Green," said Tod Bryant, Norwalk Preservation Trust president. And the Inn "always wanted a third story, so this is what they get, which is a huge increase in value to their property."

The site plan represents the end of months of negotiations between the Inn and Preservation Trust, which had been locked in a legal battle for years over the fate of the Grumman-St. John House.

The house has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1986 as part of the Norwalk Green Historic District
and, according to preservationists, its core dates back to the Revolutionary War era.

Peter Handrinos, Inn spokesman and son of hotel co-owner Chris Handrinos, said the legal battle prevented the Inn from updating its property. He said the Inn, while modern and attractive inside, remains dated in appearance on the outside.
"Right now the hotel exterior doesn't look significantly different than it did when it was opened in 1955," Handrinos said. "In the future we're going to completely change that. Among many other things, we're going to add a whole new facade. It's going to be something beautiful and, hopefully, it will be recognized as the finest independent hotel in New England.

Handrinos said the plans call for stucco facing, new windows, cast-iron ornamentation, a Mansard roof and other new architectural features.

Under the expansion, the Inn will add a third story above all three wings, adding 37 rooms to the existing 72-room structure. The third level will feature a Mansard roof and dormer-style windows. The rear parking lot will be reconfigured. Extensive landscaping will be added between the property and abutting residential properties on Morgan Avenue, Colonial Place and Buckingham Place, according to plans drawn by Jozsef Solta Architects of New Canaan.

The Grumman-St. John House, meanwhile, would be rehabilitated and house seven extended-stay suites for guests of the Inn. Handrinos envisions corporate executives or house-hunting couples staying several weeks or months in the rooms. He noted that the restored house will be "one of the more significant historical restorations Connecticut has ever seen."

To advance, the larger plan requires a zoning change. The front portion of the Inn property lies within the East Avenue Village District but the rear portion of the property, upon which the Inn itself sits, lies in a B Residence Zone. The proposed re-zoning would extend the village district zone eastward to include the Inn.

In a related matter, zoning regulations for the village district would be modified to permit a hotel or inn that is "up to three stories and 35 feet in height when located on a parcel of three acres or more."

Handrinos said the entire development plan- expanding the inn, restoring the Grumman-St. John House, adding landscaping and improving the parking lot- will be a "multi-million dollar project."

Bryant said the Preservation Trust will pay for a third-party review of the restoration plan for the exterior of the Grumman-St. John House to ensure the restoration conforms with the Secretary of the Interior's standards.

For years, Inn owners Chris Handrinos and George Katsaros sought to raze the Grumman-St. John house to build a
40-room expansion to their business. The Preservation Trust sued the Inn owners to prevent demolition of the house. State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal later joined the lawsuit on the side of the Preservation Trust.

At a news conference on August 12, Blumenthal put the final signature on the settlement agreement between the Inn and the Preservation Trust, halting a four-year lawsuit intended to prevent the razing of the Grumman-St. John House.

State House Republican Leader Lawrence F. Cafero Jr. and State Senator Bob Duff spearheaded the compromise that ended nearly a decade of squabbling.

Connecticut Inn Agrees To Restore 1780's House

Margaret Foster
Preservationist Magazine
September 2, 2010

A long-neglected house in Norwalk, CT, will be restored, thanks to a settlement agreement signed last month.

The Norwalk Inn & Conference Center, which has owned the adjacent circa-1780 Grumman-St. John House since 2001, applied for a demolition permit in 2006, hoping to expand its hotel property, but a state judge granted a temporary injunction against demolition in 2007.

After years of litigation, the Inn agreed to a settlement and committed to restore the structure, part of the city’s National Register-listed Norwalk Green Historic District. Locals have been concerned about the run-down house's condition for
almost a decade, says Tod Bryant, president of the Norwalk Preservation Trust, which filed a lawsuit under the state environmental protection act four years ago.




The Legal Battle

The lawsuit leading to the settlement was brought to enforce Connecticut’s strong preservation law, which requires adopting "feasible and prudent" alternatives to avoid harming historic properties. But the litigation was not for the faint of heart. The case required nine grueling days of testimony over the holidays in 2006 and 2007, then a one-year wait before the injunction was issued, followed by a series of later hearings to enforce compliance with the court's order. The Connecticut Attorney General intervened on behalf of the State Historic Preservation Office, and the National Trust and the Connecticut Trust filed an amicus brief. "It was a tremendous team effort, and the role of the attorney general's office was especially heroic in getting to this point," said Elizabeth Merritt, the trust's deputy general counsel. "We are delighted by this outcome."

"I was excited and relieved at the same time," said Bryant of the August 12 settlement. "There were so many other people in Norwalk and around the state who were interested and who stepped up to this battle."

Two of those people- a state senator and a state representative- were particularly influential in crafting a compromise. In the past year Sen. Bob Duff and Rep. Lawrence Cafero met with Inn officials to discuss alternatives to demolition.
   

 

"This was truly a situation where, by getting everyone to sit down together, we were able to work out a plan that was beneficial to everyone involved," Senator Duff said in a statement.

Under the agreement, the Norwalk Inn will be able to add a third floor and 37 rooms (a solution that required special zoning approvals) and the Grumman-St. John house will be restored as extended-stay hotel rooms.

Restoration should begin next year, after zoning approvals are granted, said hotel spokesman Peter Handrinos. "We want to go on with our lives. We felt it was a pretty good compromise, one that allows most everyone to get a better deal. The status quo didn't work for anybody."

Samuel Grumman built the post-and-beam house during the Revolutionary War. The British burned most of it down in 1779 but it was rebuilt during the 1780's.

"The agreement saves the house and improves the look of the Inn itself," Bryant says. "The entire neighborhood is going to be the beneficiary."