Westportlooksto turn perfumer's estate into affordable housing
Jul. 27—Though in the early stages, the plan is to adaptively re-use the existing residential structures on the property into multi-family, deed-restricted affordable housing.
"We're just trying to make the best use of the land," Planning and Zoning Director Mary Young said at a recent Planning and Zoning Commission subcommittee meeting.
Baron's South is the colloquial name for the property that includes the former home of perfumer Baron Walter Langeer von Langendorff. Two of the houses on the property are currently used for single-family work housing, with three houses sitting vacant.
An affordable housing plan for the town was adopted in June 2022, including a variety of ideas for how to increase the affordable housing stock in town.
First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker said she likes to view it as a diversification of housing in Westport.
Tooker said various department heads have discussed what to do with the Baron's South property, and they are in the early stages of determining an appropriate way to move forward with it becoming affordable housing.
The outside of each building would remain the same, and changes would only be made to the inside to repurpose each, she said. The footprint will not change, but parking may to accommodate the housing.
Tooker said it's a "great spot for diverse housing."
This plan would also involve changing the zoning to make the property entirely affordable, falling under a 40-year deed restriction, which coincides with the state's regulations for affordable housing, Planning and Zoning Commission Chair Danielle Dobin said.
Dobin said the workforce housing may not be considered affordable, but hopes town employees choose to live there, if the option is available to them.
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There is also a proposal to change the surrounding area into a park.
"The buildings are being renovated and restored, and there are people using them," Dobin said. "It obviously follows, quite naturally, that there's many more opportunities to invest in restoring walking paths, et cetera."
