LOOK: Plans for New Post Office on Locust Filed with Town

The proposed new Post Office on Locust Avenue is a two-story brick, cupola-topped, Federal-style structure with a total of 8,220 square feet and office space on the second floor, according to an application filed Tuesday with the town.

Plans call for the razing of two buildings that now occupy 18 and 26 Locust Ave., with those parcels merged into a single 16,591-square-foot lot, according to a site plan filed with the Planning and Zoning Department.

“The proposed building is a classic, Federal-style design, to be completed using high quality materials and finishes,” according to a site plan and special permit application filed on behalf of the properties’ owners, with renderings from James Schettino Architects of New Canaan.

“The building façade will consist of brick and the roof will be a synthetic slate. Windows will be white clad Marvin style; gutters, leaders and flashing will be finished in zinc and the water table and keys will be comprised of cast stone. The size and scale of the architecture is appropriate for the zone and street and is in keeping with the traditional architectural style which is prevalent in New Canaan.”

The abutting properties at 18 and 26 Locust Ave.—opposite Joe’s Pizza, just below the municipal lot—now are owned by separate limited liability companies whose principals live in New Canaan and Litchfield, respectively.

It isn’t clear just when the project’s developers hope to start work or whether there’s a target finish date. The owner at 18 Locust Ave., town resident Richard Carratu, could not be reached for comment. The owners of Carpe Diem restaurant, located in 26 Locust Ave., said last week that they remain open and are eyeing a new space in Greenwich.

Though the U.S. Postal Service typically enters leases for 10 years at a time, the application said, “the intent is for the Post Office to remain at this location long term.”

The Post Office hasn’t had a long-term home in New Canaan for more than one year. The federal agency last week announced that it had selected Locust Avenue as the site of a future Post Office in New Canaan.

According to the application, the Locust Avenue site is “well suited” for a post office.

“The return of a post office to the center of town is desired by both the U.S. Postal Service and citizens of New Canaan,” the application said. “The building’s position, close to the sidewalk, will create an active street front with parking hidden from the pedestrian view. The proposal will also replace two outdated, non-conforming structures and revive the streetscape with an attractive, active, service-retail use, consistent with the goals of Retail B Zone.”

The project, as now envisioned, requires special permits.

First, the applicants are seeking by special permit to waive a floor-area-ratio requirement for the first floor, given its proposed use by a government agency. Without the waiver, the building would exceed coverage.

Second, they want to offer seven fewer parking spaces than the 36 that the proposed use of the new building would require. Instead they are seeking, again by special permit, to use a “fee-in-lieu” rule in the Zoning Regulations, which would allow them to pay the town (in this case $52,500) for a permanent reduction by seven to the number of spaces required.

“Although a parking reduction has been requested by the applicants, the applicants are confident that the proposed uses can be safely accommodated with 19 onsite spaces,” the application said. “Additional parking, if needed by visitors to the building may be sought in the adjacent municipal lot or using on-street spaces along Locust Avenue.”

Here are some other highlights from the application:

• On the location—“The location of the site in the Retail B Zone is an appropriate place for the general building and uses, including the reduction of parking. A Post Office and general office use located centrally within the town is an appropriate and desired use. Specifically, it is a goal of this zone to have buildings located close to the sidewalk for pedestrian access and the site has been designed to be consistent with this goal. The property is also located on the edge of the magic circle where pedestrian activity is encouraged. The property contains on-site parking, but it is also adjacent to a municipal lot and town streets which provide on-street parking. Further, the proposed uses are dormant during evening hours and the applicants will permit public parking on the property after business hours.”
• On its design and size—“The building is designed using traditional, Federal-style architecture which is in keeping with the existing aesthetic of New Canaan’s downtown … The property had been thoughtfully designed to be consistent with surrounding development and as such will continue to encourage appropriate development within this neighborhood and Zone.”
• On potentially adverse effects on neighbors—“The use of the building as proposed will not adversely affect neighboring buildings or properties and is consistent with surrounding uses in the zone. The proposal does not include requests for large signs, noise-making devices, or exposed artificial lights other than standard, external lighting for safety and way-finding purposes (all down lighting) permitted under the existing regulations.”
• On use of the site and traffic congestion—“The proposed office uses are anticipated to produce comparable traffic to the existing uses on the property. The proposed Post Office use is a unique use which may produce less demand than the existing uses. Presently, restaurant, office and residential uses, in addition to general office uses, produce consistent traffic in and around the site throughout the day and evening. The proposed uses are not open in the evening and therefore will reduce evening traffic in and around this property and the property will be available for public parking after business hours.”