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Sunday, July 6, 2008

07/05/08 - 07/06/08 The Raw Greenwich Weekend News Feed (Continously Updated)


GLORIOUS GREEN A jogger takes an early morning lap around the pond at Binney Park, which occupies 24 acres on the western flank of Old Greenwich. Greenwich Point Park, however, at 147 acres, is the jewel of the neighborhood. More Photos >

FEATURED STORY:

Living in Old Greenwich, Conn.:

A Yesteryear Feel,

With Today’s Prices

New York Times

Published: July 6, 2008

AFTER seeing Jimi Hendrix play a 1969 concert at the Fillmore East, a few blocks from her building in the East Village, and living in the same tenement as the poet Allen Ginsberg, Elena Abrahams became enamored of her artsy, walkable neighborhood.

So in 1977, when her husband, Michael, suggested they move to Greenwich, Conn., where the counterculture was perhaps less obvious, she bristled. “I thought it might just be all green and pink ladies,” Ms. Abrahams said. “And I thought I might want to kill myself.”

But in Old Greenwich, a distinct section on Long Island Sound in the town’s easternmost corner, about 35 miles from Midtown, she found neighbors who, in addition to being transplanted New Yorkers, were writers, painters and musicians.

Further, both the pint-sized business district, known as “the village,” and a Metro-North train station, were just a short stroll from her front door, evoking the East Village of her younger days. “I thought, this is a really good, progressive place to be,” said Ms. Abrahams, who works as a substitute teacher.

But not many musicians, or at least the struggling variety, could afford the prices today, with single-family homes starting at around $500,000.

Indeed, Ms. Abrahams’s home, a four-bedroom 1929 colonial, with flower-pot cutouts in the shutters, cost $300,000 in 1984; she estimates it could sell for $2 million today, based on listings on her block.

A better bet for a starter home might be one of the neighborhood’s 400 condominiums, like the alcove studio bought in April by Laura Bennett, who runs a family jewelry store that has been in the village since 1945.

The unit, with 650 square feet and a terrace through sliding glass doors, cost $325,000, she said.

Next-door Stamford, where she also looked, didn’t have nearly the charm of Old Greenwich’s “quaint old-style street,” with many longtime merchants, said Ms. Bennett.

That street, Sound Beach Avenue, evokes an island resort town envisioned by Norman Rockwell, despite afternoon traffic that can snarl 20 cars deep in both directions. It has an ice cream parlor and an open-air restaurant, a barbershop with a checkered linoleum floor and a toy store with trucks in the window.

With the exception of a pharmacy, “we don’t have any chain stores,” Ms. Bennett said, “and we don’t want them.”

WHAT YOU’LL FIND

Measuring just over two square miles, with about 10,000 people, Old Greenwich is split in half by a one-two punch of Route 1 and Interstate 95.

Houses north of that noisy dividing line, which tend toward colonials, raised ranches and brick Capes, are about half the price of ones south of it, and smaller, too. Many examples are found in Havemeyer Park, a 1940s subdivision partly developed by the boxer Gene Tunney, where streets like MacArthur Drive, Halsey Drive and Nimitz Place, bear the names of World War II military leaders, apparently in a bid to appeal to returning soldiers.

The more coveted homes sit south, on Old Greenwich’s nearly eight miles of winding coastline, which encompasses coves, ponds and rocky points, close to named microenclaves like Lucas Point, Tomac and Shorelands.

Here, among traces of a late 1800s summer colony, sit hulking shingles and ornate Mediterraneans and eyebrow-dormered colonials; some seem to have been “Victorianized” with porches, fish-scale shingles and additions.

Along prestigious Shore Road, there is evidence of teardowns behind boxwood hedges, where builders have maximized what’s allowed under generally quarter-acre zoning.

Also, because this section is prone to flooding in severe northeasters, many homes have had to prop themselves up in recent years under federal law.

Condos, meanwhile, are scattered, though most are found in two complexes: Old Greenwich Gables, from the 1990s, and the Commons, from the 1970s, each with about 180 units, brokers say. Rental housing, few and far between, usually consists of sublet condos....

Please Read The Full New York Times Article

Slide Show - Living in Old Greenwich, Conn.

Old Greenwich Community Profile

Old Greenwich Map

On the Market

More Living In Columns

ALSO HERE IS THE PREVIOUS NEW YORK TIMES STORY
ON OLD GREENWICH:

If You're Thinking of Living In/Old Greenwich and Riverside, Conn ...

- New York Times, August 23, 1998

The Raw Greenwich News Feed Continues:

Dog shelters filling up

Greenwich Time - When staff of Adopt-A-Dog picked up four Huskies from a West Haven family last week, it filled the shelter to capacity, according to Allyson Halm, president of the Greenwich-based organization.

Diana Ross Is Doing it in Manhattan

by Your Mama

YOUR MAMAS NOTES: Divalicious music icon Diana Ross has long had Quarry Farm–her 9-acre Greenwich, CT estate–on the market with an eye popping asking price of $39500000. Turns out the Supremes queen is also looking to unload her ...
Please see: the Real Estalker - http://realestalker.blogspot.com/

Greenwich Time - Like many teenagers, Kathy Greider wasn't sure what she wanted to do with her life. An average student at New Britain High School who spoke out in class and frustrated teachers with her questions, Greider said it dawned on her as she finished her first year at Central Connecticut State University that she wanted to become a teacher.

Police blotter, southern and central Westchester

Journal News

... A Greenwich, Conn., woman who came to police headquarters to complain about her boyfriend, who accompanied her, ended up being arrested ...

Hydrogen cars on the way
Greenwich Time - The vast majority of motorists would have been forced to call AAA or a tow truck. Most would have spent the morning marooned in the breakdown lane on Interstate 95 or, worse yet, the shoulder of the Merritt Parkway, hazard lights blinking and perspiration soaking their business attire.

Teens helped to counter mental ills

Connecticut Post

... homes within the lower Naugatuck Valley towns served by their program. So, if a young adult goes to a home in Greenwich or Waterbury, they have to switch service providers - a move that could likely mean a change in therapists and psychiatrists. ..

Greenwich Post - Deadline for 2007 flood relief approaches
Gov. M. Jodi Rell today is reminding Fairfield, Litchfield and New Haven county businesses that Economic Injury Disaster Loans are still available to small businesses economically impacted by the severe storms and flooding which occurred on Oct. 11, 2007.

Crowds gather for fireworks despite weather

Sitting on the stone bridge overlooking Binney Park, 7 year-old Lily Mathes, marveled at the exploding blue, gold and purple fireworks in the sky.

Baba Booey Disses A Soldier?
by chainsaw

They included Artie Lange, Jimmy Florentine, the great Dave Atell and longtime Howard Stern Show producer Gary “Baba Booey” Dell’Abate, who lives in cozy Greenwich, CT. There’sa story circulating the ol’ Internet day from a soldier ...
Please see - Hollywood Chainsaw Blogger - http://newstimescommunity.com/blogs/chainsaw

Two teens trek Appalachian Trail from end to end
Greenwich Time - For the past four-and-a-half months, Philip Gnaedig and Adam Hanbury-Brown have done little more than walk.

Hall Awaits Former McMahon Coach, AD

Norwalk Citizen News

... Hall members with an induction ceremony at the Commission's 4th Annual SportsNight awards dinner on Oct. 20 at the Greenwich Hyatt. King will be joined by five other inductees and will be one of 27 honorees in the Hall. King will be named in the ...

Greenwich Post - Red Cross offers fireworks safety tips for holiday

Greenwich Time - The loud rumble of a 12-cylinder engine is enough to get the blood pumping for most sports car lovers.

Town Drops Plan for Biodiesel Due to Cost

Green Car Congress

Greenwich Time . The town of Greenwich, Connecticut has dropped a plan to use a B20 soy biodiesel blend in half of its 300-vehicle fleet due to the cost.

Greenwich Post - Red Cross offers safety tips for swimmers

Bush-Holley's art background was draw for education director
Greenwich Time - Tara Tomaselli is the associate director of education for children and family programs at the Bush-Holley Historic Site, at 39 Strickland Road.

Nexstar blocks former exec's consulting gig

Dallas Business Journal

... resigned as COO and executive vice president on April 25, stems from Lammers' attempts to work as a consultant for Greenwich, Conn.-based Silver Point Capital, according to court documents. Silver Point owns two companies that own and operate TV ...

Greenwich Post - Suiting off

Greenwich Time - An anonymous donor has given thousands so more than 50 children from Greenwich can attend summer camp.

Castro Valley sculptor has rock-solid reputation

Inside Bay Area

... "Maybe I was 3, maybe I was 5. My parents gave me some clay to play with." Moore was born to artistic parents in Greenwich, Conn., and attended private schools that emphasized the arts. She later majored in sculpture at Bennington College in Vermont ...

Greenwich Post - Church loses old beech tree

Greenwich Time - New round of interns start at hospital

The Weekly B.S.

Whisperbrand.com

... own the conversationA among audiences you seek to attract and influence. This week's B.S.: From Jack Trout - Old Greenwich, Connecticut, USA The Brand Differentiation Mandate The concept of being unique or different is far more important in the year ...

Greenwich Post - Old Greenwich gets new welcome sign

Taco Bell goes to bat for field
Greenwich Time - Taco Bell Field? Representatives of the fast-food chain famous for its chalupas and gorditas tried to reach out yesterday to offer their support to a group of local teens who are facing eviction from the Wiffle ball field they built on a vacant town-owned lot in Riverside.

Greenwich Time - Lisi Coles had no idea whether cell phone reception along backcountry Round Hill Road had improved in the past several weeks.

Greenwich Post - Chase named for 'best steering'

Three Years Later, Cruise Ship Safety Concerns Addressed by Lawmakers

Greenwich Citizen

Three years nearly to the day, July 5, 2005, that 26-year-old George Smith IV disappeared from his honeymoon cruise somewhere off Greece under mysterious circumstances, the Smith family of Greenwich has ...

Sandpipers director retires
Greenwich Time - Sally Randolf Love's last day as director of Sandpipers summer camp at Greenwich Point seemed more like a family reunion than a farewell party for the many well-wishers who gathered to see her off.

Helmsley reportedly leaves $8B to canine care
6abc.com, PA
Helmsley, who was reviled as the "queen of mean," and went to prison as a tax cheat, died in Greenwich, Ct., ...

Greenwich Post - Former trooper recalls Mianus disaster

The decision to open the island beaches to out-of-towners is a topic of discussion in town, as we all know.

Rakes vs. Leaf Blowers

Greenwich Citizen

Rakes versus leaf blowers and light blazing in an empty Greenwich High on Saturdays were among issues chawed over last Thursday by the Board of Selectmen in Town Hall.

Greenwich Time - The practice of holding morning meetings was such a hit with one class of fifth-graders at Julian Curtiss School that it will be extended to other classes next year.

Greenwich Post - Popular voice to leave airwaves

Staff reports The Greenwich 10 Year-old Cal Ripken All-Stars certainly produced an All-Star performance at the District 1 Tournament recently.

Picture perfect

NewsTimesLive.com

... the fifth-ranked team in the nation, won both its conference and state crowns, but dropped one game, 9-8, to Greenwich on May 3. "It would be nice to have a run at (Darien and Division L state champion Fairfield Prep)," Costabile said. "But even if ..

Greenwich Time - Cannons off to a strong start in their inaugural season
Staff reports - The Greenwich Cannons U-16 baseball team kicked of its inaugural season with a bang. The Cannons placed a strong second in the recent Westchester Classic tournament at Scarsdale High School.

Tapes still not available
Greenwich Time - Surveillance video of an 18-year-old student being tasered by town police during an arrest six weeks ago at Greenwich High School has yet to be made available to attorneys in the case, the student's lawyer said yesterday.

Riverside Yacht Club's Alex Jackson and his crew aboard his Juan K 98-foot racing yacht Speedboat crossed the finish line at St.

Greenwich Post - Junior Cannons fire on all cylinders early

Greenwich Time - Racquet ball: No. 1 seed remains perfect in Senior Babe Ruth
It was a back-and-forth battle every time rivals Rink & Racquet and Eastern Rigging Supply Co. dueled during the regular season, so it wasn't surprising to see Eastern Rigging rally in the seventh inning of last night's Greenwich Senior Babe Ruth playoff game.

Greenwich Post - Field maintenance steps up to the plate

Greenwich Time - A Matt-er of fact: Czarnecki wins second town golf championship
When Matt Czarnecki holed a bunker shot for birdie on the sixth hole of the final round of the Men's Town Golf Tournament, it was apparent that it was going to be another memorable Sunday afternoon for him at Griffith E. Harris Golf Course.

Greenwich Post - Czarnecki wins second Greenwich town golf tournament crown

Believe it or not, there was a time when Greenwich High School football was not the most dominant team in Connecticut.

Greenwich Post - New summer softball league

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