Celebrating Our Westport Portfolio
Redniss & Mead’s team of civil engineers, land surveyors, and planners supports property owners, private developers, and municipalities across Fairfield County to bring transformative land use projects to life. We value the relationships we have cultivated in Westport and are proud of our continued contributions to this vibrant coastal community.
Each project we undertake is informed by the town’s goals, whether revitalizing aging office parks, enhancing public access to waterfront assets, or supporting thoughtful residential growth. From renewing community mainstays to reimagining underutilized properties, our work in Westport reflects a collaborative approach that balances vision, compliance, and execution.
Below are highlights of key projects where we’ve been honored to support Westport’s evolving landscape:
1135 Post Road East
Redniss & Mead played a key role in transforming the former Geiger’s Garden Center into Westport’s first mixed-use, multi-family development under the town’s Inclusionary Housing Zone (IHZ) regulation. Working with Coastal Construction, our team led the entitlement process to refine the IHZ text, making it workable for this split-zoned property and setting the stage for future housing diversity initiatives in town.
The redeveloped site consists of two commercial buildings and four residential buildings arranged above an underground garage. The corner 4,344-square-foot building houses a ground-floor bank with offices above, while a second 3,746-square-foot commercial building incorporates components of the site’s historic barn and now houses a spa. The “rear” portion of the site contains 12 residential units with associated parking, landscaping, open space, and two affordable units.
Engineering the site required creative problem-solving. The property sits on a corner with significant ledge and vertical relief, demanding careful grading and utility coordination. Redniss & Mead designed a stormwater management system to meet town and state standards while addressing DOT access requirements along the busy Post Road and coordinating with the fire marshal to ensure safe emergency access. The underground garage, which supports the four residential buildings, added another layer of structural and drainage complexity.
The design team included Vita Design Group (Architect), a longtime R&M collaborator. By integrating planning, engineering, and surveying services, Redniss & Mead helped Coastal deliver this six-building project, completed in 2017 as a landmark example of how thoughtful regulations and technical expertise can create both market-rate and affordable housing in Westport.
The Residence at Westport - 1141 Post Road East
Redniss & Mead guided the transformation of a longtime nonconforming industrial contractor’s yard into a new senior living community for LCB Senior Living. The property, once home to Kowalsky Brothers’ operations, sits immediately adjacent to the 113 Post Road East redevelopment, and Redniss & Mead initially shepherded approvals for a 42-unit mixed-use housing project for Coastal Construction. When LCB identified the site as ideal for a senior living facility, our team helped transition the approvals, including multiple zoning text amendments. Working closely with the Planning & Zoning Commission, we drafted and advanced the regulatory framework to accommodate this type of housing, while also addressing the town’s affordable housing requirements. In a creative off-site solution, LCB funded the purchase of two single-family homes by Housing Development Fund, which were deed-restricted as affordable units.
From an engineering standpoint, the site presented significant challenges. A brook mapped on FEMA flood maps ran through the property, but decades of contractor activity had altered the landform, leaving outdated and inaccurate flood boundaries. Redniss & Mead prepared a series of LOMR and CLOMR applications to FEMA, remapping the floodplain and floodway to reflect current conditions. This required detailed flood modeling and repeated coordination with FEMA, as the building footprint initially lay within the regulatory flood zone. In addition, the project demanded full civil design services, including grading, stormwater management, utilities, sanitary sewer, and erosion controls. Wetland impacts created by prior site disturbance were also addressed through restoration and enhancement.
The LCB design team included The Architectural Team (TAT). Completed after one of the most challenging zoning and engineering review processes in Westport, the project stands as a model of how collaboration, regulatory innovation, and technical expertise can deliver community-serving, diverse housing on a site once considered too difficult to develop.
1595 Post Road East – Westport Inn → Delamar Westport
Redniss & Mead has been involved with the redevelopment of the Westport Inn site for more than a decade, guiding it through multiple ownership transitions and design iterations before its transformation into the Delamar Westport Hotel. The property, another split-zoned site with commercial frontage and a portion extending into a residential district, originally presented challenges because hotels were not permitted in residential zones. Beginning in 2008, we worked with the then-owner to create new zoning text that allowed redevelopment of the hotel, laying the foundation for future plans, even though those early proposals were not built.
When the property was later acquired by the Greenwich Hospitality Group team—known for the Delamar Greenwich Harbor, Delamar Southport, and other boutique hotels—we helped advance a new vision that balanced adaptive reuse with modern expansion. The existing rear building was preserved and renovated, while a significant addition provided updated accommodations including two- and three-bedroom suites designed for extended stays. The former ballroom was repurposed into a larger restaurant and dining area, enhancing the site’s hospitality offerings.
From an engineering perspective, the site required careful design to manage stormwater, grading, and utility connections within a constrained footprint bordered by wetlands. Our team coordinated with the Connecticut DOT on new curb cuts along Post Road East, addressed sewer approvals with the Water Pollution Control Authority, and navigated review with the Architectural Review Board. Although wetlands were present at the rear of the site, the design avoided additional approvals by minimizing disturbance—an example of strategic engineering to streamline the permitting path. Surveying services and ongoing site coordination further supported the project’s delivery.
The design team included Beinfield Architecture and Jim Randel, Esq. (Attorney), both longtime R&M collaborators. Construction was completed in July 2025, with Delamar Westport reopening as a fully reimagined hotel that brings new vitality to the Post Road hospitality facility.
Through strategic zoning work, engineering problem-solving, and permitting expertise, Redniss & Mead helped guide this high-profile redevelopment from concept to completion—ensuring a seamless transition from an aging inn to a landmark boutique hotel.
41 Richmondville Avenue – The Mill
Redniss & Mead supported Coastal Luxury Homes and Gault Family Companies in the adaptive reuse of a mostly vacant, non-conforming, and historic 55,000 square foot mill building at 41 Richmondville Avenue into 31 luxury condominiums. The thoughtful redevelopment required creative zoning strategies and various land use applications (Text Change, Site Plan, & Special Permit).
Our planning team crafted a unique text amendment to allow the adaptive reuse with an off-site affordable housing option. The redevelopment furthered many of Westport’s housing goals and affordable housing initiatives. The design team included Beinfield Architecture, Kousidis Engineering, both longtime R&M collaborators, and our surveying team.
The primary challenge lay in the planning and regulatory framework, coordinating with initially hostile area neighbors, and creating new zoning regulations.
Honored with the LIV Hospitality Design Award and the HOBI Home Building Industry Award.
By combining zoning expertise, creative problem-solving, collaboration with team members and community partners, Redniss & Mead helped deliver a successful historic preservation and conversion of The Mill into new multifamily homeownership opportunities.
The plan builds on the success of the new Designed Office Multifamily Residential (DOMR) Overlay Zone, originally written by our team for Parklands Drive, to allow residential use on this previously office-zoned land. The project was approved for 175 apartments, 14% of which will be affordable units, in line with local housing goals.
Redniss & Mead played a critical role by providing land surveys, participating in the entitlement strategy led by Jason Klein of Carmody, Torrance, Sandak & Hennessey LLP, preparing a detailed and thorough sewer capacity analysis, managed by Patrick Shurr, P.E., and assisting with public presentations.
Architectural design and visual renderings were developed by KPGY Architects, whose open-minded collaboration with the Architectural Review Board led to a place-sensitive design securing ARB’s critical endorsement.
Our local knowledge and reputation, close coordination with the team and community stakeholders, and multidisciplinary expertise resulted in approval of this important housing initiative. Construction is expected to begin later this year.
136 Riverside Avenue
Through the off-site affordable housing option created for 41 Richmondville, our planning team was able to collaborate with the Town of Westport, Abilis (a nonprofit agency serving individuals with special needs and disabilities), and leverage funds/in-kind construction services to adaptively reuse 136 Riverside Ave into Special Needs Housing. 136 Riverside Ave is a historic building, owned by the Town, and nestled within the Saugatuck Elementary School/Pal campus. It was long vacant, for sale, and in need of significant capital investment at the time. Through various land-use applications and town agency meetings (8-24, Text Change, Site Plan, Special Permit, Board of Selectmen, Board of Finance, etc.), a total of 5 Special Needs Housing units were able to be constructed, including a unit for an affordable staff person.
This innovative arrangement not only satisfied regulatory requirements but also delivered a direct social benefit to the community. It created a framework for other potential public/private partnerships and developments in town to help leverage off-site funds to serve Westport’s diverse housing needs. The design team included Tanner White Architects and our surveying and engineering team.
The primary challenge lay in creating the regulatory framework, coordinating with a skeptical neighborhood, and structuring zoning text that supports the needs of Special Needs Individuals and the adaptive reuse of vacant town-owned buildings.
By combining zoning expertise, creative problem-solving, and collaboration with team members and community partners, Redniss & Mead helped deliver the long-term provision of deed-restricted special-needs housing at 136 Riverside Ave. This effort showcases how thoughtful planning can expand inclusive housing opportunities in Westport.
1 Glendinning Place – Former Bridgewater Campus
Redniss & Mead is guiding the redevelopment of the former Bridgewater Associates campus at 1 Glendinning Place into a unique residential community that integrates market-rate and special-needs housing. The property, purchased by developer David Waldman of David Adam Realty in partnership with Urbane New Haven, required a creative planning approach to unlock its potential while respecting its environmentally sensitive setting.
The site, located off Wilton Road and bordering the Aspetuck Land Trust, features two rivers and a large central tree grove that is permanently protected as open space by prior deed restriction. Redniss & Mead led the successful effort to draft and secure a zoning text change in the Design Development District (DDD) zone, allowing residential and special-needs housing to be introduced to a property formerly limited to office uses. A general development plan was subsequently approved, locking in the permitted uses and providing the framework for detailed site design.
The approved plan envisions 10 new homes, including eight single-family residences and two houses dedicated to special-needs housing. Each special-needs house will provide three units, one of which accommodates live-in staff, resulting in six units total and five resident placements. This innovative program reflects the developer’s personal commitment to inclusive housing and responds to Westport’s broader goals of providing opportunities for residents with disabilities.
Engineering the site presents significant technical hurdles. The entire project must rely on individual septic systems, requiring approvals from the state health department and careful coordination of drainage and sanitary design within a compact footprint. Clustered development minimizes land disturbance to just under four acres, while protecting the deed-restricted open space and sensitive riparian corridors. Redniss & Mead’s civil engineering and surveying teams continue to lead the design process, ensuring the project balances community needs with environmental stewardship. The design team included Urbane Capital, LLC (Architect).
Currently in active design and permitting, 1 Glendinning Place represents the next chapter in Westport’s evolving housing landscape, an example of how regulatory innovation, engineering expertise, and community partnerships can transform a corporate campus into a neighborhood that supports both families and residents with special needs.
Redniss & Mead was engaged to lead the site-related design and assist with the entitlement process, providing land surveying, site civil engineering, zoning consulting, and coastal permitting and floodplain compliance.
Our local knowledge and technical expertise in flood zone regulations were essential to navigating the complex regulatory environment. The club is located within a flood zone, subject to wave action and stringent FEMA requirements. The new design raised the building’s occupied spaces to a compliant elevation and reimagined the first floor for primarily non-habitable uses, including storage, flood-resistant materials, and building access.
We worked in close collaboration with the project architect, Burgin Lambert Architects, and Carmody, Torrance, Sandak & Hennessey LLP, who led the land use approval process, to secure the necessary entitlements from the Town. These included zoning variances for waterfront setbacks and ground-floor use, Planning & Zoning Commission coastal site plan and special permit approval, and Architectural Review Board endorsement.
The variances were critical, as the original club did not conform to current setbacks, and special exceptions were required for features such as first-floor restrooms in a flood zone. Coordination with the surrounding residential neighborhood also played a key role in gaining support from the regulatory agencies.
The result is a modernized, code-compliant facility that elevates the safety and longevity of the club while retaining its connection to place. Today, the Noroton Yacht Club is better prepared for future storms and continues to serve as a treasured gathering space for generations of members and their families.
1620 Post Road East – The Clubhouse
Redniss & Mead assisted in the conversion of an aging retail plaza into The Clubhouse, a vibrant golf simulator and dining venue that has quickly become a popular destination in Westport. Developed by Emily and Tim Zobl, the project turned a tired commercial site into a community hub, while also securing future approvals for residential units in the rear of the property.
Our role focused on the planning and zoning aspects of the development. The property is split-zoned, with commercial frontage along the Post Road and a large residentially zoned rear portion. Working with the town’s Inclusionary Housing Zone (IHZ) overlay, we helped secure zoning text amendments and site approvals that allowed the unique entertainment use to move forward. As part of the approval process, the residentially zoned portion of the site was entitled for new housing—including an affordable component—that can be built in a later phase.
The design team included Frederick William Hoag (Architect), Land Tech, and Jim Randel, Esq. (Attorney), all longtime R&M collaborators.
The Clubhouse itself repurposed an existing multi-tenant building, preserving compatible retail space while introducing a modern recreational use that met both market demand and community interest.
As with many projects in Westport, community input was an important part of the process. Our team worked proactively with neighbors to address concerns about traffic, noise, and neighborhood impacts, ensuring the project could gain approvals. The Clubhouse opened in 2025 and has already established itself as a successful example of adaptive reuse and creative zoning, breathing new life into a dated retail property while laying the groundwork for future housing.
950 Post Road East – Former Men’s Wearhouse / Spot On Veterinary Hospital
Redniss & Mead has been involved in multiple redevelopment concepts for 950 Post Road East, a property once occupied by Men’s Wearhouse. Working with Coastal Luxury Homes, our team obtained approval for a residential conversion of the existing structure, including adding an infill second level with 14 housing units and onsite affordable apartments.
Our services included planning, zoning, engineering, and surveying to secure text amendments and site plan approval for the residential redevelopment. Although the housing plan was ultimately not constructed, the project demonstrated our ability to unlock the redevelopment potential of a constrained Post Road site and to structure zoning approvals that positioned the property for future reuse. Neighborhood collaboration again was an important aspect coordinated by Redniss and Mead.
The property later transitioned to a new owner who pursued its reuse as a veterinary hospital, Spot On Vet. Redniss & Mead supported this next iteration by assisting in the permitting and land use process, while final approvals were led by an attorney with Hurwitz, Sagarin, Slossberg & Knuff, LLC. Today, the site operates successfully in its new role, an example of how flexible planning and adaptive entitlement strategies can give underused properties a path forward even when original redevelopment plans do not proceed.
Westport Library – Jesup Green
Redniss & Mead has been involved in multiple redevelopment concepts for 950 Post Road East, a property once occupied by Men’s Wearhouse. Working with Coastal Luxury Homes, our team obtained approval for a residential conversion of the existing structure, including adding an infill second level with 14 housing units and onsite affordable apartments.
Our services included planning, zoning, engineering, and surveying to secure text amendments and site plan approval for the residential redevelopment. Although the housing plan was ultimately not constructed, the project demonstrated our ability to unlock the redevelopment potential of a constrained Post Road site and to structure zoning approvals that positioned the property for future reuse. Neighborhood collaboration again was an important aspect coordinated by Redniss and Mead.
The property later transitioned to a new owner who pursued its reuse as a veterinary hospital, Spot On Vet. Redniss & Mead supported this next iteration by assisting in the permitting and land use process, while final approvals were led by an attorney with Hurwitz, Sagarin, Slossberg & Knuff, LLC. Today, the site operates successfully in its new role, an example of how flexible planning and adaptive entitlement strategies can give underused properties a path forward even when original redevelopment plans do not proceed.
These are samples of the many clients R&M works with in Westport, which includes country clubs, single-family homeowners, schools, commercial developments, offices, churches, and senior living communities. The Town of Westport has entrusted us with several peer reviews of land use applications for the planning and zoning commission.
We are proud to play a role in Westport’s suburban renewal, one that values thoughtful design, community engagement, and positive contributions to the town. Our deep local knowledge and multidisciplinary approach help make these projects successful not just for our clients, but for the whole town.
In our upcoming articles, we’ll highlight more communities where we’ve been honored to serve, including Westport, Greenwich, and Stamford.
Learn more about our work in Westport and across Fairfield County by visiting our portfolio.
