Planned Children’s Center Move Expands

A long unused building in the heart of Westville’s village will become the home for expanded office spaces for a small multi-service child service agency, with slightly more parking required than previously envisioned.

A brief update on the plan Children’s Community Programs of Connecticut to expand its work in Westville was presented this past Tuesday night at the Board of Zoning Appeals’ regular meeting at the Hall of Records.

The school, currently on Blake Street, is renovating a set of storefronts at 843 – 845 Whalley Avenue for office space.

In July of this year it had successfully been awarded a special exception to proceed with renovations that will provide 19 parking spaces where 23 are required.

Attorney Caleb Hamel, representing the school, said his return appearance Tuesday night was occasioned because the renovations have resulted in a slightly increased amount of office space, such that 24 parking spaces are now required.

In a brief, pro-forma presentation, Hamel requested another special exception for a project that remains essentially identical to that which was approved in the summer.

The staff report put it this way: ​“Given that an almost identical application was approved by this board earlier in the calendar year with the difference being for one additional required space, staff feels that there is no basis for denial and recommends approval of this application.”

“This group does great work,” neighbor and architect Eric Epstein told the board. He said he was pleased the see the space about to be put to good use. He termed the project ​“beautiful.”

Because parking is involved, procedures required the BZA technically not to vote but to refer the project to the City Plan department for review later this month.