Old Saybrook Voters Approve Land Swap For Waterfront Park, Restaurant

Written By Anna Stansfield, Kimberlyn Bouley and Amanda Callahan, WFSB 3 TV Staff

Voters approved a land swap Tuesday that will turn prime waterfront real estate into a public park while allowing a restaurant to reopen at the Duffy Pavilion.

The measure passed 1,993 to 726, a roughly 3-to-1 margin.

“A great turnout,” said First Selectman Carl Fortuna. “We will engage the public on what happens next.”

Under the agreement, property owner Jon Kodama will give the town a 2.2-acre waterfront lot. Town officials said it will be turned into a waterfront park. In exchange, Kodama will lease the Duffy Pavilion from the town to reopen his restaurant, which was destroyed during Hurricane Irene and Superstorm Sandy.

The site was once home to Dock and Dine, a popular restaurant before it was wiped out in back-to-back storms more than a decade ago.

“It took us almost a year [to get a] reopened, completely redone restaurant,” Kodama said. “[We were] open for 63 days and then Sandy came.”

The property sat vacant for years while Kodama tried to work with the town to find a way forward. He said rebuilding on his own would have cost millions.

“I’m essentially leasing that small building, also the right to use the surrounding area for outside dining,” he continued.

The pavilion can currently be rented by locals and is used by community groups for yoga and knitting classes. The community was divided on whether they wanted that to change.

>>>Watch the WFSB 3 TV video here.

Some said they were excited about the potential to clean up the space and bring a new park to the area. Others said they would be disappointed to lose the access they currently have to the pavilion.

“We had our 50th wedding anniversary there, and it was just the perfect place for that,” said Bob Winslow of Old Saybrook.

Holly Winslow, also of Old Saybrook, said the pavilion hosts baby showers, anniversary parties, retirement parties and family reunions.

“People have baby showers there, anniversary parties, retirement parties, all kinds of private family events, [and] family reunions,” Holly Winslow said. “Where would they go?”

Another concern voters had was that specific plans have not been shown for either the park or new restaurant.

Fortuna said that the purchase has to take place first. The lease agreement is $1 for 25 years with the possibility to renew those terms three times.

“Mr Kodama has given us 2.23 acres of I think some of the most beautiful property in New England. And in return he’s getting something,” he said.

He added that the deal is for all residents in town.

“For those who use that pavilion for certain things, we will try to find other space for them. but this is not yay for us. This is let’s work together to find a solution that everybody will like,” he stated.

There is a 120-day due diligence period where both the town and the property owner will have work to do to push the proposal through the final stages. That includes meeting certain building requirements.

Fortuna said he will work with an environmental scientist starting Wednesday after signing the contract and a lease agreement.

(Editor's note: This story was written and reported by WFSB 3 TV staff and is being shared on Patch.com with full permission).