Fire-Damaged Building In Greenwich Could Be Redeveloped Into Housing

GREENWICH, CT — A mixed-use building that was damaged by a fire in Greenwich last year could be torn down and turned into a small residential development, according to pre-application documents submitted to the Greenwich Planning & Zoning Commission.

A pre-application review allows commissioners to provide initial feedback before a more formal application is submitted.

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The property at 21 Northfield St. is 14,668 square feet and features an approximately 10,000-square-foot building.

There is about 6,700 square feet of retail use and ancillary support functions on the first floor, and 3,300 square feet of residential use with five units on the second floor, according to John Tesei, an attorney for the property owner and applicant, 21 North LLC.

The property owner is proposing to demolish the fire-damaged structure and build a new three-family residential building and a new two-family residential building.

Shortly after 3 a.m. on Jan. 30, 2025, firefighters responded to 21 Northfield St. after a fire alarm sounded and a 911 call was made reporting smoke in one of the apartment units.

Crews arrived and declared a working fire, which was placed under control about two hours later, fire officials told Patch at the time. Three people were displaced as a result of the blaze.

"The condition of the existing building coupled with the fire damage has made its restoration unfeasible," Tesei wrote in submitted documents.

Tesei noted there are existing nonconformities present at the site, including front yard, side yard, green area, floor area, parking and use with respect to the commercial use and dwelling unit density.

Additionally, the property's existing driveway does not conform to the Town of Greenwich engineering standards.

"The non-conforming number of dwelling units will be preserved under this plan, and the commercial use will be removed," Tesei wrote. "It is anticipated that the new development will comply with all yard setbacks except the front yard, which will be improved over existing conditions."

The proposed floor area and green area will remain nonconforming, but they will not be exceeded and may be slightly improved, Tesei added.

The driveway's geometry will be "substantially improved," and the parking will be improved with 38 total spaces.

"Resulting from this re-development will be a property that contains only residential use spread out among two buildings in a manner more in keeping with the zone and the neighborhood in which it is located," Tesei wrote. "The non-conforming commercial use will be removed thereby creating a substantially more conforming development."

The pre-application is expected to go before the Greenwich Planning & Zoning Commission in the coming weeks. An exact date has not yet been scheduled.