Greenwich Church Looks To Turn Riverside Avenue Property Into Offices

GREENWICH, CT — The Parish of St. Catherine of Siena and St. Agnes is looking to turn a residence on Riverside Avenue into church offices, according to documents recently submitted to the Greenwich Planning & Zoning Department.

"The church recently purchased 19 Riverside Avenue in the past year and would propose to use the building on the site for church offices," said Thomas Heagney, attorney for the applicant, in documents on file with the town.

The building was previously a dentist's office and was purchased in 2022 by the church for $1.4 million, according to tax records associated with the property.

According to Heagney, the church is proposing to rezone its property on the east side of Riverside Avenue, which includes 0, 13, 15, 17, 19 and 21 Riverside Ave., from residential to local business.

The main portion of the church's property is used as the parking lot for Saint Catherine's Church, Heagney said. There is also an office building that has been used by the Transportation Association of Greenwich, and more recently was approved for counseling offices for the Center for Hope and Renewal.

Heagney noted the Greenwich Planning & Zoning Commission recently approved an application to permit a portion of the parking lot to be used as overflow parking for the nearby J House hotel, Heagney said.

"This portion of Riverside Avenue was cut off from the rest of R-12 zone when the Connecticut Turnpike was constructed. For many years, it has been used for non-residential purposes in conjunction with church masses and functions and in support of nonprofit organizations in town," Heagney said.

"Fostering these types of uses addresses the number one guiding principle in the 2019 Plan of Conservation Development in that it preserves community character and sense of place. It provides the church with the opportunity to continue its mission serving its parishioners in the community and allowing for other nonprofit uses as well."

The application has not yet been scheduled to go before the Planning & Zoning Commission.