Arts center approved for Mel Gibson’s former estate
A new structure, which will be called The Glass Barn, will host conferences and fundraising events. That meeting space will have a surface made of salvaged barn material to give it a rustic appearance.
GREENWICH — Town planning officials and neighbors have worked out the operating conditions to allow a new facility providing cultural, arts, educational and wellness programs to go forward at a backcountry estate.
The proposal for the Foundation House, as the project will be called, was given unanimous approval by the town Planning and Zoning Commission. But a number of restrictions were imposed on its capacity and operating hours.
The educational center will be based at an estate on Old Mill Road that was once owned by actor Mel Gibson. A number of older structures on the site will be preserved, under the concept put forward by Greenwich resident Mimi Sternlicht. A new structure, which will be called The Glass Barn, will host conferences and fundraising events. That meeting space will have a surface made of salvaged barn material to give it a rustic appearance.
The Foundation House will provide programming on the arts, health, public policy and the environment, according to Thomas Heagney, the attorney representing the application. The mission statement of the nonprofit organization says it “is committed to becoming a local resource providing a safe place for robust convenings, workshops, lectures and events.”
The Planning and Zoning Commission determined that “large events,” with 101 to
250 guests in attendance, could be held no more than four times a month in any month from its opening until March 2022.
After that review period, representatives from the Round Hill Association and Foundation House will meet and decide whether changes are necessary, with possible input from the Planning and Zoning Commission. The possibility of holding larger events, with more than 250 people in attendance, could take place after the review period, as well as the possibility of additional large events per month.
Operating hours are limited to 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. Evening events can only be held from 5 to 10 p.m. Thursdays and from 5 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, the Planning and Zoning Commission decided at a meeting last month.
The Foundation House will also be required to put up a website that will list its upcoming events.
The proposal required site plan approval as well as a special permit due to the scale of the construction work required for The Glass Barn.
Planning and Zoning Commission Chairwoman Margarita Alban said the approval process for the project required the commission to be “very careful how we crafted that language” for the conditions.
According to a recent Round Hill Association newsletter, the proposal provided the opportunity to create “an enriching contribution to the Round Hill community and the town of Greenwich.” It noted there had been engagement and discussion among community leaders over “questions and concerns” about the project’s impact on the neighborhood.
There were no public comments or criticisms raised at the recent meeting when the commission granted approval. The site will also continue to allow horseback riding and keep the horse trails open, under the agreement reached with the neighborhood association and the planning commission.
An earlier proposal for housing development on the site submitted in 2019 by Cosette Property, calling for 28 condos, did not advance after running into strong opposition from the neighborhood. An artist’s residency will be a component of the Foundation House programming, according to the nonprofit, and “painters, writers, sculptors, designers and more — will be offered an inspiring place to live and time to create for three weeks.” A number of visiting artists have been taking part in the arts program at the site on a limited basis.