June 7, 2019

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Daily News Updates @ www.GreenwichSentinel.com

FRIDAY, June 7, 2019

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B a c k C o u n t r y | B a n k s v i l l e | B e l l e H a ve n | B y r a m| C h i c k a h o m i n y | C o s C o b | G l e n v i l l e | O l d G r e e n w i c h | P e m b e r w i c k | R i ve r s i d e The Briefing Room

Price of Gold Panel at GIFF By Richard Kaufman

S The Greenwich Police Depa r tment repor ted that traffic during last weekend’s construction on I-95 at exit 9 went smoothly without incident because people heeded advice to avoid the area. They are encouraging motorists to do the sa me th is weekend. I-95 at exit 9 will be closed again from Ju ne 7th to the 10th. Traffic will be detoured beg i n n i ng on Route 1 Friday at 6 p.m. and I-95 at 9 p.m.; ending Monday, June 10th at 5 a.m. S The Tow n held a remembrance ceremony t o c om m e mor a t e t h e 75t h a n n i v e r s a r y of D -Day. T he cer emony featured the Greenwich American Legion P o s t 29, t h e B y r a m Veterans Association, t he Gr eenw ich Pol ice Department Honor Guard, and Greenwich resident William Fullilove, a veteran of the British Royal Navy, who participated in the D -D a y i n v a s i o n . F o r complet e covera ge of this event, visit w w w. greenwichsentinel.com and next week’s issue of the paper. S Sacred Heart Greenw ich held t hei r Baccalaureate Liturgy and Graduation ceremony on Thursday. For coverage on t h i s s t o r y, c h e c k greenwichsentinel.com and next week’s issue of the paper. S If you are registered i n a pa r ty but wa nt to vote in the Sept. 10 primary of a different party, you must make the switch by June 10. To make a switch go to voterregistration.ct.gov S T h e Ne w L e b a n o n School Building Com m ittee relea sed its June update as demolition continues on the old school building. Work anticipated for the coming weeks: Last day of School 6/18; baseball f ield reconstr uction w i l l b eg i n l at e Ju ne; bus loop sitework will beg in in late Ju ne; playground equipment PO to be issued. The project has received its fourth reimbursement from the state of $3.5 million, totaling $15.7 million to date. A fifth reimbursement has been revised to the amount of $1.2 m i l lion due i n early June. For photos of the demolition, go to greenwichsentinel.com S The CT House of Reps. moved the offshore wind bill, HB 7156, forward with a vote of 134-10 and the Connecticut State S e n a t e u n a n i m o u s ly approved it 36-0. The bill would require the Department of Energy a nd Env i ron menta l Protection to beg i n sol iciti n g bids f rom renewable offshore wind sources within the next two weeks. It includes pr ot ect ion s for l ab or a s wel l a s m it i gat ion for wildlife and environmental impacts, m a k i n g it on e of t h e strongest offshore wind bills in the nation. S The CT Senate voted 20 to 16 and the House voted 86-65 to pass a $43 billion biennial budget for the 2020-2021 fiscal year.

For many sports fans, they often only see how their favorite teams or athletes perform on telev ision. But what goes on when the cameras aren't rolling? What does it take to reach the mou nt a i ntop i n pr ofe s siona l sports? Several accomplished athletes spoke a bout t he r ich rewa rd of chasing their dreams, and unplanned consequences on their climb to the pinnacle in their respective sports, during a panel discussion titled, “The Price of Gold.” The event was presented b y t h e H o s p i t a l Fo r S p e c i a l Su rger y, in conju nction w ith ESPN, last Saturday, at Greenwich Library, as part of the Greenwich International Film Festival. The panel consisted of: Mark Teixeira, a Greenwich resident, and former Major League Baseball pl aye r a nd World Ch a mpion w it h t he New York Ya n ke e s; Rebecca Quin, better known as Becky Lynch, a WWE Superstar and pioneer of WWE's women's division revolution; Sue Merz, a Greenwich native and member of the U.S. Women's National Hockey team that won gold in 1998; Dr. Sam Taylor, a Greenwich

The GIFF's fifth year was a great success. Above, young attendees celebrate. Later the GIFF hosted dozens of events including the Price of Gold Panel discussion. High School alum and specialist in complex knee and shoulder i nj u r i e s w i t h t h e N e w Yo r k Football Giants; and John Hock, an 11-time Emmy Award winning documentarian who has worked with NFL Films and ESPN. Justin Barrasso, a writer for Sports Illustrated, moderated the discussion. Lynch, who had plenty of fans in the audience, spoke about her struggles breaking into wrestling, and how she was able to become one of WWE's biggest superstars. Lynch was born in Dublin,

Ireland, and lef t home at the age of 15 to begin training as a wrestler. By the age of 18, she was traveling around the world appearing in shows, but, when her visa expired, she returned home. Lynch began to work in the independent wrestling circuit, with an eye towards being signed by the WWE. However, during one show, she suffered a serious head injury, and reluctantly took her mother's advice to pursue another career. Lynch then bounced around from being a f light attendant to

practicing martial arts, and even went back to school to become an actress. But wrestling was still calling her name. W h i le t a k i ng a w r e st l i ng class to prepare for a stunt job on a television show, she was persuaded to go for a tryout with WWE. "Everything felt right again," Lynch said. "I felt that this is what I was meant to do." Lynch signed with the WWE six years ago, just as women were being given a shot to succeed in the business. Lynch was still

being overlooked, until last year when her character finally broke through and skyrocketed to the top of the industry. She recently won the first-ever women's main event match at Wrestlemania 35. "A l l of t hos e f r u st rat ion s of b ei ng overlo oke d a nd not getting the ball to run with, just ever y th ing was more f uel. It was throwing logs on a fire that was sparking and sparking and event ua l ly ex plo de d," Ly nch said about her recent success. "I always say that I run on spite and coffee. The more you can tell me that I can't do it, or the more obstacles that are put in my way, it's one more thing to leap over. It's constantly making me stronger." Teixeira, a terrific all-around first baseman who played parts of 14 seasons w ith the Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Yankees, talked about moving to first base as a minor leaguer. Gowing up, he had always played shortstop and third base. " I wa s told I wa sn' t go o d enough at third base," Teixeira said. "I think every great athlete needs to have a chip on their shoulder. Something is driving them, and I would not have been

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Tim Janis to Debut New Musical Special By Paul Silverfarb Although he has performed all over the world and has picked up quite the following throughout those experiences, Tim Janis hasn’t forgotten where he came from. The legendary music composer, who grew up and calls Greenwich home, is once again giving back to the community that has supported him throughout is musical journey. As part of the Connecticut Public Television annual pledge drive, on June 9 and 10, Janis will help raise money and will also debut his newest special, Celtic Hearts. “I always think that a community is like your extended family, so you kind of support one another,” Janis said. “My brother and

I have been traveling all over in my life. Connecticut and Greenwich will still feel like home to me.” Celtic Hearts will broadcast on CPTV at 5 p.m. on June 9. A day later the music event will rebroadcast on CPTV at 9:30 p.m. Janis grew up in Greenwich and still has family in town. Connecticut Public Television was where the talented musician hosted his first PBS special nearly 20 years ago. That event was taped at Lincoln Center, in New York, with the American Symphony Orchestra. Having grown up outside of New York, Janis said he felt that would be a perfect his family are in Greenwich, and I am so starting point. excited with how connected they are to the Since then, Janis has been involved in five community. I always feel a part of it, although other PBS specials, with a sixth one coming

out June 8. “It’s great to work with stations across the country, but it’s great to be really debuting it in Connecticut, where it all started for me,” Janis said. Janis said that his most recent event for the CPTV pledge week is a special one. It’s a concert that was recently taped up in York, Maine, and Janis said that the setting turned out to be absolutely perfect. “When we did this concert up in Maine, the people there just really loved it,” Janis said. “We shot it outside for part of it and it actually was snowing two days before and we had a sunny day for the concert. The scenery just meshes so well and gives a

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May 2019 Market Report which looks pretty good after 3 This extra inventory and slower you get to treetop level. For the down months. sales from February to April means month of May, it’s the backcountry The corollary of more closings that for the whole market we are up t r e e s t h a t a r e s t i c k i n g u p Many years ago, I took taek wondo classes. When we would spar, my instructor had a Greenwich Single Family Home Sales 2017 to May 2019 tactic where he would feint three quick kicks to my head and pull them back. Each time my arm would go up to block the kick and then come down to be ready for his next move. The fourth time the kick would start out looking just the same, and I again raised my arm to my head to block the kick, but this time he’d go for my now exposed ribs and connect every time. It didn’t matter how many times he did it I’d get kicked in the ribs every time because my instincts told me that fourth kick was also headed for my head. This is kind of like the May m a rke t . We h ad t h r e e dow n months and the first two-thirds of is fewer contracts waiting to close. 5.7 months of supply to 22.4 months particularly high. Last year we only May looked to be just the same and So, we are down 24 contracts from compared to last year. This is high, had 13 sales in backcountry at the then sales picked up. We closed the last year to 108 contracts this year, but it’s lower than the 25.7 months end of May 2018 with 4 of those month of May with 56 sales and but I’ll take sales over contracts any of supply we had at the beginning 13 backcountry sales in May. This of May. year backcountry sales are up 70% 24 of those sales were in the last 10 day. On the inventory side we are with 22 sales and 10 of those sales days of the month. Those 56 sales BACKCOUNTRY SALES UP were in May. (I have two listings were 2 more than last year and just still up at record post-recession That the 5,000-foot view, but levels with 738 single family home in backcountry, and they are both one less than our 10-year average. So, all in all an average month, listings, up 51 listings from last year. the situation is more nuanced as getting a lot of activity.)

By Mark Pruner

A Milbrook Neighborhood Open House Event Sunday, June 9 Open Houses 1 Widgeon Way 12-2 pm Hosted by Kelly Feda and Joe Porricelli of Coldwell Banker. $2,995,000

248 Overlook Drive 1-3 pm Hosted by Joe Barbieri of Sotheby’s Realty. $4,995,000

19 Overlook Drive 1-3 pm Hosted by Amanda Miller of Houlihan Lawrence. New listing: $1,799,000

252 Overlook Drive 1-3 pm Hosted by Joe Barbieri of Sotheby’s Realty. $5,995,000

143 Overlook Drive 1-4 pm Hosted by Danielle Claroni and Marc Robinson of New England Land Company. Price reduction: $2,495,000

63 Wildwood Drive 1-4 pm Hosted by Tracey Stetler and Kaye Lewis of Coldwell Banker. New listing: $1,595,000

15 Anderson Road 2-4 pm Hosted by Elmarita Pearson of Coldwell Banker. $2,690,000

113 Orchard Drive 1-4 pm Hosted by David Ogilvy of David Ogilvy and Associates. New listing: $2,950,000

9 Cliff Road 1-4 pm Hosted by Jose Cuartas and Margriet McGowan of William Raveis. New listing: $2,350,000

MAY SALES UP TO AVERAGE When you look at the sales just in May it’s a mostly average month with two areas that stick out. One is the poor sales over $5 million, though inventory is lower there. The other is the jump in sale in

Please turn to page A12 Tour Milbrook Neighborhood Sunday, June 9th

9 Cliff Rd 1 Widgeon Way 19 Overlook Dr

20 W Brother Dr

Open House Loop 1 Widgeon Way 12-2pm

20 West Brother Drive 1-3 pm Hosted by Julianne Ward of Berkshire Hathaway New England Properties. Price reduced: $3,650,000 20 West Brother Drive 1-3 pm Hosted by Julianne Ward of Berkshire Hathaway New England Properties. Price reduced: $5,695,000

It’s not all rosy for backcountry as half of our inventor y over $5 million is in backcountr y. Townwide in that price range we had only one sale in the month of May out of 142 listings. June will be better as we have 10 contracts over $5 million waiting to close. The lack of sales in this price category is worrisome as so much of our total volume is in that section, but the legislature is working to increase sales there as you can read below. Backcountry’s 22 sales do add up to $79 million in sales, second only to the mega-section, South of the Parkway, which has 40 sales totaling $106 million. In third place Old Greenwich has 30 sales, which total $75 million. Old Greenwich’s days on market is 150 days for sold properties versus 258 days for backcountry.

19 Overlook Drive 1-3pm 143 Overlook Drive 1-4pm 15 Anderson Road 2-4pm 248 Overlook Drive 1-3pm 252 Overlook Drive 1-3pm

143 Overlook Dr

63 Wildwood Drive 1-4 pm 113 Orchard Drive 1-4pm 20 W Brother Drive 1-3pm

15 Anderson Rd

9 Cliff Road 1-4pm

248 Overlook Dr 252 Overlook Dr

113 Orchard Dr

63 Wildwood Dr


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