ActivePaper Archive Neighbor to Neighbor prepares for new home - Greenwich Time, 12/7/2020

Neighbor to Neighbor prepares for new home

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Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media

Neighbor to Neighbor board member Pam Kelly, right, speaks beside fellow board member Karen Royce during a ceremonial “groundbreaking” of the proposed Neighbor to Neighbor building behind Christ Church in Greenwich.

GREENWICH — When COVID-19 hit, the demand for services skyrocketed at Neighbor to Neighbor.

The nonprofit, which has operated out of Christ Church Greenwich, was able to temporarily move its food pantry operations to a much larger space at the Arch Street Teen Center. From there, volunteers have distributed food to those in need due to the economic impact of the pandemic.

But by next summer, Neighbor to Neighbor plans to move into its new home, which will be about three times the size of its previous space with improved accessibility, on the church’s campus.

“We are here to serve those that are in need and have food insecurity,” Margaret Tjimos Goldberg, Neighbor to Neighbor’s executive director, said in announcing the construction schedule.

“We will be meeting those needs and providing essential household items and clothing in the years to come.”

Work will begin this month as the foundation is installed in a site behind the church. The new building, which will be prefabricated off site, will be brought to the new location in January or February.

“We wanted to do it this way because it would be the least amount of disturbance to the neighbors and for the church,” said Karen Royce, a board member and chair of Neighbor to Neighbor’s building campaign.

They are planning for the new building to be fully operational and open to clients by next summer.

The construction budget is set at a little over $3 million for the new 6,363-square-foot building, Royce said.

It will be an improvement from the old 2,300-square-foot space, which is located inside the church, and was difficult to access down a staircase.

The new building will also have wider aisles, allowing for restocking while clients are there, and expanded refrigerator and freezer space as well as more storage space.

Neighbor to Neighbor’s 45-year partnership with Christ Church will continue with the new facility. The land is owned by the church and will be leased to the non-profit for $1 a year, Royce said.

“This is a great partnership,” Royce said. “We feel very grateful and lucky that the church congregation was willing to go ahead with the project and lease the land to it. Our clients know this spot. Our volunteers know this spot. It’s on a public transportation route.”

The new building was a long time coming. The work to get planning and approvals started years ago. And receiving the go-ahead from the town Planning and Zoning Commission in 2016, Neighbor to Neighbor ended up locked in a legal battle with neighbors over the project.

Residents of the nearby Putnam Hill and Putnam Park apartment complexes filed suit, seeking to block the new food bank and saying it would be too big and cause traffic and noise problems.

The state Appellate Court dismissed the suit in October 2019, agreeing with the Superior Court that the Planning and Zoning Commission was correct in allowing the new building to proceed.

“This is a fantastic feeling,” said Pam Kelly, head of the building committee and a Neighbor to Neighbor board member. “It’s been a long road to get to this point and it’s a great project. It’s going to be good for the town of Greenwich. It’s going to be good for Christ Church. It’s a win-win.” kborsuk@greenwichtime.com