By Thane Grauel

WESTPORT — The clubhouse at the P.J. Romano Field, used by many generations of athletes, families and youths, might soon be torn down.

The PAL last year received the approval of some town bodies to replace the circa-1936 structure between the schools that are now Saugatuck Elementary and Kings Highway Elementary , but more approvals are needed.

On Tuesday, the Historic District Commission waived the mandatory 180-day demolition delay for the structure at 170 Riverside Ave., meaning it can come down any time.

The new PAL Clubhouse is to be a two-story, saltbox-like structure with an observation area, a concession, offices and storage. It will also have a basement.

“We are proposing to build a new clubhouse,” Peter Romano of Landtech told the commission. “The Westport Police Athletic League probably provides 80 percent, 90 percent of the youth recreational programs in the town of the Westport and has been doing it since the ’50s.”

He noted the field was named for his dad, Peter J. Romano, “who was a director of PAL for about 40 years.”

He said the new clubhouse would have roughly the same footprint, but a little more square footage.

“The program really has grown significantly over the last 40 or 50 years, and the building has stayed the same,” Romano said. “So while there’s a lot of sentimental attachment to it, it doesn’t serve the needs of the community, the kids, the youth.”

He said architect Bruce Beinfield donated his time to plan the new structure.

“Meeting rooms, equipment rooms for the kids, nice bathrooms, a little snack bar … drinks, sandwiches and things like,” Romano said. “Unfortunately, we’ve got to knock down the building.”

He said the new basement will allow for storage of sports equipment so that doesn’t have to happen off-site.

He said a drainage plan with pervious bricks and gravel beneath might turn into a fundraising effort.

“Tons of people have been donating products, money, to get the building built,” Romano said.

Romano said the proposal is the subject of an 8-24 request (a state statute which governs significant improvements of municipal property) and will need approval of the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Zoning Board of Appeals, for a variance for coverage.

No HDC members had questions or concerns, and no one from the public spoke.

A motion to waive the demolition delay passed unanimously.

Thane Grauel grew up in Westport and has been a journalist in Fairfield County and beyond for 36 years. Reach him at editor@westportjournal.com. Learn more about us here.