By Thane Grauel

WESTPORT — A plan to upgrade an aging building on upper Main Street and enhance its outdoor dining area for use by the operators of the highly successful Nômade nearby is before the Zoning Board of Appeals.

The plan was heard earlier this year by the Architectural Review Board, which in March asked the applicants for changes. In April, the board reviewed tweaks to the plan for 190 Main St., and, with some caveats, unanimously endorsed the application.

The space, in the same corner center at Avery Place as Joe’s Pizza, was last home to the restaurant 190 Main, which closed early last year.

The application by WHA Equities Corporation seeks to renovate the front terrace, replace the outdoor dining structure, expand the second-level kitchen and add two dormers.

“The existing roof is going to be removed, raised, and replaced to accommodate an expanded kitchen space,” the application reads. “The unsightly existing outdoor dining area is going to be replaced with a new outdoor dining structure.”

The project will need variances for setbacks and parking.

Part of the application includes a bulleted list of items to be addressed:

• The existing building has not received comprehensive maintenance and care in a number of years.

• The exterior of the existing structure is in poor condition. The existing siding has numerous holes which allow rodents to enter the building.

• The existing kitchen is on the second level and is not functional due to the limited floor space and ceiling.

• Configuration of the kitchen is not compliant with the Health Department’s standards and the fire marshal has noted several items that need to be addressed.

• The existing roof ridgeline is sagging and is visually concerning.

• A few of the existing windows and doors contain broken glass.

• The existing front patio needs attention to address water intrusion and is a jumble of ill-fitting and disparate elements.

• The existing outdoor seating in the parking lot needs to be improved from its current condition to present an enjoyable custom experience and to better serve the community aesthetically.

The application was recently filed and does not yet appear on a ZBA agenda.

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.