The Easton Village Store will undergo interior renovations to prepare for its reopening to serve a variety of ethnic dishes for takeout and delivery.
“It’s all interior remodeling,” said Marsel Hurbial, the owner of EVS. “We are adding more exhaust hoods to produce the food we’ll serve and for better ventilation.”
Huribal said he has a well-known chef from Connecticut lined up to cook a variety of different cuisines such as Mexican, Indian and barbecue at the establishment. The food will be available for take out and delivery.
“It’s quality food and something that the town desperately needs,” said Huribal, adding that the new the store will reopen in three to four months.
Earlier this month, the Planning and Zoning Commission granted a Special Permit to Gourmet United LLC to undergo interior renovations. Ray Martin, chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission, said the commission approved the special permit for renovations because it is a consistent use of the property which has been to serve food for eat in and take out.
Huribal said he continues to work with officials from the state Department of Energy and Environment Protection agency on a remediation plan the agency ordered when contaminated soil was found on his property after three gasoline tanks were removed in Feb. 2022.
After the excavation of the tanks, mounds of dirt were left under tarps and remained in the parking lot for an extended period of time. Huribal says the contractor claimed he did not know the soil was contaminated, mainly with petroleum and lead, and also moved a pile of soil to the back of the property.
A resident whose home abuts the store’s property raised concerns about the standing pile of soil, and Easton’s Conservation Commission officials became concerned that it would contaminate nearby wetlands. The commission cited Huribal for several permit violations related to the excavation and for moving the soil within 100 feet of wetlands.
For nearly a year, state and local officials have been monitoring the remediation at the property. Under the supervision of the state DEEP and in coordination with local officials, Bridgeport-based Advanced Environmental Redevelopment has been testing for traces of contaminants in the groundwater and in nearby supply wells. To date, no trace of contaminants have been found on the property and in nearby supply wells.
The most recent testing analysis from February obtained by the Courier from DEEP reported that additional EVS site remediation had been completed and that the latest results of testing “indicate that groundwater beneath the [EVS] site complies with the [water quality] criteria. No contaminants were detected above the laboratory method detection limit.”
“The clean up is almost 99 percent done,” said Huribal.
The monitoring wells at the property will remain in place and testing will continue at least through the summer to comply with DEEP’s requirements.
