WILTON – The board of selectmen, having received complaints from residents, are beginning to ask questions about the Farmington Diner.
The iconic restaurant was saved from certain demolition on Feb. 8, 2008, by Rachel Jackson Hodsdon, of Wilton, who purchased the shiny silver-and-red portion of the building for $1 from Bruce Carrier. For 50 years the diner had served the residents of Franklin County breakfast on the Interval.
Jackson Hodsdon’s plan was to move the relic to her property at the intersection of Route 2 and Cemetery Road in East Wilton, possibly reopening it later in the spring.
However, it has now been a year since the diner was moved to its new home, and no real progress has been reported. The selectmen have begun receiving complaints from residents over the building’s appearance.
Code Enforcement Officer Paul Montague wrote a letter to Jackson Hodsdon dated Feb. 6 but has not received a response. He wants her to prepare a written plan on how she intends to make the building operational again.
Selectman Russell Black said he had heard from Jackson-Hodsdon, but had not spoken with her as of Tuesday’s meeting.
I read in the Sun Journal (Jan. 2) that she was thinking about what was the best place to put it, in order to open it for business, and one possibility was the Mt. Blue Shopping Center. I’d enthusiastically support any movement to bring the diner back to Farmington.
Licia K