 
Dolce Hotel and Resort in Norwalk has received zoning approval to host celebrations, opening it up to a new market, and none too soon considering the grim face of the economy.
“The ability to open to social events couldn”™t have come at a better time,” said Chris Dolce, general manager of Dolce Hotels and Resorts. “This secondary revenue source may become vital to make it over this hurdle. People are still getting married and people are still having celebrations.”
The Norwalk Zoning Commission recently voted to allow the Dolce Norwalk to accept social groups.
The hotel and event center, located on Weed Avenue in Norwalk, is on the site of a former seminary, and was built in 1981 by GTE as a conference center. Dolce purchased the facility through a partnership in 2003.
“We”™ve had interest to open up and have wedding and event business for a little over a year now,” said Dolce. “What we did is we reached out to the local city officials and tried to understand what we should do.”
According to Dolce the area residents”™ concerns were traffic and noise for which noise consultants were brought in and noise studies conducted.
“We were able to come to a compromise,” said Dolce. “We met on a common ground in a public hearing. It was a very fair process. The process we went through with the neighborhood, the neighbors, the mayor and all the city officials, has been very open.”
According to Hazel Scudder, catering sales manager at Dolce Norwalk, who was brought on to help manage the wedding business, the compromises have ensured that sound and traffic won”™t be issues.
“Even the sign out front is discreet,” said Scudder. “It had to be below a certain height. We”™re the best-hidden secret in Fairfield County.”
Dolce said the new abilities of the facility are only rivaled by area country clubs. Â
“We feel we have a different kind of niche,” said Dolce. “Moreover, the community will benefit by gaining a new venue for social activities that can accommodate groups as large as 200.”
Dolce said, though weddings previously weren”™t allowed to be held at their facility, many weddings in the area have used the grounds for photo opportunities.
“It”™s a certain unique setting that we have,” said Dolce.
Dolce said weddings, anniversary celebrations, bridal showers, rehearsal dinners, bat and bar mitzvahs and other social events will generate new weekend business and provide more hours for its employees.
Christine Imbrogno, director of sales and marketing at Dolce Norwalk, said the facility offers 120 rooms and 66 acres of outdoor space.
According to Imbrogno, there have recently been additions of a bar and relaxation room, cyber café and fitness center. The facility also includes a 75-foot indoor pool, sauna, tennis, indoor basketball court, racquetball and volleyball courts.
“Our new capability could be our saving grace,” said Imbrogno.
With the lead-time for weddings being typically a year, Dolce has scheduled two weddings since event option passed and has begun consultations for events in 2010.
“Everyone had always said, ”˜Too bad you can”™t have weddings,”™ since the day we opened,” said Dolce. “Nobody doubts that this is going to be just terrific.”?Dolce said the economy has clearly impacted the facility”™s corporate business, just as it has the industry across the board.
“We are clearly down,” said Dolce. “I think the timing of the approvals based on the economy has been perfect.”
