Connected to mainland Darien by a vehicle causeway, Hay Island is just south of Great Island which was purchased in separate transactions in 2023 by the town of Darien and a private buyer. Both properties were owned by William Ziegler Sr., who generated his fortune through Royal Baking Powder Co., with the brand still sold today by Mondelez International.

Hay Island was Connecticut’s third largest residential sale on record this year as reported by Zillow, and the biggest outside of Greenwich. The property’s listing agent was Leslie McElwreath of Sotheby’s International Realty.

The $43.5 million transfer of 214 Clapboard Ridge Road in Greenwich remains the state’s high sale with less than six weeks to go in the calendar year. Including commercial properties, the $25.8 million sale of the Thorndal Circle office complex is Darien’s biggest real estate sale this year, with the property slated to be converted to apartments.

The Hay Island property at 157 and 161 Long Neck Point Road was originally listed for $35 million last March, with the price cut to $29.5 million after two months on the market. The town appraised the property at $25 million as of October 2024.

The main house at 161 Long Neck Point Road was built in 2010, with six bedrooms and nearly 8,700 square feet of space according to a town property card. A Cape Cod-style cottage at 157 Great Neck Road dates back to 1920 with two bedrooms and 2,300 square feet. A small pool house is also on the property.

Darien’s record residential sale is the Ziegler’s Farm section of Great Island, which sold in December 2023 for $57.5 million. The town’s $85 million purchase of a 60-acre portion of Great Island, now a public park, put the total parcel’s value at $142.5 million.

Includes prior reporting by Mollie Hersh, Andy Blye and Nathaniel Rosenberg.

CONNECTICUT (WTNH) — Multiple roadways across Connecticut are closed due to downed trees and wires on Sunday.

Steady winds of 20-25 mph are forecasted, with gusts in up to 35 mph for parts of Connecticut throughout the day.

The following roads are or were closed due to downed trees and wires as of 3 p.m. on Sunday.

• Milford: I-95 Southbound between Exits 36 and 35 reopened after tree fell into the right lane, according to CTDOT.
• Franklin: Route 32 at Plains Road is closed due to tree hung on wires, according to CTDOT.
• Stamford: Long Ridge Road at Mountain Wood Road is closed due to a downed tree and wires, according to the city of Stamford.
• Easton: Redding Road is closed near Route 58 due to a downed tree and wires, according to the Easton Police Department.
• West Thompson: 190 block of Ravenelle Road is closed between Bull Hill Road and Red Bridge Road, according to the West Thompson Fire Department.
• North Branford: Village Street is closed due to a downed tree limb, according to Town Manager Michael Downes.

The cities of Danbury and Waterbury saw gusts up to 36 mph Sunday afternoon.

This is a developing story. Stay with News 8 for updates.

A destination wedding in Jamaica for a West Hartford couple turned into a relief mission after Hurricane Melissa hit the island last month.

Lisa-Gaye Shakespeare-Grant and Billy Grant returned to Connecticut on Friday after spending a week on the island volunteering with hurricane relief efforts.

“I’d never seen anything like that, so many people lost so much,” said Grant.

The two were supposed to get married in Jamaica, Shakespeare-Grant’s homeland. The couple married privately in Connecticut and then packed ten suitcases with donations to bring to Jamaica so they can spend their first week of marriage helping families who lost their homes in the storm.

“My heart broke when I really realized the depth of the devastation,” said Shakespeare-Grant. “It’s absolutely unbelievable. It’s going to take months for us to get back on our feet.”

Shakespeare-Grant worked with Operation Blessing, organizing essentials and distributing food and water to communities.  

Grant made meals for hundreds of people with World Central Kitchen. He worked alongside Jamie Macdonald, the owner of Bear’s Smokehouse Barbecue.

“On the third day, I was on the grill outside, I was grilling chicken for like nine hours straight,” said Grant. “I went to the bathroom once. No food break, no nothing. We had so many meals to get out.”

The couple returned to Connecticut with heavy hearts, remembering all the families who still need help.

“When you give a care package to a family, they’re literally getting one toilet paper, a few diapers, one toothpaste, one toothbrush,” said Shakespeare-Grant. “That’s not going to last forever.”

The couple ran a donation drive at Restaurant Bricco, which is owned by Grant. They are still collecting donations for when Shakespeare-Grant plans to go back to Jamaica.

For a list of items to donate, click here.