A motel-turned-apartment complex called Hampton Haven on North Road in Shinnecock Hills—one marred by moldy rooms, broken windows and huge potholes in the driveway, officials say—has been issued numerous violations by Southampton Town code enforcement officers.
The property, owned by Lyle Pike of Southampton through a corporation called 114 North Road Inc., has been on the town’s radar for about a year and a half, said David Betts, the chief investigator for the Southampton Town Code Enforcement Department. Just last week, Mr. Betts finalized the investigation and issued Mr. Pike 29 violations of the Southampton Town code and the New York State Property and Maintenance Code.
Mr. Betts said that 19 of the 20 units at the former motel were illegally converted into apartments, and some of the rooms do not have smoke detectors or heat. Some have electrical systems that violate town code, and others have broken windows, he said.
“There were property maintenance issues, and mold in a couple of them,” Mr. Betts said. “I consider that to be pretty bad ... I categorize those as unacceptable conditions.”
When reached late Monday afternoon, Mr. Pike declined to comment about 114 North Road.
He is facing 19 counts of change of use violations; five counts of property maintenance regarding potholes in the driveway, household disrepair and stagnant water; two counts of property maintenance regarding mold and broken windows; one count of littering in wetlands; one count for unsafe electrical systems violations; and one count for multiple unregistered vehicles on property.
The 39 people who live at Hampton Haven are most likely still living there, according to Mr. Betts. Conditions were not bad enough to warrant condemning the property, he said. On Tuesday, about 10 cars were parked outside. Typically, Mr. Betts said, there are as many as 30 cars parked in front, including some commercial vehicles.
The tenants paid about $800 a month rent, the code enforcement chief said, and most of the single motel rooms house families—either a husband and wife or a mother and father and one or two children, some infants, some older.
Now that code enforcement has issued violations and given Mr. Pike an appearance ticket, he must appear before the Southampton Town Justice Court. “Typically, there’s a series of conferences with the defendant to try to get them to bring the property into compliance,” Mr. Betts said.
Assistant Southampton Town Attorney Joe Lombardo will be prosecuting the case with part-time Assistant Town Attorney Kara Cheeseman-Bak, Mr. Betts said.
Mr. Lombardo did not return phone calls before publication. Mr. Betts said he does not know how much in fines Mr. Pike might end up paying.
While it may take some time to bring the entire property into compliance, smoke detectors must be installed in each room immediately, Mr. Betts said. “We want to make sure, ultimately, everybody will be safe.”
The lack of heat in some rooms, as well as the broken windows, must also be fixed as soon as possible, he added.
It might take Mr. Pike and the town longer to reconcile the change-of-use violations, Mr. Betts said.
I'd have to wonder how much of his income has to go toward paying the most likely insanely inflated taxes, due to the ridiculous value given to the property, and buildings.
THANK YOU, NYC!!!!!!!!!!
Well, not everyone. Just the greedy scumbags who have exploited the East End...
I hope the town fine's him thousands of dollars. The article states that some motel rooms have no heat, families are living in these rooms with children. What a disgrace, close this place down now.
Would you like to take in one of the displaced families?
Yeah, I think it was...
The smoke detectors were most likely removed by the tenants, because of repeatedly going off during cooking mishaps. The place should be emptied & either brought into compliance or dozed.
It has been a dump like this ...more for well over a decade closer to 2 decades.
Why it took the town this long to act is the real question at hand.
9/2010:Your honor we need to postpone the hearing again. Postponement granted; come back in december.
12/2010:Your honor we need to postpone the hearing. Postponement granted; come back in march.
8/2012 after 12 postponements, charges dismissed. Back to slumlording, round and round we go.