Sag Harbor Village Board Releases Plans For Proposed Waterfront Park - 27 East

Real Estate News

Real Estate News / 1407175

Sag Harbor Village Board Releases Plans For Proposed Waterfront Park

icon 3 Photos

Jessica James's sustainable home in Montauk.

Jessica James's sustainable home in Montauk.

Garden at the Classic Hamptons Beach House in Water Mill.   DAWN WATSON

Garden at the Classic Hamptons Beach House in Water Mill. DAWN WATSON

author on Mar 4, 2016

The Sag Harbor Village Board last week unveiled plans for a proposed park on one of the last undeveloped waterfronts in the municipality’s business district—even though the current owners of the property so far have been unwilling to sell.

The properties, which are located at 1, 3 and 5 Ferry Road, as well as 2 West Water Street, currently have luxury condominiums planned for them. The development project is being headed by Greystone Property Development and East End Ventures, both of New York City. Both companies own the Ferry Road properties; only East End Ventures owns the West Water Street property.

Nevertheless, village officials say they are hopeful that a plan to obtain the properties and turn them into a larger park will still materialize—and they continue to explore the option of forcing a sale, arguing that it would be in the public interest.

The lots in question are adjacent to a roughly 1-acre triangular lot, just south of the Lance Corporal Jordan C. Haerter Veterans Memorial Bridge, that the village already owns and had planned to transform into a smaller waterfront park.

Landscape Architect Edmund Hollander designed the plans for the new park, called the John Steinbeck Waterfront Park, which he presented to the village board and the community at a board meeting on Tuesday night. It would include two beaches, a boat pier, trails, restrooms, a public plaza, parking spaces and a children’s playground, among other amenities.

“It is the importance of it, in terms of its potential recreational use and its ecological buffering from the wetland, that make it valuable,” Mr. Hollander said on Monday of the plan for the park. “It is kind of the first of a bigger picture planned of improving water quality in Sag Harbor Cove.”

Existing eelgrass and oyster beds would be restored as part of the effort, and the park would feature informational boards that identify different species of birds. “It is a park we want to design as part of the community,” Mr. Hollander said. He noted that students at the Sag Harbor School District and the public in general would be informed “as to the ecological benefits of an area like this.”

The Ferry Road parcels, which total about 1.3 acres themselves, were added last year to Southampton Town’s Community Preservation Fund list at the village’s request. However, the property owners have not been willing to sell.

In turn, the village has explored the option of eminent domain—condemning the property and taking it for public use, with compensation for the property owners—and recently hired attorney Saul Fenchel of Berkman, Henoch, Peterson, Peddy and Fenchel P.C. in Garden City to advise them on the condemnation process. The property at 2 West Water Street was just added to the list of parcels that would be condemned; previously, the village had been interested only in the Ferry Road properties.

Village Attorney Fred W. Thiele Jr. on Monday said the possibility of condemnation is still being “actively evaluated,” although the village has not made any formal moves in the process besides getting appraisals and surveys of the properties.

To condemn the properties, the village would need to establish that the park is a valid public purpose, Mr. Thiele said. “We are doing our due diligence—what would the park look like to show that it is a valid public purpose?” he said when asked why the plans were unveiled when the village has not secured the properties.

Mayor Sandra Schroeder echoed that sentiment and said the village still wants to move forward its plan for the park even though the property owners have not budged. “They are going ahead with their application at the Planning Board,” she said, referring to Greystone Development.

“It is really so important to so many people,” Mayor Schroeder said of the John Steinbeck Waterfront Park. “We are willing to go any route we can.”

Karen Marotta, the director of communications for Greystone, confirmed Tuesday that they are still moving forward with their plans for the condominiums.

You May Also Like:

Agency News: Dominic Couzens Joins Eklund | Gomes Team

The Eklund | Gomes Team at Douglas Elliman is growing its Hamptons division with the ... 1 May 2024 by Staff Writer

Southampton Town Board Hears Report on Tax Assessment Status

Though no action is imminent, the Southampton Town Board heard an update on a potential ... 24 Apr 2024 by Christopher Walsh

REI Presents ‘Long Island Zoning Atlas – A Map to Fix LI’s Housing Crisis?’ on May 3

The Real Estate Institute at Stony Brook University College of Business will present its spring luncheon, titled “Long Island Zoning Atlas – A Map to Fix LI’s Housing Crisis?” on Friday, May 3, at the Hilton Garden Inn on the Stony Brook University campus. The discussion on Long Island’s zoning policies and their potential impact on the region’s housing crisis will include panelists Gwen O’Shea, the president and CEO of Community Development Corp. of Long Island; Michael Florio, the CEO of Long Island Builders Institute; and Stephen Romalewski, a professor at CUNY Graduate Center. David Pennetta, the executive managing director ... by Staff Writer

Tips for Avoiding Rental Scams

Rental scams are pervasive, targeting both those seeking permanent housing and those seeking a quick getaway or seasonal lease. To help prospective tenants avoid falling prey to scams, the New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection is calling attention to common rental scams. The main takeaway is this: Avoid sending money for rental properties without first verifying the legitimacy of the listing. In 2023, the FBI received 9,521 real estate/rental scam related complaints with losses of over $145 million. “In today’s highly competitive housing market, renters are often targeted by scammers who use enticing offers to steal their ... by Staff Writer

Agency News: Alexis Meadows Joins Michael Lorber Team at Douglas Elliman

Alexis Meadows has joined the Michael Lorber Team, a top-ranking real estate team at Douglas ... 22 Apr 2024 by Staff Writer

Waterview Water Mill Shingle-Style Homes Sells for $11.38 Million

A Water Mill home with a view of Burnett Creek and a dock for access ... 17 Apr 2024 by Staff Writer

Sagaponack New Construction Designed by McDonough & Conroy Sells for $6 Million

A new 8,000-square-foot home in Sagaponack has sold for $6 million preconstruction. On 3.13 acres ... 9 Apr 2024 by Staff Writer

New Book Shows Long Island’s Past With Glimpses of Future

“Making Long Island: A History of Growth and the American Dream,” by Lawrence R. Samuel ... 5 Apr 2024 by Joseph Finora

Good Things Come in Small Packages

While large houses offer more space to spread out in, a new home in East ... 3 Apr 2024 by Brendan J. O’Reilly

Culloden Point Waterfront Home Sells for $12.5 Million

On Montauk’s Culloden Point and fronting Fort Pond Bay, the home at 8 Captain Balfour ... by Staff Writer