1 Photo
An application to convert the Hampton Bays movie theater into a CVS pharmacy seemed to inspire wistfulness in members of the Southampton Town Planning Board at a work session last Thursday, May 23.
“It’s really the last movie theater in Hampton Bays,” said Planning Board member Robin Long. “It’s one of the few places where kids can go, and it’s gone for a CVS.”
“It is a loss to the community, there’s no doubt about it,” said the board’s chairwoman, Jacqui Lofaro. The owner of the building where the Hampton Bays United Artists movie theater is located has an application to convert the 14,886-square-foot theater into a drugstore operated by CVS. The movie theater is currently zoned for village business, and operates as an allowed use. Also allowed under the same use is a drugstore.
According to Southampton Town records, the property is owned by a property management company called WDP Enterprises.
Some Planning Board members expressed concern about the potential change, but when it came to questions about why the property owner wanted to bring a CVS to Hampton Bays, Elizabeth Vail, a lawyer with Farrell Fritz attorneys, said she could not say. “Our client has nothing to do with the potential vacancy of this site,” Ms. Vail said.
Planning Board member Phil Keith said he was curious about the motivation to convert the movie theater into a drugstore and John Zuccarelli, another member of the board, said he was concerned with the size of the proposed drugstore.
“Why does a pharmacist need almost 15,000 square feet?” he asked. “It doesn’t seem like a pharmacy would be there predominantly. The point is, we have, presently, pharmacies there that are probably one-fifth of this … I think it’s much too large.”
As board members continued to pose questions, they began looking for sections of the zoning code that would prevent CVS from moving into the space. In particular, they said, “community” was a standard that they would weigh when considering an application.
Mr. Zuccarelli said he would rather see three or four retail stores in the movie theater space to accommodate the community.
“I’d like to hear the business need for a second drugstore,” said Glorian Berk, another Planning Board member. “‘Is it a viable business use?’ is where I’m coming from. I know it’s allowed.”
Ms. Lofaro reminded the other board members that they can only apply such standards when making a determination on an application.
A pre-submission public hearing on the application is scheduled for June 27 at Town Hall.
Greg Wehner on May 29, 2019