Southampton Village officials issued a stop work order earlier this month for a Windmill Lane building after its owners failed to renew a building permit for renovations.
The order was issued on June 3 for 22 Windmill Lane LLC, which is owned by William and Pam DeFronze.
In addition to failing to obtain a permit, the work order also cited “dangerous and unsafe conditions” at the site. Work can resume if a valid building permit is obtained and posted at the job site, and when the unsafe and dangerous conditions are corrected, according to the order.
A village building inspector did not return a call for comment. The DeFronzes also did not return calls.
According to real estate records, the DeFronzes purchased the building about a year ago from Alex Demetriades for $1.1 million. While Mr. Demetriades owned it, he too was cited by the village for several state building code violations for safety issues and a lack of maintenance of the 0.2-acre property.
Within the structure still are remnants of a pre-Revolutionary War home, which belonged to the Rhodes family. There is Georgian wainscoting and original hand-shaped molding and framework, as well as a period barrel-back cupboard.
The property has been a heated subject of debate involving Southampton Village officials and residents who have wanted to see the historical pieces preserved and the dilapidated building renovated to match the other businesses on Windmill Lane.
Mr. Demetriades had several offers to buy the property from the Southampton Town Community Preservation Fund, Southampton Village, and a preservationist in Amagansett, but he turned them all the down.
Alyssa Melillo on Jun 23, 2015