State Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr. has asked Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to press the federal government to declare a state of emergency in Sag Harbor to help business and property owners with the costs of recovery from this month’s destructive Main Street fire.
In a letter sent last week to the governor, Mr. Thiele asks Albany to formally request that the U.S. Small Business Administration, or SBA, declare Sag Harbor Village a disaster area so that business and property owners can take advantage of the agency’s low-interest disaster recovery loans.
“Sag Harbor only claims approximately 2,200 residents, so the economic disruption caused by the fire has a much broader and more crippling impact than the direct damage from the fire,” Mr. Thiele wrote. “Given the limited resources for economic recovery and the fire’s economic impact on a small, yet vibrant and historic community, we should do everything in our power to help these small business owners recover from their tragic loss.”
The five most heavily damaged buildings housed seven businesses and four apartments. Two of the buildings, including the landmarked entranceway to the Sag Harbor Cinema, were demolished entirely and a third is expected to have to be largely reconstructed.
The SBA gives loans to property owners so they can make repairs to damages sustained during a disaster.
Five buildings sustained heavy fire, smoke and water damage during the December 16 blaze and many other businesses and apartments incurred clean-up costs from smoke that wafted across much of the south end of Main Street for several hours as the flames raged. Additionally, depending on how the federal agency handles the declaration, business owners who suffered financial losses due to portions of Main Street being closed, as well as limited customer parking in the days after the fire, might also be able to apply for financial aid, according to Mr. Thiele’s office.
27east on Dec 28, 2016