Letters

As a local businessman and builder, I love to see new projects, especially after growing up here in the 1970s, when there was no money in this town. When my grandfather built a third of Main Street in the 1930s, there were only 186 families in town — all of which my grandfather extended credit to during the Depression. My grandfather is my inspiration and hero.

Oh, how things have changed.

I’m currently trying to build a commercial building next to the post office, where we had a building for over 80 years. This building would’ve had enough office and retail space to take everybody that is being thrown out because of the new theater.

I want to follow in my grandfather’s footsteps, building on Main Street and walking by it every day, and have my kids walk by it every day, like I do the supermarket.

My building was torn down 14 years ago, and I’ve been in the village office for six years trying to get a permit for a two-story building — but because I’m short six parking spots, and due to the monstrosity of a building being built in front of me, I can’t build a second floor. I can only do one story, which is a waste of valuable real estate.

I kind of believe in the project that’s coming to town, the theater — it seems like an improvement from the old supermarket building in Fort Apache. It’s a little scary that he’s buying everything around and also talking about my moving the post office — this seems a little extreme and does worry me.

I hope, after what the village put me through for the last 13 years, the rules are going to be equally enforced. A change of zoning and a change of use to a place of assembly within 100 feet of water is a major project and probably needs five years before you can even apply for a permit. I had to get a State Department of Environmental Conservation permit, and it took me three years, and it was for a three-story building — and now I’m building a one-story.

I know they believe the theater is good for the village, but we just spent $15 million on a library; now we’re going to spend $100 million or $200 million for a nonprofit, exempt from the tax rolls?

If they let them do this, they should fix the parking with the application. I had to do one parking space for every 200 square feet; they would need 175 parking spots, and they should be open to the public.

And if they do that, they should get their building, because that’s what I had to do.

David Schiavoni

Sag Harbor