Land Deal Is Reached To Complete Planned John Steinbeck Waterfront Park In Sag Harbor

The John Steinbeck Waterfront Park could soon become a reality.

On Wednesday, May 23, Sag Harbor Village officials announced that a deal had been reached involving the village, developer Jay Bialsky and Southampton Town. The agreement involves using $10.5 million of Southampton Town Community Preservation Fund revenues to purchase and preserve 1.25 acres of waterfront land at 1, 3 and 5 Ferry Road from Mr. Bialsky. That adds a key piece to the long-planned park, which officials described as the first new major park for Sag Harbor in more than a century.

The newly purchased property will be linked by land and water to Windmill Park and Long Wharf, creating a continuous park, beach and green space where planners hope to include a fishing pier, a playground, walking trails and other features.

The 1.25-acre section of land, along with 0.69 acres at 2 West Water Street that Mr. Bialsky will retain, was originally set to become a condominium development built by Greystone Development, before Greystone transferred ownership of that land to Mr. Bialsky on April 19.

Mr. Bialsky would not say last week how much he paid for the parcels, all of which the park’s planners had originally hoped to include in the green space. He did say he will use the remaining land on West Water Street to build three townhouse residences with boat slips, using one townhouse as his personal home.

“This is a win-win situation for the community and the proposed project I’m working on,” Mr. Bialsky said. “The town benefits from having less density in the area, a pubic park and more open space.”

The new park’s design will be overseen by landscape architect and 30-year Sag Harbor resident Edmund Hollander.

According to Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman, the $10.5 million will only be used to purchase the land, with all costs for developing the park being Sag Harbor Village’s responsibility. Mr. Schneiderman also pointed out that Mr. Bialsky will have to demolish the existing, abandoned structures on the 1.25 acres, per the agreement.

This has been a deal nearly four years in the making, beginning when the village first reviewed plans to develop the property between the Ferry Road properties and the Lance Corporal Jordan Haerter Memorial Bridge. The property was owned by East End Ventures, which planned an eight-unit condominium complex and partnered with Greystone in 2015 to develop the land.

Without a willing seller, the town could not use CPF money to purchase the property, but in October 2015, the Southampton Town Board voted to include the land on its list of CPF priority targets. The village even explored using eminent domain to condemn the property and compensate the owners, even while Greystone pursued village regulatory board approval for about a dozen condominium units.

In September 2016, Greystone offered to move its planned condos to West Water Street, leaving room on Ferry Road for the park, but the deal had not gone through when Mr. Bialsky took over ownership.

“We are absolutely thrilled beyond words,” Village Mayor Sandra Schroeder said in the announcement. “This acquisition will transform the last remaining open space on the harbor into a world-class park that will be a serene, peaceful setting for our residents and visitors to enjoy one of the most beautiful harbors in the world in the heart of the village.”