Archive for the 'Downtown Riverhead' Category

Zero Tolerance for Downtown Riverhead

February 10th, 2008 category: Downtown RiverheadNo Comments »

At Options Realty we are glad to see that Riverhead’s two newest additions to the Town Board, Tim Buckley and Jim Wooten, have started the new administration in Riverhead Town Hall with local business success as a priority. Now let’s hope that the rest of the Town Board has the required fortitude to follow their comments of support with some action. Quickly.

At least these two members of the Riverhead Town Board understand the urgency of the problem with derelicts and deadbeats in downtown Riverhead. Solutions are available. Having the spine to back them up and maintain optimism and vision for a revitalized Downtown will hopefully prevail.

Tim Gannon had an article in The News Review on Thursday of this week entitled ‘Zero Tolerance’ Zone.

Mr. Buckley is proposing that the zero tolerance zone for downtown stretch from Griffing Avenue on the west to Ostrander Avenue on the east, with the zone going about a block to the north of Main Street. There would be signs clearly marking the boundaries of the zone, he said.

“Zero tolerance is a full-scale strategic attack on all crime and disorder in Riverhead, Main Street in particular,” Mr. Buckley said. “It focuses on the enforcement of ‘quality of life’ offenses such as drinking in public, loud radios, urinating in public and disorderly conduct. By quickly addressing these problems,Riverhead will send the message that more serious crime will not be tolerated.”

Read the rest of the article ‘Zero Tolerance’ Zone

Sometimes there is a little truth in pessimism. A comment on a post called Get Real here vocalizes some of the local web forums frustration of the deplorable conditions in Downtown Riverhead.

Downtown is already a “zero tolerance” zone. The town board has zero tolerance for a healthy business environment!

Options Realty has to say to this author (Life) that we think that this new administration In Riverhead Town Hall has some new blood that will keep the rest of the member’s feet to the fire on this one. Buckley and Wooten are fresh and ready to bring some good insight on how to find solutions to the dismal conditions on Main St. This proposal is just one bullet in the guns of these public servant’s arsenal to redevelop DowntownRiverhead . As evidenced in Jim Wooten’s and Tim Buckley’s campaign this past fall, both are following through on their campaign points. Let’s just hope that no one needs to hold Wooten and Buckley’s feet to any sparks, much less fire.

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Apollo Falling?

December 16th, 2007 category: Downtown Riverhead, North Fork Neighborhoods, Real Estate Philosophy, Riverhead Real Estate1 Comment »

Condemnation possibilities were announced this past week in Riverhead.

The previous post on this topic has developed into an extended situation that can only now become more stagnant than ever. The Supervisor of Riverhead, Phil Cardinale, received a request from Apollo’s Vice President to begin condemnation procedures.

With this news the continuation of a long, protracted process for revitalization, in this authors opinion, is likely. The lawsuit that Riverhead Enterprises would file could take years to settle. Those types of stops in the condemnation process place the advancement for a reborn downtown into a holding pattern.

John Stefans in his article Apollo offer is rejected, closes his article with a glimmer of hope on the horizon, the possibility of arbitration to come up with a fair price agreeable to both parties.

“Condemnation through eminent domain of seven buildings in downtown Riverhead became more of a possibility Friday when Riverhead Enterprises, owner of the properties, formally rejected an offer by Apollo Real Estate Advisors to purchase them for its sweeping urban renewal project on the south side of West Main Street…Mr. Cardinale said Tuesday he hopes condemnation can be avoided and said he plans to ask both sides to agree to a mutually acceptable third-party arbitrator to arrive at a fair price.”

Was there anything unfair about the Apollo offer that was on the table? More information is needed. I wouldn’t be surprised if Sheldon Gordon and Riverhead Enterprises have an agenda that I do not yet have information on. “Going away” is not something that should be expected of this contingent.

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Snags & Thorns on Main Street Riverhead

December 8th, 2007 category: Downtown Riverhead, Real Estate News, Riverhead Real Estate3 Comments »

John Steffans @ The News Review reported this week that more snags continue to tear into the progress of major revitalization in downtown Riverhead. Riverhead Enterprises (Sheldon Gordon) and Apollo Real Estate Advisors (Richard Mack), Deadlines have loomed before. Click here for the article.

The interesting part of this story to me is how Supervisor Phil Cardinale and the newly elected members of the town council will proceed and intervene. Let’s hope that, for the health of Historic Downtown Riverhead, the Supervisor and Board make decisions based on the growth and revitalization of Downtown.

In the Letter To the Editor section of the aforementioned paper, Marty Stromsten writes…
“It is time for the Town of Riverhead to take back the Suffolk Theatre and revisit the original plan for a cultural arts center that was approved by the Town Board a number of years ago. Something needs to be done to stop the exiting of so many small businesses in the village. Taking the Suffolk Theatre back would be a small price to pay for bring Riverhead back to life.”

 

When referring to the reverter clause in the agreement that the town has with the owner of The Suffolk Theatre, the author’s impatience and frustration derives from the lack of visible improvements in the downtown area of East Main Street inRiverhead. In my opinion, it would be a mistake for the town to act on this reverter clause. That action will only move to dissuade potential commercial investors from coming to Riverhead.

DECISIONS are going to have BE IMPLEMENTED in order to up the pace in this race to save Downtown Riverhead. The longer that the semi-abandoned buildings stand, and crime continues in the area of East Main St., the more obvious the battle to investors and potential homeowners to invest in RIVERHEAD.

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A Riverhead, New York Festival Kicks Off A Saturday

August 22nd, 2007 category: Downtown Riverhead, People and Places, Riverhead Real Estate1 Comment »

When people visit our east end of Long Island, whether to consider moving here, or simply for a summer getaway, the offerings are abundant every weekend. This Saturday, we decided to visit the Riverhead Polish Fair. It occurs every year in Polish Town, Riverhead, New York, and it sounded like a fun adventure.

Parking at Riverhead High School, we made our way through the festival, noticing the green lawns of charming homes that are offered in this unique area- while small, their reminder of another period in time is very enticing. The lot sizes are small and easy to manage, and the decorative accents outside offer a warm feeling of cared for homes.

We were delighted at the abundance offered at this festival, and came to understand the large crowds that it draws each year. In addition to watching the Little Miss Polish Festival contest, with little girls adorned in the dresses of their ancestry, we ate…and ATE. The food offerings are amazingly rich, and the smell made it very difficult to pass each station without a good look.

Vendors throughout the festival offered anything from a “fake” designer bag, to those little creatures that fit, one inside the other- the name escapes me, but I love opening each one to discover the littlest wooden surprise. Scarves, sweaters and an assortment of clothing were found in abundance.

Noticing a wind as we finished up our visit, we decided to engage in another favorite activity after the festival- sailing. After getting rigged up, we headed out into the bay- the winds were amazing. In an odd weather idiosyncrasy, it was actually chilly- a welcome respite from the typical summer heat.

And thus, a typical weekend on the east end of Long Island- festivals, tag sales, great food, sailing…makes me wonder how I could live anywhere else!

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Downtown Riverhead Deadline Looms

May 13th, 2007 category: Downtown Riverhead, Real Estate News, Riverhead Real Estate1 Comment »

This week I want to introduce a new topic that is a growing news story while spring has sprung here in Riverhead, New York.

Daniel Wagner at Newsday reported in his article Energizing East Main, earlier this month, about the revitalization of Downtown Riverhead. I think his article is helpful in getting things moving forward on East Main.

I want to preface his article by mentioning a few of my own thoughts.

The owners of those semi-abandoned rows of retail storefronts in Downtown Riverhead on East Main St. and The Town of Riverhead need to be held accountable for the turtle pace of advancement that is taking place in Downtown Riverhead re-development. I say, Fix Riverhead Today.

Let’s hope that the Town of Riverhead sticks to it’s guns this Tuesday, May 15, concerning the conditional deadline for Apollo to develop a land-use plan. I’l keep you posted this week if Cardinale’s demands will be met.

Wagner writes that “Cardinale said the town board has demanded that by May 15 the developer present a clearer vision for the southern part of the project, letters of intent from prospective tenants, and a letter indicating whether negotiations had failed.

If they do, that could trigger a provision in the earlier agreement mandating the town to help Apollo obtain needed properties through eminent domain - something all parties said they would like to avoid.”

My feeling is that if the Town of Riverhead and Cardinale were serious, they would hang that threat over the heads of both the Appolo, and Riverhead Enterprises . Why not? Up to this point there hasn’t been any action taken on their part. The threat of eminent domain from the town could be just the fire that the two parties need to be lit under their respective hind quarters…

Read Daniel Wagner’s article, Energizing East Main in Newsday.

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This Week on Smart Radio - Urban Redevelopment

May 13th, 2007 category: Downtown Riverhead, Real Estate NewsNo Comments »

Smart City™ is a weekly, hour-long public radio talk show that takes an in-depth look at urban life, the people, places, ideas and trends shaping cities. Host Carol Coletta talks with national and international public policy experts, elected officials, economists, business leaders, artists, developers, planners and others for a penetrating discussion of urban issues.
Urban Redevelopment is the topic this week on Smart City Radio.

Urban redevelopment has been fun to watch over the past decade. Surprising projects are popping up everywhere, and Smart Cities guests this week are behind some of the most interesting.

Eve Picker is transforming Pittsburgh’s long-ignored downtown buildings into stylish residences and offices, setting the stage for future residential development in the heart of that city. Trained as an architect and urban designer, Eve has built an entrepreneurial real estate development business called No Wall Productions in Pittsburgh.

Jeanne Goodman was the very first investor in Boston’s Jamaica Plain Cohousing where she now lives. It is an unusual style of shared living with neighbors to fit today’s busy lifestyles. Jeanne is a co-housing advocate with Ecodevelopments. Her newest project is EcoVillage.
Listen to this segment.

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