No deal! That’s the word from Councilman Robert Creighton on his proposal to purchase a vacant piece of land on Pulaski Rd. in Kings Park to be used as a 20-22 parking space municipal parking lot.
According to Councilman Creighton, the property owner and the town could not reach an agreement on the purchase price. In 2013 Councilman Creighton made a proposal to town board members that Smithtown purchase property and use it to relieve some of the parking problems that exist in Kings Park. Town Board members in February 2014 authorized the expenditure of $2,000 to be used for an appraisal for the property.
Town Attorney Matt Jakubowski notified the seller of the Town’s interest and the appraisal amount, which according to Jakubowski, was roughly $70,000 less than the seller wanted.
At the September 9th work session it was mentioned that the seller was unwilling to accept an offer the town had put forward. Councilman Creighton asked Mr. Jakubowski to continue the negotiations. Today in a phone conversation with Smithtown Matters, the Councilman stated that the seller increased the selling price for the piece of property and negotiations have ended.
Town Attorney Jakubowski concurred with Mr. Creighton that negotiations between the town and Mr. Lupoli the property owner have ended. Although Jakubowski was uncertain if the owner had received other offers, he stated that the property owner was not interested in doing business with the town at the price the town was offering.
A disappointed Creighton said that there was little that could be done giving the reluctance of the property owner to reduce the price of the property.