Lake Avenue Smithtown's 8.2 Million Dollar Road Part III Gyrodyne Problem

By Stacey Altherr

 It was a long time coming, say many residents and business owners. And although the Lake Avenue project in Saint James’ business district may be on budget and on time (actually, much earlier), there are roadblocks that could mean it may not reach its full potential for a while.

Part one of Lake Avenue Smithtown’s 8.2 Million Dollar Road Part I

Lake Avenue Smithtown’s 8.2 Million Dollar Road Part II

Project’s Gyrodyne Problem

One major hang-up may be the hook-up of the sewer line to a viable sewer treatment plant. 

For the town to build its own sewer plant could cost as much as $150 million, say town officials, a cost too prohibitive for a town to fund, so they were pleased when they reached out to Gyrodyne about a St. James property the company was looking to develop. Not only would be it significantly less expensive, because the cost would be borne by the business owners hooking into the system, but it could be built in about 3 years as opposed to 8-10 years for a municipal plant to be built, says Garguilo.

The treatment plant would be constructed as part of Gyrodyne’s plans for a boutique hotel of about 90 rooms, an assisted living residence, and two buildings of medical offices, and about 12 acres of preserved open space, say town officials.

The plan was to hook up to a plant on the Gyrodyne Property in Saint James, but state and county approvals are delayed by environmental worries by both Stony Brook and other Brookhaven residents (the plant’s property sits on Stony Brook Harbor).

Among the dissenters of the plant is NYS Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket), who sent written comments to the town planner decrying the plant, citing unmanageable traffic on the three roads leading to the property- State Road 25, Mill Pond Road, and Stony Brook Road-  and environmental worries regarding Stony Brook Harbor, a protected tidal estuary, as well as concerns the treatment plans would expand to take on even more businesses and industries to stay financially solvent.

“It should also be noted that unlike any other New York harbor, New York State owns most of the bottom of Stony Brook Harbor. This almost 900 acres of state ownership is a public trust that the Gyrodyne project and its sewer effluent must not be allowed to violate,” reads the written comments to the town’s environmental impact statement inquiry.

Town of Smithtown’s environmental impact statement should be issued in the next few months, says Wehrheim. Then, it needs to get county approval.

Calls and emails to Gyrodyne president Gary Fitlin were not returned, but Wehrheim said he has seen the plan. Saying it would be a savings for the town to be able to hook into the proposed Gyrodyne plant, he noted there is still an alternative to hook into a county plant on the south side.

However, “we remain fairly confident it will happen,” the supervisor said, adding that a newly constructed plant would be much safer for the environment than for these businesses to continue with antiquated septic systems.

In Kings Park, where the pipe is already laid and ready to hook into County Sewer District plants, its hookup will allow for more “wet use” businesses, that is water-based businesses, such as restaurants, as well as apartments above those businesses.

Celebration Park

While not in the original budget, both town officials and some business leaders say the lack of parking along Lake Avenue can still cause problems for shops and stores in the area, which have already been sidelined with Covid-19 issues.

To solve that problem, and to further make Lake Avenue a shopping and eating destination, the town is looking to make the old Viking Inn property, which the town purchased last year from the county, a small “pocket” park and municipal parking, says Wehrheim. The Viking Inn was purchased last year for $93,000 for the county after the property fell into tax default. 

The park would include a small concession spot, greenery and walking paths, along with the extra parking of about 35 parking spaces.

A group of residents have formed an organization to raise money, which would offset the town’s capital costs, which could possibly reach $7 million, including from concession stand sales. A cost for easements on two neighboring properties that was originally in that cost, will not be necessary now, says Wehrheim.

Ground breaking ceremony originally scheduled for October 29th has been rescheduled for Wednesday, November 4, 2020 at 2pm.

Lake Avenue Smithtown's 8.2 Million Dollar Road Part II

By Stacey Altherr

It was a long time coming, say many residents and business owners. And although the Lake Avenue project in Saint James’ business district may be on budget and on time (actually, much earlier), there are roadblocks that could mean it may not reach its full potential for a while.

Part one of Lake Avenue Smithtown’s 8.2 Million Dollar Road Part I

Project’s Early Completion

Despite the arduous task of digging underneath railroad tracks (and the multi-governmental approvals that it took), the project is 90 percent complete and Lake Avenue is open for business six to seven months ahead of schedule.

Drone shot of Lake Avenue (September)Minor tasks still need to be done, including the installation of the new streetlamps, and some concrete curb and sidewalk work.

The road right now is bumpy, but that will be fixed when the new road settles down and can be re-milled and repaved, which will happen in the Spring, according to town officials.

The Project’s Cost

In all, the entire cost of the project was $8.2 million. About $2 million was already in the highway department budget from 2017 for the anticipated road work. A public hearing in December added $812,000 to replace hydrants and transfer water service to the new main.

Another $3.9 million was secured through the state’s Dormitory Authority (called DASNY) to pay for the sewer line by former Senator John H. Flanagan who left the senate in June to take a job with Northwell Health. That, along with expected economic budget tightening in the state due to Covid-19, means that the money allocated by vote and signature, but not yet received by the Town of Smithtown, could be in jeopardy, although Town Supervisor Edward Wehrheim says he believes the money will be there.

“We’re on a wait-and-see right now,” the town supervisor said. “I believe we will get it. It has already gone through the process. Otherwise, we have to lay it out from our fund balances.”

Much of the cost of the water main will be paid through customers of the Smithtown/St. James Water District, according to its superintendent Chris Nustad. The town estimates that cost to be $54 annually per customer for the water main alone.

The town also is betting that the additional businesses that will flock to the Lake Avenue area will also shore up the tax base, easing the cost of the $4 million capital costs.

Overall, the town expects the additional costs of the capital project to cost $18 per average household assessed at $5,500.

Lake Avenue Smithtown’s 8.2 Million Dollar Road Part III Gyrodyne Problem

Lake Avenue Smithtown's 8.2 Million Dollar Road

By Stacey Altherr

It was a long time coming, say many residents and business owners. And although the Lake Avenue project in Saint James’ business district may be on budget and on time (actually, much earlier), there are roadblocks that could mean it may not reach its full potential for a while.

The Project’s Growth

The project, originally installing a new water main pipe to replace one more than 50 years old, which was decaying, and needed repaving of the road, was originally planned in the 2017 capital budget, for the main business road in Saint James. Over the course of a year, it grew to include not only a beautification project, but the installation of a sewer pipe, which officials say would make sense to lay down while the road was torn up.

“The original water main was a much smaller main for a much smaller population,” said Nicole Garguilo, town spokeswoman. The original project was a repaving and some curb work, but local civic groups called it “lipstick on a pig,” Garguilo said.

The beautification of the street, something the business civic associations have asked about for years, was about $2 million, and included Victorian-style street lamps, stamped concrete  sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, and other features to make it not only charming but more functional.

 

The stamped concrete, which was originally in the proposal as brick, is more stable and a more even walking surface, say town officials.

“This has been a long time coming,” said Kerry Maher, president of the Civic Association of Greater Saint James, and owner of the family business St. James Funeral Home. “Running any business is risky, but we want to do what we can to make them flourish.”

Maher says local civic leaders already see interest in the Lake Avenue area now that sewers might be on their way.

“We had our town board meeting, and we had [business owners] come from Bay Shore to ask about it,” she said. “People are aware of the renovation.”

There are already new stores that have come to Lake Avenue, including a gluten-free bakery, says Garguilo.

Lake Avenue Smithtown’s 8.2 Million Dollar Road Part II

Lake Avenue Smithtown’s 8.2 Million Dollar Road Part III Gyrodyne Problem