Jamesport Country Kitchen has closed its doors. (Credit: Barbaraellen Koch)
The Jamesport Country Kitchen has closed its doors.
The 26-year-old institution on Main Road served its last dinner Monday night after owner and operator Matthew Kar decided to sell the business, as well as the building itself.
Kar also runs the Jamesport Manor Inn and two catering companies. He’ll now focus more on the catering business to accommodate the surge in demand.
Peter Gevinski (Credit: RPD)
An Aquebogue man was arrested Friday morning for committing several residential burglaries dating back to last fall, Riverhead Town police said.
According to authorities, Peter J. Gevinski Jr., 26, was arrested around noon on two counts of burglary in the second degree and one count of grand larceny in the third degree.
Police said an investigation revealed that he removed a safe containing jewelry and money from a Jamesport residence on Oct. 12, 2014, and jewelry from an Aquebogue residence on Feb. 5. He also took money and jewelry from another Jamesport residence on May 5, police said.
Mr. Gevinski was arrested and transported to police headquarters for processing, authorities said.
He was then arraigned in Riverhead Justice Court and taken to Suffolk County Correctional Facility on $25,000 cash bail.
The historic Jedediah Hawkins Inn got another temporary reprieve from the Riverhead Town Zoning Board Thursday night to allow it to hold outdoor catered events at the Jamesport restaurant, but it came with a number of conditions aimed at addressing the issue long term.
Because the town code only allows indoor catering – and not outdoor catering – as a permitted “accessory use” to restaurants, the Inn has had to seek a variance from the ZBA annually for the past eight years in order to hold outdoor events. Those variances have been granted, but with conditions.
Neighbors have complained about noise from those outdoor events at prior ZBA hearings.
At one point several years ago, the Town Board discussed changing the zoning to address these issues, but it never did.
On Thursday, the ZBA voted 4-1 in favor of the application, with board member Frank Seabrook casting the lone dissenting vote.
“It seemed to me that the negative impacts of noise from more outdoor events should not be a burden placed on this quiet residential community,” he said after the vote. “In spite of the beautiful restoration work done to that property, and the benefit of that restoration to the community, I could not find a reason to support this appeal. In this community, it is my opinion, that events should be held indoors.”
Pam Hunt, a representative for the Inn, told the ZBA at earlier hearings that the catering hall would have difficulty staying in business without the outdoor events.
Ms. Hunt also presented the ZBA with an online petition signed by more than 900 people in support of the Inn.
The approval granted Thursday allows the Inn to hold outdoor catered events until Nov. 30, 2016, but states: “The applicant is to retain counsel and make a formal written application to the Town of Riverhead Town Board on or before December 1, 2015 requesting a change of zone and or modification of the existing zone to permit catering outside of the principal structure.”
Among other conditions:
• Catering for outdoor events will only be permitted within a completely enclosed tent.
• The Inn will be limited to three outdoor events per month, and no more than one per day, and the events will not be permitted on weekday nights when school in session.
• Events cannot start earlier than noon or end later than 9:30 p.m., and there will be a limit of 125 guests per event.
•Sound levels at outdoor events must be in compliance with the town noise ordinance.
• The Inn will be required to keep a catering manager on site for the duration of outdoor events and that his or her name and cell phone number be conspicuously posted on the Inn’s website for the purpose of responding to noise complaints.
“All of us at Jedediah Hawkins Inn are grateful for the overwhelming show of support from our friends and neighbors, and to the ZBA members who voted to let us continue to serve them,” Ms. Hunt said after the vote. “We are hopeful that by continuing to do business in a responsible manner, we will reassure the few who opposed us.”
Two years ago, Dayna Corlito purchased the property holding this barn built circa 1884. (Credit: Joseph Pinciaro)
Joe Gergela remembers playing basketball inside his neighbor’s barn on Main Road in Jamesport — a roomy, lofty barn that dates back to 1884 and measures 40 feet wide, 45 feet deep and 2 1/2 stories tall.
“Me and Danny Kaelin would go in there and play,” he recalled. “At that time, Corwin Tuthill, the owner of the barn, was a veggie farmer like we all were back then.”
How the times have changed.
Though the hoop is still there, soon enough, that barn and the house it belongs to will likely find themselves on the National Register of Historic Places — the 11th such location in Riverhead Town. And someday, if the property owner’s plans work out, it may become a retail location with a wine-tasting room on site.
Dayna Corlito of Hampton Bays, who was born and bred in Brooklyn, said that after 24 years in the financial services industry, she needed a change of scenery.
“I wanted to do something in the wine and food industry,” she said. “A next-chapter-of your-life kind of thing.”
So a couple of years ago, she purchased the lot at the east corner of Main Road and Tuthills Lane in Jamesport, where Century 21 Albertson Real Estate is and will remain. She also bought an adjoining lot, from Mr. Gergela’s mother, with her dream in mind.
With his signature last week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo added the main parcel to New York’s own register of historic places, a list that contains about 5,700 other parcels statewide. It was one of two in Suffolk and 25 others added to the list. The state approval generally means a rubber-stamping of federal approval.
Ms. Corlito’s application to the Department of the Interior for federal recognition of the property says the main structure on the site was built around 1840 and first belonged to Daniel Tuthill, whose family already had deep local roots dating as far back as 1612.
The home was built in the Greek Revival style, which wasn’t common in New York at the time but was extremely popular in New England. Characteristic of that style are the low-pitched roof, the 1 1/2-story height and the pediment above the front porch. Though nobody knows for sure, the application posits that the building’s style could indicate more of an allegiance to New England than to neighbors in western Long Island. Richard Wines, chairman of the town’s landmarks preservation committee, noted that farmers here were simply more conservative.
Either way, according to the application, the home’s elegance pointed to the advancement of the Riverhead farmer.
About 45 years later, Daniel Tuthill’s son Henry constructed a barn in the English style typical throughout the Northeast. After another 45 years, William Moses Tuthill built a potato barn on the far east side of the property — as many today can still recall, a testament to the main crop at the time.
While federal historic recognition limits what can and cannot be done to the exterior of the main house, uses on site are not limited because of any historic designation. Ms. Corlito said that during the process of getting on the historic register, she shared her site plans with the state “and they were OK with the improvements.”
“I’m a big history buff,” she said. “And I thought that it would be wonderful to have a property that was historic and I knew would be preserved.”
Ms. Corlito, 45, purchased the property for $585,000 and the abutting vacant lot for $175,000. But the expense involved in maintaining a piece of national history will continue, she said, as an additional $1.2 million in upgrades is in the works. Most of them are structural, she said; for instance, the barn has to be lifted from the ground for foundation work.
Because the property lies in the Rural Corridor zone, the wine retail shop would require setback and retail variances from the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Feedback from neighbors has been mixed so far and she said anyone is welcome to drop by and talk about the project.
Although the property is no longer agricultural, it would — should Ms. Corlito obtain her permits — continue that tradition by focusing on wine, the area’s latest cash crop. In fact, according to Mr. Wines, other nearby structures that once housed Tuthill family members have already been converted for such uses. The tasting rooms at Jamesport Vineyards and Sherwood House were previously owned by that family, he said.
As for the basketball hoop? That’s not going anywhere.
“I promised Joe I wouldn’t take it down,” Ms. Corlito says.
The more things change, the more some things stay the same.
Caption: The historic Tuthill home and farm at the corner of Tuthill Lane and the Main Road in Jamesport.
Correction: A previous version of this article stated that the owner is seeking to put a wine bar on site instead of a wine tasting room.
Ed Harbes picking super sweet corn at Harbes Family Farm in Mattituck in July 2013. (Credit: Rachel Young, file)
Three North Fork businesses, including both Harbes Family Farmstands, were listed as having critical violations over the past two years in a New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets database of retail food store violations.
The violations gained attention this week after Newsday launched its own database of retail market food violations across Long Island, showing nearly 100 markets had violations in the past year.
Harbes Family Farmstand had two critical violations and 14 overall violations at its Mattituck location on Sound Avenue, and one critical violation and eight overall violations at its Jamesport location on Main Road.
The only other local establishment cited on the database was Riverhead Village Deli on East Main Street in Riverhead. It had two critical violations and 15 overall violations.
The database includes inspections as far back as Oct. 13, 2013 and as recent as June 5 of this year.
The state inspects all grocery stores, supermarkets, convenience stores, bodegas and some farmstands, depending on the amount of food processing done at those sites, according to Dave Bullard, a spokesman for the state Department of Agriculture and Markets.
The violations listed as “serious” are ones considered to have a greater chance of causing foodborne illnesses.
The Harbes Mattituck location has serious violations for “employee handwashing facilities inadequate for establishments handling exposed foods” and both the Harbes’ Mattituck and Jamesport locations had serious violations for “insect, rodent, bird or vermin activity likely to result in product contamination.”
“I was very disappointed to see those sorts of things highlighted,” Harbes’ owner Ed Harbes said Friday. “We had reviewed the violations when they were issued. Most of the things were remedied quite a while ago, but some of the things pertain to just general difficulties pertaining to outdoor facilities, such as flies or dust. I can’t say we’ve completely eliminated flies or dust, but we’re doing everything in our power to have a clean, safe, enjoyable facility. We do take our role in serving the customer very seriously and we’re going to do everything we can to maintain their confidence.”
Mr. Harbes said he plans to install additional screening to keep flies out.
Another violation was for not having a hand-washing sink in a newly constructed processing facility. Mr. Harbes said that facility is now used for storage, “but before we open it for food processing, it will definitely have a three-compartment sink.”
The Riverhead Village Deli was issued two serious violations, one for “potential hazardous foods that are not stored at safe temperatures” and another for “potentially hazardous foods being kept below 135-degrees Fahrenheit during hot-holding.”
Rare roast beef may be served at 130 degrees and up, according to the state.
People who answered the phone at Riverhead Village Deli first said they didn’t have time to talk and then hung up the second time a reporter contacted them Friday.
The inspections are conducted by state ag and markets on an annual basis.
“Critical deficiencies are corrected during the inspection whenever possible,” Mr. Bullard said. “Reinspections typically occur within 60 days.”
Dunkin’ Donuts officials say they are coming to Jamesport. (Source: m01229/FLICKR)
Attention Jamesport residents: If you like to start your day off with an Boston Cream and a Coolatta, you may soon be in luck.
Dunkin’ Donuts officials say they are planning to open up a new location in the hamlet later this summer.
Ever since North Fork Bagel announced it was closing in Jamesport Plaza earlier this month, rumors began to circulate that the popular donut chain would be entering the shopping center. Others have said the store might open at the former Capital One bank in the hamlet.
Dunkin’ Donuts spokesperson Marisa Symeonides said the business is coming to Jamesport and has targeted an opening date in late August, but she did not disclose exactly where the store would be located.
Cardinal Management, which owns Jamesport Plaza, did not return messages seeking comment for this story.
Frank Dellaquila, the owner of Dellaquila Beauty within the shopping center, dispelled rumors that the company is eyeing his corner location where a drive-through could be installed, but he acknowledged that the business is heading to Jamesport.
“We are getting a Dunkin’ Donuts next to us shortly,” Mr. Dellaquila said.
Brad Hammond, Riverhead Town’s senior building inspector, said he has had verbal inquiries about putting a Dunkin’ Donuts in the recently closed Capital One bank building on Main Road, but he said there are no formal plans or applications for a Dunkin’ Donuts on file in the building department.
Denise Lucas served as grand marshal of the Jamesport Fire Department parade Wednesday. (Credit: Maggie Bokinz)
Despite dark skies and the threat of rain, plenty of people still lined the street and walked the parade route in Jamesport last night at the Annual Jamesport Fire Department Parade.
The event is part of the annual bazaar hosted by the volunteer crew — this year will be the department’s 60th — and runs from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. through Friday and 4 p.m. to midnight on Saturday.
Denise Lucas of Riverhead Move the Animal Shelter served as grand marshal.
Check out photos from Wednesday night’s parade.
Photos by Bill Landon
Man’s best friend enjoys the parade.
Fifty-year-member of the Jamesport Fire Department Gus Hegner gets escorted on Wednesday night.
Fifty-year-member of the Jamesport Fire Department Daniel Griffin gets escorted on Wednesday night.
Katelyn Daneski, Emily Densieski and Jocelyn Daneski, all of Riverhead.
Eve Pittman Miasha Pittman and Ginaya Serebe, all of Riverhead.
A 500-meter swim, at 25-kilometer bike ride and a five-kilometer run.
On Sunday, the triathlon course will hit Jamesport for the PBMC Health Jamesport Triathlon. The race begins at 6:50 a.m. at South Jamesport Beach.
The race benefits The Daniella Maria Arturi Foundation.
An awards ceremony is scheduled for 9:20 a.m.
It’s the second triathlon locally in the past month. The 17th annual Mighty North Fork Sprint Triathlon was held in Southold earlier this month. Another triathlon is scheduled Aug. 9 in Riverhead, called the Riverhead Rocks Triathlon.
Click here for more details on Sunday’s race.
More than 225 athletes competed in PBMC Health’s first-ever triathlon in Jamesport Sunday morning, completing a 500-meter swim, 25 kilometer bike course and 5K run in what they called ideal conditions.
Billy Holl, 29, of Bayport finished first overall with a time of 1:10:25, nearly two minutes ahead of the next closest finisher.
“The conditions were perfect,” Holl said. “It was a little windy with some cloud cover, so it wasn’t too hot and it’s a great course — nice and open.”
Holl took the lead during the final running portion of the event and never looked back.
“Billy’s an incredible runner, probably the best runner on Long Island,” said second-place finisher Tim Steiskal of Naugatuck, Conn., who finished in 1:12:04 and held the lead following the bike portion of the event.
Being the first-ever race held on a new course, Holl said he studied maps online and watched the virtual tour video on the web and relied on the course workers at every corner.
Mike Merlo, 30, of Cutchogue was the top local finisher, crossing the finish line third in 1:12:38.
Merlo, who was fastest on the bike at 39:29, said it was a little more challenging not knowing the course, but the event organizers did a good job putting up the maps.
“If you know the elevation, the hills, the flats, you can train for that no matter where you are,” Merlo said. “These people put on an awesome event.”
Smithtown’s Caitlin Dowd, 25, was the top female finisher in 1:20:11, placing her 12th overall.
“The swim was a little choppy, but I fight pretty well through choppy water. It’s my favorite,” she said. “This course is beautiful.”
The top local female finisher was Suzy Heffernan, 49, of Cutchogue, who finished in 1:30:15.
See more photos from the event by clicking on the page links below.
The Jamesport Fire Department responded to a vehicle fire Tuesday afternoon at a home on Main Road near Herricks Lane.
Fire crews arrived to find the vehicle fully engulfed in flames at around 3:30 p.m., officials at the scene said. The fire was contained within 30 minutes and no injuries were reported.
The firefighters were concerned at first that the fire could spread to a tree next to it or another car and boat nearby in the driveway. The fire could have potentially spread to the house as well, officials said.
Another concern was the lack of a nearby fire hydrant. The firefighters brought in a tanker truck for water, officials said.
The cause of the fire was not immediately clear.
Jamesport firefighters put out a vehicle fire Tuesday afternoon. (Credit: Nicole Smith)
The Daniel and Henry P. Tuthill Farm in Jamesport is now officially on the National Register of Historic Places, according to state Sen. Ken LaValle (R-Port Jefferson), who received word of the designation last week.
“Listing on the National Register recognized the importance of these properties to the history of our country and provides them with a measure of protection,” Ruth Pierpont, the state’s deputy commissioner for historic preservation, wrote in a letter to the state senator.
The historic farmstead at the corner of Main Road and Tuthills Lane was officially listed on the National Registry on Aug. 5, after having been placed on the New York State Register of Historic Places in June.
The 2.5-acre property is owned by Dayna Corlito of Hampton Bays, who applied for the federal designation, and it is currently home to Century 21 Albertson Real Estate.
“I’m very excited about it,” Ms. Corlito said Monday. “Once we found out about New York State, I was really hoping it would get on the National Register too.”
Ms. Corlito said the Riverhead Town Planning Department has twice denied her application to put a retail wine shop and tasting room in the large barn toward the rear of the property, and as a result, she will need to go to the Zoning Board of Appeals for setback variances and for a use variance, the latter of which is more difficult to obtain.
She said the real estate office also will remain in the main building, where it has been since 1997.
Inclusion on the National Register means that owners of income producing properties may quality for federal and/or state income tax benefits, and homeowners in qualifying census tracts may qualify for state income tax benefits for approved work.
“We’re certainly delighted,” said Richard Wines, the chairman of Riverhead Town’s Landmarks Preservation Commission. “We obviously hope to have all of Main Road on the National Registry some day so all of the older houses can benefit from the generous federal and state tax credits that are available with this designation, but it’s nice to have one property showing the way.”
The main building on the Tuthill farm property, a Greek Revital style structure, was built around 1840 as a residence for Daniel Tuthill and his family, and a large English-style barn was built behind it in 1884 by Daniel’s son, Henry.
This building housed what was known as a potato cellar, Mr. Wines said.
Another potato barn was built on the east side of the house in the 1930s and is one of the first semi-underground potato barns in the state, Mr. Wines said.
The main building contained what was known as a “milk shed,” a small heavily insulated shed designed to keep milk and dairy fresh, according to Mr. Wines.
There are now 10 sites individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places plus the Main Street National Register District, which stretches roughly from Griffing Avenue to Maple Avenue, and has 37 “historic resources,” according to Mr. Wines.
He is hoping to get area along Second and Third Street between Griffing Avenue and Ostrander Avenue included as well.
Power was knocked out to an indeterminate number of Jamesport homes after a man’s vehicle flipped over on Main Road around 5:30 p.m. Thursday, taking down a power line, Riverhead Town police said.
According to Sgt. Tim Palmer, an unidentified man was driving east on Main Road in Jamesport when his vehicle suddenly crashed into a telephone pole and flipped over near Ziemacki Lane. He was taken to Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead for non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
The Riverhead Town Police Department, Jamesport Fire Department and Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance Corps all responded to the accident scene. As of 6 p.m., traffic was being blocked in both directions on Main Road between Laurel Lane in Laurel and Manor Lane in Jamesport. Authorities said they are trying to determine if the power line is live.
With Chris Lisinski and Tim Gannon
Photo credit: Rachel Young
Main Road is closed in both directions near Herricks Lane as PSEG workers repair damage to a utility police caused by a car crash early Thursday, Riverhead Town police.
Police did not report any injuries in the crash and had no timetable for when the road would be reopened. It remains closed between Herricks Lane and Manor Lane.
Traffic is being diverted north onto Sound Avenue and south onto Peconic Bay Boulevard, police said.
The former Southold High School math teacher arrested following a fatal crash in Jamesport this past January pleaded guilty Monday to a misdemeanor Driving While Intoxicated charge in connection with the crash.
With her change in plea, Diane O’Neill, 66, of Farmingville will avoid jail time. She was ordered to pay about $1,200 in fines.
The crash claimed the life of George Kurovics, a 90-year-old barber who was believed to have gotten out of the truck he was driving after spotting the family’s cat walking along Main Road in Jamesport. Ms. O’Neill had been westbound in her 2007 Mercedes-Benz on Main Road near Herricks Lane shortly after 7:15 p.m. when the crash occurred, according to a police report.
Appearing before Judge Allen Smith in Riverhead Town Justice Court Monday, Ms. O’Neill admitted to drinking two glasses of white wine before getting behind the wheel to drive home. In a statement, she said she wished to express her “deepest sympathy to the Kurovics family.”
“I lost my mom, my dad and my husband of 40 years so I know how to grieve loss,” she said.
Police investigate the scene of the fatal accident Jan. 13. (Credit: AJ Ryan/Stringer News)
Assistant District Attorney Daniel Cronin said there was not enough evidence to consider an upgraded charge against Ms. O’Neill. He added that Ms. O’Neill’s blood alcohol level of .08 percent and the fact that she immediately stopped and notified police made the prosecution comfortable accepting the guilty plea Monday.
Speaking both inside and outside the courtroom, Mr. Kurovics’ family expressed disappointment with the disposition of the case.
“Diane O’Neill, your personal connection to George doesn’t compare to that of the people who love and miss him,” Mr. Kurovics’ wife Joyce, read aloud in the courtroom. “You took his life and the punishment doesn’t equal the pain and suffering we endure. We lost someone irreplacable, a valued life and you still have yours.”
His son, George Jr., later told a reporter he wishes there were “more justice.”
George Kurovics at work in his Rocky Point barbershop. (Credit: Courtesy photo)
Mr. Kurovics’ daughter, Linda Shropshire, said not a day goes by she doesn’t think of her father, who at the time of his death was still working five days a week at George’s Rocky Point Barbershop on Broadway in Rocky Point.
“He was a great guy,” she said. “I loved him and he touched so many lives.”
Ms. Kurovics said she hopes other drivers learn from what happened to her husband so that “something good comes out of it.”
Ms. O’Neill, who had entered a not guilty plea in January, retired from her job in the Southold School District soon after her arrest. She had taught there for more than 20 years.
Top Caption: Diane O’Neill enters court in Riverhead January 14. (Credit: Paul Squire)
A woman was airlifted and three people were taken to the hospital following a two-car crash Saturday in Jamesport, Riverhead Town police said.
The accident occurred on Sound Avenue near Herricks Lane at around 2:15 p.m. and a portion of the road was closed during heavy rescue efforts.
Suffolk County Police Aviation transported the woman to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries, police said.
Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance transported three other people to Peconic Bay Medical Center for minor injuries, police said.
The Jamesport Fire Department responded to the scene and the Mattituck Fire Department was called for extra ambulance, fire officials said.
The latest proposal to develop property on Main Road in Jamesport doesn’t stray from the previous owner’s controversial commercial building plans.
TDG Jamesport Owner, a Woodbury real estate investment group, has submitted a special permit to develop a nearly 10-acre wooded property it purchased last summer across from The Elbow Room restaurant.
The proposal includes constructing ten buildings totaling 42,000-square feet of commercial space for retail stores, offices and two bistros, which is the same plan submitted in 2008 by the previous owner, Julius Klein of Jul-Bet Enterprises.
Robert DiNoto, president of TDG Jamesport Owner and The DiNoto Group in Huntington, confirmed in an interview Monday both development plans are essentially the same.
“That was certainly the easiest route to go, as opposed to spending a lot of money to put together something new,” he said.
In 2012, the Town Board approved a special permit to allow offices and bistros for a 42,000-square-foot commercial project called Village at Jamesport.
The special permit approval, which town officials said has since expired, was challenged in court by a community group Save Main Road, which was created in part to halt the proposal.
A state Supreme Court judge dismissed that lawsuit in January 2013. One year later, the developer filed for bankruptcy.
When asked for comment about the latest proposal, Larry Simms of Save Main Road said he wasn’t surprised the new owner submitted the same application as the previously owner.
“I hope this time the Town Board actually looks at the facts and makes an appropriate decision, instead of making stuff up,” he said.
Mr. DiNoto said he’s aware of the opposition to the previous application and believes his company will “be able to figure something out that will work for everyone.”
“We’re a new game and new people,” he said. “My folks live out on the East End and I like the area, so I took a shot and bought the mortgage.”
Mr. DiNoto’s company also acquired the adjacent 34-acre property from which Jul-Bet Enterprises has once proposed to build a 160-unit retirement community. In 2004, the town rezoned that property to only allow about 15 homes.
Mr. DiNoto said he doesn’t have a plan for that property yet. In July, his company acquired the mortgages both the 10-acre land and the 34-acre property for about $5 million, according to county records.
Photo: TDG Jamesport Owner is proposing to build a commercial development at this wooded lot on Main Road in Jamesport. (Credit: Tim Gannon)
For Lenny Lubrano, it’s all about revisiting his first love.
That’s not to say he doesn’t love pizza, because he does. But it was baking that first caught his eye many years ago, and it’s baking he’ll be doing once again.
Next door to his Jamesport pizza shop, Lenny’s Pizza and Italian Cuisine, Mr. Lubrano is scheduled to open Lenny’s Bagels, Bakery and Café on Feb. 1.
“What I’m bringing back is very Old World things our ancestors brought to this country,” he said. “Today we call it ‘organic’ or ‘wholesome,’ but it’s how we cooked and baked many years ago.”
Photo: Lenny Lubrano inside his renovated Jamesport pizzeria. He’s planning to open a bakery next door. (Credit: Monique Singh-Roy)
The hamlet of Jamesport, on the bay
is a place where visitors decide to stay.
It is just that kind of a town
where folks simply want to settle down.
The hamlet is quiet and wonderfully quaint;
a shopping mecca it certainly ain’t!
Instead it is a peaceful and lovely retreat
with which towns to the west just can’t compete!
Among all of these wonderful natural attractions
there are now plans for serious distractions!
Developers want to come and change it all,
building stores and restaurants and a new mall.
This would really be a shame;
the hamlet would never be the same.
Instead of hills, water and woods:
an asphalt jungle peddling unwanted goods!
All of this development is really not needed,
and the voice of the people just won’t be heeded!
Again and again the locals say:
Everything we want is in Riverhead, just four miles away!
The traffic on Route 25 would be a disaster,
moving at a snail’s pace and not a bit faster!
And many a charming little store
certainly would not exist anymore!
Why do we have to develop every town?
I can’t think of a reason that is sound!
A quiet and charming hamlet it would seem
is becoming nothing more than a fading dream!
Let’s keep all future development at bay,
keep the malls and parking lots away!
Listen to what the Jamesporters say:
We prefer our town as it is today!
VERA CHINESE PHOTO
The front door of the mini-mart at the American gas station in Jamesport was shattered during a break-in early Sunday morning.
Riverhead police are investigating an overnight burglary that occurred at the Jamesport Mini Mart Sunday, according to a department press release.
Police responding shortly after 1:30 a.m. Sunday to an alarm at the Main Road store found that a front glass door had been broken and the business was burglarized, police said.
The suspect could not be located following a search that police said included a K9 track.
The owner of the business said cigarettes and money were stolen from the store during the burglary, according to police.
The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to call the Riverhead Police Department at 631-727-4500.
Caption: The front door of the mini-mart at the American gas station in Jamesport was shattered during a break-in early Sunday morning. (Credit: Vera Chinese)
A coalition of civic organizations is collecting signatures on a petition in which residents vow to boycott new commercial projects being proposed for the Jamesport and Aquebogue areas unless the developers agree to abide by a pledge to keep the area rural.
About 80 people showed up at a meeting of the Jamesport-South Jamesport Civic Association Saturday morning, where the issue of development was discussed.
Currently, the hamlet of Jamesport is the site of a potential 28,379-square-foot addition to the existing 16,394 square foot Jamesport Center on the south side of Main Road, which also is planning on putting a Dunkin’ Donuts in the existing building. A proposed 10-building, 42,000-square foot commercial development on 10 acres on the north side of Main Road is also in the works. The applicant of that plan, being called Jamesport Commons, is also seeking special permits from the Riverhead Town Board to allow for a bistro and professional offices. Additionally, a 7-Eleven has been proposed for an existing storefront in Vinland Commons in Aquebogue, which neighbors there have opposed.
South Jamesport resident Larry Simms, a founder of “Save Main Road,” said that organization, the Jamesport-South Jamesport Civic Association and the Riverhead Neighborhood Preservation Coalition created the petition, which states “to prosper in our
community, developers and landlords should follow these simple rules.”
Those rules calls for developers to “Observe the letter and spirit of the master plan; adapt and reuse when possible and build only when necessary; Stick to homegrown brands, not national franchises, and always consider development and leasing impact on existing businesses.”
The petition, which specifically addresses the 7-Eleven, says they don’t challenge the property owners’ right to lease, but that “we feel strongly enough that this is a bad fit with our community that we hereby pledge not to patronize this store, should it be built.”
“These are four rules that are going to apply to any development,” Mr. Simms said. “If they completely disrespect what the community wants, they are not going to have a successful tenant. We are not going to patronize those stores.”
Civic association members hinted Saturday that they may also oppose the upcoming FOLD concert planned by music legend Nile Rodgers for Martha Clara Vineyards on the weekend of Aug. 12. That festival was held on two weekday nights last summer and didn’t drawn as many people as expected.
Caption: Larry Simms and Georgette Keller speak to fellow members of the Jamesport-South Jamesport Civic Association about a plan for dealing with new development projects in the hamlet.
