Southampton Town Board members and residents gathered at a public hearing to discuss what to do with the Bel-Aire Cove Motel which closed three years ago. The motel was home to low-income immigrants and their families.
The proposed housing options — senior housing or hotel condominiums — were rejected by residents. They proposed an alternative third option: to turn the waterfront property into a park with a boat launch.
The Town of Southampton paid over $1 million for the property in 2019 through a town loan.
Geraldine Spinella, president of the Hampton Bays Civic Association, delivered a petition to the board advocating for the property’s revitalization into green space. The petition garnered over 2,000 signatures. She said that it is in the town’s best interest to convert the property into green space due to environmental concerns.
In the petition Spinella said “the development of the Bel-Aire property located in the hamlet of Hampton Bays is being forced upon the residents of Southampton.”
Civic association members held a rally prior to the March 29 hearing to argue for the public park proposal.
“I think this is a classic golden opportunity where we can work together and do something really good for the environment and for the people of Southampton,” said Scott Horowitz, Southampton Town Trustee president. “ I think that the time and the place is more in line with this passive park idea."
“We want our voices to be heard,” Spinella said in a statement. “We want our waters protected as supported by the Suffolk Planning Commission Southampton’s own planning board.”
Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman noted that both official proposals were rejected and said the town has several options moving forward, including the possibility of building a park. He suggested forming a committee to explore all possibilities for the property.
