A building that once stood as a historical gem in the heart of Greenport is now slated for the chopping block — and the village board is eyeing eminent domain, with the idea of siting a YMCA or public housing on the parcel.
The former Meson Ole, which stands at 135 Third Street, has posed a safety hazard for months, said Village Attorney Joseph Prokop, who appeared in Supreme Court in Riverhead yesterday and was granted an order by the judge to “take care of the issues,” which include violations of fire code and other dangerous structural concerns.
Prokop said he needed to make a list of costs, which will be reimbursed to the village by the bank that owns the property; the amount will either be added to an amended tax bill or a lien will be put on the property, the attorney said.
Greenport Village Trustee Doug Roberts asked if the village could possibly take over the property, and Trustee Mary Bess Phillips brought up eminent domain.
Prokop said eminent domain could be utilized if the land were to be taken for a public purpose.
“Such as a YMCA, or public housing,” Roberts said.
Should the village board entertain the idea of eminent domain, Roberts asked what next steps would be.
First, a public hearing must be held on whether or not there was a public purpose for taking the property, as well as what the environmental impacts might be, Prokop said. After the hearing, the board would have 90 days to adopt the findings and then, the village could file a petition in court and acquire a title for the property. A subsequent battle of the value of the property is what could keep the matter languishing in courts for a lengthy period, he said.
In February, the board voted unanimously to authorize legal action to “remedy the emergency hazardous conditions existing at 135 Third Street.” The building is located near the waterfront and once was a busy eatery. The restaurant has been closed for months.
Village Administrator Paul Pallas said a number of critical issues needed to be addressed, including a leaking roof and a fire suppression system with a line that was frozen and broken. In addition, he said, the village has been unable to verify that the alarm system is working and the “front porch deck is not in good shape”.
“What is the plan of action?” Phillips asked. “What is the cost to the village and how will it be repaid?”
Pallas said village officials had had trouble making contact with anyone to take responsibility for the property. “The owner disappeared,” he said. Finally, village officials located a bank, a “major lien holder who seemed willing” to do the work needed, Pallas said, adding that some of the work had already been done.
While he hadn’t yet had the chance to inspect the work, Pallas added, “My hope is that we won’t have to do any of it ourselves.”
At the time, now-Mayor George Hubbard said Prokop would “back off” if the work was done. “But at this point we have a three-story wood building with no fire suppression system. The building is a nightmare,” he said.
The historic structure has a rich past; built in 1894,and owned by F.B. Thornhill and G.P. Salmon it was once the Burr Hotel and was later the Sterlington Hotel, according to the Southold Historical Society.
A passerby took time to admire the building during the winter. “It’s a beautiful old building,” he said. “It could be a goldmine with the right owner, now that Greenport is undergoing such a transformation.”
