Town officials look to buy and raze a Hampton Bays motel to build luxury condos
Southampton Town officials want to buy the Bel-Aire Cove Motel so they can tear it down before securing construction permits and architectural drawings for a willing developer, Newsday reported. The owners are willing to sell for $1,060,000, according to Southampton town supervisor Jay Schneiderman. Last year, the hotel, which largely operates as a year-round residence for its occupants, was found to be riddled with code violations including bedbugs, electrical problems, missing smoke detectors and a slew of other complaints. If the plan goes forward, officials envision eight two-story luxury units on the site, but Schneiderman added that the town would consult with Hampton Bays residents and businesses regarding best uses for the land. He believes the town could make a small profit on the property, and if they do, this project “could be a model” for other projects. [Newsday]
$10M offered for Riverhead high school property
A grassroots effort to fund a new school on the property of the now-closed Bishop McGann Mercy Diocesan High School in Riverhead was stymied when organizers learned someone made a $10 million offer on the property. It wasn’t immediately clear who had made the offer to the Diocese of Rockville Centre, which owns the property. The school closed at the end of the 2017-2018 academic year. A group of parents and alumni called the Friends of East End Catholic Education had been raising money to establish a new school on the property. They met with the diocese on Aug. 13 only to learn that the offer had been made back in June and coalesced in recent weeks, 27East reported. Church officials had previously told the group that the property wasn’t up for sale at all. [27east]
Oceanfront Quogue home lists for $13.5M
A 1,600-square-foot home in Quogue is back on the market for $13.5 million, nearly $3 million less than it had listed for back in 2016, Curbed reported. The five-bedroom home, which was built in 1993, has four bathrooms, chef’s kitchen, a stone fireplace, an oceanfront deck, and a marble ensuite bathroom. While the interiors could use some updating, the property itself that’s the biggest draw: the home sits on three acres and has 212 feet of ocean frontage. The property, currently listed with Robert Cullen of Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International, was last sold in 2007 for $8.6 million. [Curbed]
Tribal council wants Southampton Town to buy build site where bones were found
The Shinnecock Indian Nation Tribal Council met with the Southampton Town Community Preservation Fund to suggest the town purchase a construction site on which skeletal remains were recently uncovered. Supervisor Jay Schneiderman believes the bones are from a Shinnecock member and should be preserved. The town still needs to appraise the property, which is currently owned by KB Southampton LLC of Water Mill. The owner is willing to sell the land to the town. Town officials don’t want to set a precedent with this potential purchase that’d discourage future reporting of found remains. 27East reports that the last time remains were found, at a former hotel in Bridgehampton, that town ponied up $5 million for the property. [27east]
Montauk home with rooftop pool and ocean views lists for $8.49M
A 5,700-square-foot home sitting on an acre atop a Montauk hill has hit the market for nearly $9 million, Curbed reported. The home at 225 Old Montauk Highway has five bedrooms, five-and-a-half bathrooms, walk-in closets and landscaped grounds. The roof features a heated pool on a large wooden patio. Douglas Elliman agents Andrew Azoulay and Dana Brockway and Saunders Real Estate’s Chris Coleman are all representing the listing. [Curbed]
At Howard Lorber’s Southampton home, Trump attends fundraiser that nets $3M
The president and other Republicans running in this fall’s midterm elections got a $3 million bump from a fundraiser Douglas Elliman’s chairman Howard Lorber threw at his Southampton estate. The crowd of about 70 people included the president, many real estate moguls and their families. Children of John Catsimatidis, owner of the real estate company the Red Apple Group, were also there, Newsday reported. The money was given to the Trump Victory political action committee, which has raised $27.5 million in the past two years. [Newsday]