A group led by members of the Shinnecock Nation protested the development of the Hampton Boathouses townhouse project, calling it a “stain” on the area’s heritage, according to the Southampton Press.
Rechler Equity Partners’ project will bring 37 units to Hampton Bays, but members of the Shinnecock Nation say it will contribute to the deterioration of natural resources in the area.
“We’re concerned about the continued wastewater and the impact on marine life,” said attorney Tela Troge.
Shinnecock Nation members were joined by representatives of the Unkechaug Nation and the Mashapee Wampanoag Tribe, as well as members of the Suffolk Democratic Socialists of America and other local groups.
The Hampton Boathouses development sits on the Shinnecock Canal, an area that was a major hub for the local Indigenous community before the arrival of European settlers.
Real estate development on the East End is a hot-button topic for the Shinnecock Nation, whose ancestors have lived in the area for centuries. Earlier this year, a group of protesters with the Nation rallied outside Southampton Town Hall, claiming town officials weren’t doing enough to protect ancestral grave sites from development. [Southampton Press] — Dennis Lynch