DAN'S PAPERS, June 26, 2009 Page 45 www.danshamptons.com
BUSINESS
T. J. Clemente
Givin’ You the
By T.J. Clemente The 2009 summer season is now a few weeks old and one thing is for certain, umbrellas are in fashion in the Hamptons. Navigating through these early summer showers are entrepreneurs with projects that fly in the face of the economic downturn — the opening of new businesses, the creation of new developments, or the finalizing of approved planning board projects. All of these situations come to bear in the tiny historic village of Water Mill. Local Water Mill developer (and former Southampton Planner and Town Councilman) Dennis Suskind expressed confidence that his Water Mill Train Station development, which is located on the land north of the highway and right behind the Water Mill Shoppes. Suskind said it will eventually come to fruition but not in the “immediate future.” Now that the project has passed the Town Planning Board, some changes that it demanded will be “fine tuned into the plans,” with the emphasis now not on retail space but office space for the 21,000 sq. ft. project, which will incorporate the creation of six new buildings, while including the historic train station in the mix. “Very few if any retail businesses will be in the development,” Suskind explained. The project was met with a fair share of opposition from at least five community organizations as well as the Southampton Town Trustees, mainly over the issue of traffic in an area where many feel there’s already a bottleneck. In addition, opponents felt the project was green lighted to be larger than what the property might call for because of a shared parking agreement with the Shoppes. Nonetheless, the project was approved by a vote of 4-2 in May. Moving across to the south side of the highway, you’ll find the completed and ready-to-be-rented Water Mill Ateliers development — three state of the art commercial buildings created with a barn like theme and lots of windows and high ceilings. Ari Meisel has planned and created this project to be “energy efficient and occupant friendly.” The development’s sales staff is proclaiming it to be “8,000 feet of state of the art offices.” The property will be LEED certified and environmentally sound. A competitor, who asked not to be named, was wondering why work has seem to be halted on the project, which is all but complete except for interior finishing touches and the parking lot. While Meisel and Suskind are bullish long term on Water Mill’s commercial future, a walk
On the Streets: Water Mill through the village revealed a touchy time for small businesses. The big clue? A substantial amount of unrented space with the season already in progres. However, there are two new businesses in the Water Mill Shoppes. Joining the existing Citarella, Foody’s Pizza-Grille, Blockbuster Video, Vitamin Shoppe, Water Mill Cleaners, Southampton Wine and Liquor, Go West (which is having a huge moving sale), Flowers and Gifts, Muse and Dish will be two newcomers: Subway, the national fast food sandwich chain, and a new surf shop named the (continued on next page)
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