PAGE A4 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • MARCH 12, 2020
Perspective
Your Turn: A St. James Perspective on Gyrodyne So much discussion has been prompted by the proposed Gyrodyne project, both in the Town of Brookhaven and in St. James, the two areas closest to its proposed development plan. Sadly, some have come forward with opinions that are against the project, which would be of infinite benefit to St. James and Smithtown at large. Their comments may sound reasonable, but common sense tells us that the facts speak for themselves. 1. Be careful what you wish for: It’s important to point out that Gyrodyne as of right can legally build a five-lot subdivision consisting of manufacturing, warehouses, textile plants, etc., with existing outdated septic systems, without having to go through further public scrutiny. Instead, they have presented a subdivision that is the least invasive to our way of life. They came to this decision by speaking with the St. James community over many years. They asked us. They listened. 2. The Gyrodyne subdivision will generate more than 2,500 jobs for locals and our young professionals. Think of all those employed in the building and finishing trades that could work locally, as well as hotel management, physicians, nurses and support staff. We
should be able to offer jobs to our young what you want as a taxpayer. Do you want to people to encourage them to remain in the pay for a new government-built sewer district, which costs upward of $150 million dollars? place they have always called home. 3. The Gyrodyne subdivision, upon Or would you prefer a privately funded sewer completion, would generate approximately $4 connection that would be done in a fraction of the time? million in annual tax revenues 5. The Gyrodyne for the Town of Smithtown, Corporation has many local $2.9 million of which would residents on its board. They go to the school district care about our community annually. That is real relief as much as we do. Their due for the everyday resident who diligence is in the hundreds of pays 70 percent of their tax pages of research by qualified, bill to the school. prestigious professionals is 4. Blessed with The a testament to that. Beyond Ward Melville Heritage this, however, Gyrodyne has Organization, Stony Brook exhibited true interest and enjoys a village square with concern for the community lovely shops and restaurants, of St. James. They sit on our as well as a cultural arts center, By Natalie Weinstein committees, attend functions which attracts many visitors as and support our endeavors. well as local residents. The They are good neighbors and Gyrodyne Corporation, while not the Ward Melville Trust, has prepared want to be a part of the St. James community additional environmental analysis to show the for the long haul. Why all the fear tactics? Why take a good prospective benefit of hooking up the newly named Lake Avenue Cultural Arts District into thing — a really good thing — and turn it its wastewater treatment plant. Ask yourselves into something bad? We stood by while a
“city,� (Stony Brook University), was erected inside a village next door to us. Why are the same people not opposing a possible over55 community called Stony Brook Meadows going up in Brookhaven, just next door to Gyrodyne, where an old church stands? Or opposing the three other major development projects currently underway in Brookhaven, a 30-acre lot off Route 25A called Mount Sinai Meadows, the Tritec Shipyard in Port Jefferson and the Ronkonkoma Hub, all of which are much larger in scale than the Gyrodyne subdivision. Additionally, the new Ion Collider at Brookhaven National Lab is going to be a massive driver of pass-through traffic. We tolerate the traffic which passes through St. James every day. We do so, knowing it is about the bigger picture, educating future generations, producing jobs and economic development for Long Island and the businesses in Stony Brook. St. James is awakening to the dawn of our revival. We are equally entitled to provide a better future for our beloved town – our residents, our businesses and the generations to come. ST. JAMES continued on A6
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