Business

The Three Village Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon-cutting and grand-opening celebration for Gypsy Hair Lounge on Feb. 27. Established in 2015, the salon recently moved from its Port Jefferson Station location on Nesconset Highway to the Three Village Shopping Center at 1389 Route 25A in East Setauket. The salon specializes in creative coloring, highlights, blowouts, extensions and event styling. 

Chamber members Michael Ardolino, Jane Taylor and Charlie Lefkowitz presented a Certificate of Congratulations to owner Nicole Digilio and welcomed her and her staff to the community. 

Hours of operation are noon to 8 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays. For more information, call 631-374-6397.

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Local residents at the February PJS/T Civic meeting contest with developers over a planned addition to the Nesconset Shopping Center. Photo by Kyle Barr

A potential pad building in the middle of the Nesconset Shopping Center parking lot has some PJS community members agitated, but property owners say such an addition will help keep the shops viable long-term.

Design plans for the new proposed pad building at the Nesconset Shopping Center. Photo by Kyle Barr

The shopping center, located along Route 347 slightly west of Terryville Road, is owned by Brixmor Property Group, a national retail property corporation. The proposed pad would include a 7,000-square-foot, single-story island that would house two separate storefronts. 

Brixmor representatives said the two fronts would house a dentist office and a bank, respectively. Plans say the Bethpage Federal Credit Union, currently located at the far western end of the shopping center, would move to the building that would include a drive-through. Reps added they are in talks with Aspen Dental, which has offices in upstate New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, for the other space. Town of Brookhaven zoning for the property would remain the same, retail J-2.

Nicholas Andreadis, the regional vice president of leasing for Brixmor’s north region, said Bethpage Federal Credit Union would likely vacate the shopping center if it isn’t able to secure a drive-through.

At a Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic meeting Feb. 25, representatives of Brixmor and its hired architects came to speak on the proposed addition. 

Some residents had concerns with the location of the pad, especially in how it effectively bisects the parking lot. The lot has three entrances from Nesonset Highway, and the middlemost one would be directly in front of the proposed storefront. A central lane running through the parking lot currently allows drivers to go back and forth parallel to the highway, but plans show the lane would be cut off just before the middle entrance. Cars would have to stop and either go around the pad or stop at several stop signs. Company representatives said this was at the request of the town to slow down traffic through that area.

The changes would reduce the total number of stalls by 25 from 599 to 574.

The shopping center is currently full of stores including a Dollar Tree, Five Guys burgers and fries and Carnival Restaurant & Pizzeria. There is only one vacant location. On Saturday, a new art studio One River  School of Art & Design opened its doors at the shopping center.

Some residents complained they have used the central lane to bypass having to go onto Route 347 and skip the confusing and often dangerous intersection between the highway and Norwood Avenue. Sal Pitti, the civic president, said taking such shortcuts is, in itself, unsafe. 

Site plans for the pad building show a 7,000-square-foot addition in the center of the parking lot, mandating a reconfiguration of traffic patterns. Photos by Kyle Barr

“That’s where a lot of the problems start when people try to come in and out of the parking lot,” Pitti said. 

Will Zieman, 6th Precinct COPE officer, also spoke to the problems of using that parking lot as a cut through.

“Is it reasonable to predict what people are going to do off 347?” he said. “It’s very hard for you, as a driver, to predict what another vehicle will do coming out of that shopping center.”

Though, as Port Jeff Station resident Jennifer Simoes put it, even being forced to drive in front of the storefronts because of the new pad is itself dangerous for pedestrians.

“I don’t want to go in front of the storefronts either, because I don’t want to hit anyone who’s coming out with their pizza,” she said. “I’m not going to want to go in there, and there’s another Dollar Tree and Marshalls in the
other direction.”

Pitti agreed the larger issue comes from increased pedestrian traffic in an often busy parking lot.

Charlie McAteer, the civic’s recording secretary, also suggested the company look at how pedestrians were to get from the pad building to the main shopping center.

“What I’m seeing where you’re walking right now, you’re going to end at a walkway and you’re into striped parking, and you will have to walk between parked cars,” he said. “There will be people who want to go to the bank and then go eat.”

Reuben Twersky, a project director for Brixmor, said people will often ignore walkways and crosswalks and routes even if they were created.

“We would like to do it in as safe a manner as possible,” he said.

The area along Route 347 has been a particular hotbed of issues with both vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Last year, 17-year-old Jenna Perez, an employee at Five Guys, was killed in a hit-and-run while crossing Nesconset Highway outside a crosswalk.

In addition to the changes in parking lot design, Brixmor plans to reduce the height of lights to 20 feet and add 19,000 square feet of landscaping to the front of the property bordering Nesconset Highway. 

The company is also looking to redo and move the sign displaying the names stores within. Designs show the proposed sign going 26 1/2 feet up from the ground on new brick pylons. 

Philip Butler, an attorney from Hauppauge-based Farrell Fritz, said the company’s next steps are to submit final comments to the town’s Zoning Board of Appeals by March 11. After the zoning board of appeals gives approval for variances, then the company will be back in front of the Planning Board to look at traffic and parking. The company is also awaiting on New York State Department of Transportation on a traffic study before it can move fully ahead.

Stock photo

Visit participating restaurants throughout the Village of Port Jefferson for a taste of the green during the Luck of Irish Breakfast Crawl on Saturday, March 14 from 9 a.m. to noon.

This year’s theme is ‘Luck of the Irish’ and each local purveyors (17 participating locations) will provide food and/or drinks to a taste of Ireland! Come  enjoy Bangers, Irish Tea, Rashers, and more and shop at the local retailers for special offers/discounts! Look out for the large shamrocks displayed on their window. *Provided by the Port Jefferson Retailers Association*

Rain date is March 21. Tickets are $30. TICKET PICK-UPS are at the Port Jefferson Chamber Office, 118 West Broadway, Port Jefferson.

Hours for pick-up: Monday – Friday 10:30am – 5pm

**Each ticket holder is allowed one tasting per participating purveyor and will need to get their ticket stamped at each stop they visit.**

To purchase, call 631-473-1414 or email: [email protected].

Sponsored by Pro-Port Restaurant Group and the Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce.

 

 

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Port Jefferson chamber president Mary Joy Pipe awards funds to Eric and Nanci Huner of Huners Fitness Advantage, right, and Amanda Eckart of Keller Williams Realty, left, for new signage in front of their shared space. Photos by Barbara Ransome

The Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce recently awarded funds to two small businesses, neighbors, really, who unknowingly were both working toward the same goal.

The chamber released their small business award Jan. 28 to Amanda Eckart of Keller Williams Realty Homes & Estate, and Eric and Nanci Huner of Huners Fitness Advantage. Both are located in the same building at 111 North Country Road in Port Jeff, and each had moved into their businesses at around the same time. 

Barbara Ransome, director of operations for the chamber, said while their small business awards are typically $1,000, this year it was increased to $1,200 and split evenly between the two businesses. Chamber president Mary Joy Pipe gave the joint award to the winning business owners at the Jan. 28 event.

“[It’s] a win-win for them and the chamber to help two members,” she said.

Nanci Huner said as a relatively new business to the area, the funds for new signage are especially important.

“By receiving this award our sign will be available very soon which will dramatically improve our new business traffic,” she said via email. “The Port Jefferson chamber, especially Barbara Ransome, has been a key support system for Huners Fitness Advantage. We are looking forward to many years in Port Jefferson.”

Information for Huners Fitness Advantage can be found here.

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The former owners of Mario’s, above, plan to reopen the restaurant in late May. Photo by Julianne Mosher

By Julianne Mosher

It’s been six months since a fire broke out at Mario’s restaurant in East Setauket, and now its former owners are taking back the space with an opening date on the horizon.

Brothers Jack and Gary Tipley owned Mario’s for 28 years, after opening up in 1979, but sold the restaurant to the family behind Branchinelli’s in 2007 when Jack Tipley sought out retirement. 

“Mario’s was a big part of our lives,” Gary Tipley said. “That was really the mother ship.”

The Tipleys eventually became involved with several other business endeavors around town, including ownership of the center where Mario’s is located and as part owners of Billie’s 1890 Saloon in Port Jefferson. 

But Mario’s was where it all began, and Gary Tipley said that they’re excited to bring the restaurant back to what it was almost 30 years ago.

“We’re excited to be back in the community,” he added. “We’re really looking forward to it.” 

While the Branchinelli family owns its two namesake restaurants in Miller Place and Hauppauge, they also run dozens of Italian eateries across Long Island, including Colosseo in Port Jefferson Station.

After the fire in July took out most of the western part of Mario’s kitchen, they decided to give it back to its original owners and focus on the other establishments nearby.

Gary Tipley said that they are currently doing construction on the space to clean it up and are working on acquiring a liquor license. He is also planning on bringing pizza back to the spot, which locals loved nearly three decades ago.

“It’s going to be really family friendly,” he said.

As of right now, Tipley is anticipating a late-May reopening.

When asked, Anthony Branchinelli, one of the previous owners, declined to comment. 

From left, chamber members Jane Taylor, Carmine Inserra and John Tsunis; owners Kevin Ma and Tim Cheung; Councilwoman Valerie Cartright; and chamber members Jamie Ladone and Rob Taylor. Photo from TV Chamber of Commerce

Grand opening 

Members of the Three Village Chamber of Commerce and Councilwoman Valerie Cartright welcomed owners Tim Cheung and Kevin Ma of Sei Ramen to the community during a grand-opening celebration on Feb. 12. Located in the Wild by Nature Plaza at 244 Route 25A in Setauket, the Japanese restaurant is known for its traditional Ramen authentic recipes. For more information, call 631-675-0808 or visit www.seiramen.com.

 

 

COMMACK: A ribbon cutting celebration was recently held at the Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center marking the grand opening of the new Option Care Infusion Therapy Suite. Option Care Enterprises, Inc., the nation’s leading provider of home and alternate site infusion therapy services, has partnered with Gurwin to provide infusion therapy in a dedicated suite within the Center’s Weinberg Pavilion.

The grand opening celebration was well attended by local legislators, Long Island hospitals representatives and other local health care providers, as well as Gurwin and Option Care staff members. “We are pleased to enter into this partnership with Option Care Enterprises,” said Stuart B. Almer, President and CEO of the Gurwin Healthcare System, of which the Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center is a part. “The addition of the new Infusion Suite to Gurwin’s campus enables us to fulfill our mission of providing the best care to our residents while also meeting the needs of those living in the local community who require infusion medicines for complex and chronic conditions.”

Located adjacent to the Center’s dialysis center, the Infusion Suite specializes in IV-based therapies for anti-infectives, clinical nutrition support, immunoglobulin therapy and conditions such as chronic inflammatory disorders and bleeding disorders.   The Infusion Suite will provide residents at Gurwin and in the surrounding communities convenient access to care and exceptional clinical support that includes:

  • A full-service infusion pharmacy that compounds and dispenses medications
  • Clinical management of patients
  • Monitoring and 24/7 phone support by clinicians
  • Four private infusion stations administered by highly skilled infusion therapy nurses
  • Comfortable, specialized recliners and flat panel TVs for patient relaxation

Other amenities include assistance with patient registration, free on-site parking and easy access to facilities.   For more information, visit the Option Care website at www.optioncare.com.

 

A sign inside Wild by Nature in East Setauket warns customers they will no longer supply plastic bags starting March 1. The store will also collect 5 cents for paper bags used. Photo by Heidi Sutton

Beginning March 1, Long Islander shoppers will have one less option when packing their groceries, as a New York State ban on single-use plastic bags goes into effect. 

The ban would prohibit retailers from giving out plastic carryout bags to customers. State lawmakers hope that this will lead to more residents deciding to bring their own reusable bags and a decrease of plastic waste. 

The legislation is a step toward reducing the 23 billion plastic bags used by New Yorkers every year, reducing litter and helping the fight against climate change. 

According to a Siena College Research Institute poll conducted after the bill was passed, 62 percent of New Yorkers support the ban compared to 33 percent who don’t. 

“We are expecting a successful implementation.”

-Adrienne Esposito

While plastic bags will no longer be handed out at retailers, paper bags will still be available. In Suffolk County, consumers will be charged 5 cents for each paper carryout bag provided at a checkout. In areas that have the opted into the 5 cent charge, the fee does not apply for SNAP and WIC food benefit recipients. 

Adrienne Esposito, executive director of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment, said the ban will have a positive impact in curbing plastic pollution. 

“This is a significant accomplishment — Suffolk County needs to be commended for implementing the 5 cent bag fee,” she said. “The state noticed the success of it and it led to this ban.”

Some environmentalists are concerned about some final tweaks in the legislation by the DEC that would allow usage of bags which are thicker and heavier. Esposito said they aren’t concerned about it as it won’t be widely distributed as regular bags and will only be used for packaging of certain foods. 

“If for some reason it needs to be tweaked further, we will be a part of those discussions,” she said. 

State lawmakers are hoping the ban will increase usage in reusable bags. Earlier this month, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced a campaign, dubbed BYOBagNY, which has been spearheaded by the state Department of Environmental Conservation. 

The agency has been running ads on the ban on TV, radio and social media. In addition, the DEC provided educational materials to its nine regional offices to use for outreach events and will be distributing more than 270,000 reusable bags to low- and moderate-income communities. 

Stop & Shop branches throughout the county began offering free reusable bags to customers who bring in one or more carryout plastic bags for recycling. 

Similarly, in the county, a plastic straw ban took effect this January, which required businesses to switch biodegradable alternatives. A Styrofoam ban was also implemented, prohibiting businesses from using items such as cups, trays and containers that are made from polystyrene. 

“We are expecting a successful implementation — we as a society can learn to bring a reusable bag when we go out shopping,” Esposito said. “Most people have already made the change, some have lagged behind, but this is one thing they can do to reduce plastic waste.”

After 50 years in business, the Sears store  at the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove will close on May 6 for “economic reasons” according to a Feb. 6 notice its parent company Transform Holdco LLC filed with the state’s Department of Labor under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notice Act. The decision, which includes the Sears Auto Center, will affect 77 workers. The closing will leave only two Sears on Long Island: at Westfield Sunrise Mall in Massapequa and Green Acres Mall in Valley Stream. 

Photos by Heidi Sutton

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A Hampton Inn will turn the old Huntington Town Hall into a boutique hotel. Rendering by Huntington Village Hotel Partners LLC

Developers will look to turn the old Huntington Town Hall into a Hampton Inn hotel. The $24 million proposed project by Holtsville-based Huntington Village Hotel Partners LLC would turn the more than 100-year-old former Town Hall, located at 227 Main St., into an 80-room hotel. 

The Town Hall building would be converted to the hotel’s lobby, breakfast room and gym. A 53,636-square-foot addition will be used for the guest rooms.

Rosario Cassata and George Tsunis, developers for the project, also intend to buy the property adjacent and across the street of the old government building for parking.

In addition, the project secured $2.8 million in tax breaks from the Suffolk Industrial Development Agency.

The tax breaks were awarded at a Feb. 13 Suffolk IDA meeting and include $1.8 million off property tax over a 15-year period. According to IDA documents, about 128 workers will be employed during the construction phase of the hotel. Once completed, the hotel will have 14 employees who will earn just over $39,700 per year.

Tony Catapano, executive director of the Suffolk County IDA, said he believes the hotel will bring in visitors from outside and around Long Island. 

“The historic nature [of the building] will draw people to it, there will definitely be interest from residents in Suffolk and Nassau County,” he said. 

The proximity of the hotel to the downtown area is another plus, the executive director of the agency said. 

“The hotel from downtown Huntington village is really walkable, and they’ll be able to take advantage of the local amenities,” he said. “The old Town Hall building is the eastern entrance to downtown and I think retrofitting it into a hotel will make [the entrance] beautiful.”

The IDA granted the tax incentives using a tourism exception to the state law that prohibits helping retailers. As part of the IDA’s Long Island First policy, the developers are required to buy materials from local companies and employ local construction workers.

This is not the first time a hotel has been proposed for the old Town Hall, back in 2014, the IDA backed a different project that would have cost upward of $10 million. It would have received $3 million in tax breaks over 15 years. The project ultimately failed to get off the ground.

According to IDA documents, the hotel is anticipated to open in the second quarter of 2021.