Kapell: Annex Riverside

A necessary part of the solution for Riverhead’s struggling downtown is the annexation of Riverside by the Town of Riverhead, according to former Greenport mayor Dave Kapell. (Read the mayor’s speech here.)

Kapell told Riverhead government and business leaders at a breakfast meeting convened by the Riverhead Chamber of Commerce yesterday that unless Riverhead Town can control the hamlet on the other side of the river, it can’t really control the fate of its Main Street.

Socio-economic problems in the Riverside hamlet, which is part of Southampton town, have long had negative impacts on downtown Riverhead that the Town of Riverhead can do nothing about.

“Southampton Town has historically shown little interest in addressing problems on their side of the river,” Kapell said. “In contrast, Riverhead has enjoyed significant success addressing similar problems in Riverhead.”

“People make no distinction which side of the river the problem comes from,” Kapell said. “To them, it’s all Riverhead, and it’s a place to avoid, especially after dark.”

The division of Riverhead between the two municipalities is a “structural defect” that must be fixed.

Think of successful revitalization as a three-legged stool,  Kapell said. One leg is “a plan to take on the problems and opportunities of Riverside.” The second is to “carefully redesign Main Street to meet the needs of a specific market.” The third is the economic opportunity of EPCAL, he said.

The target market for downtown, according to Kapell, is young people. Riverhead should focus on providing recreational and entertainment opportunities for young people, and housing and job opportunities for young adults.

He suggested conducting a survey of recent high school and college graduates to find out what they want. He also called on leaders to “stand up to NIMBYism and provide affordable housing opportunities” for families and young adults, as well as meaningful job opportunities at EPCAL.