To the Editor:
I offer my opinion today not as a former councilman nor as a current planning board member but as a member of our great town, Riverhead many years ago squandered a great opportunity by not selling the Calverton property to the Rechler/Petrocelli group for $152,500,000. Hindsight is 20/20. Now our property is worth a quarter of that. Let’s not squander this proposal from the Ghermezian family. They are qualified and they are eligible. If they are not, who is? If we turn them down, who will be next? Who would even want to waste their time with Riverhead?
The Ghermezian proposal goes beyond just a land purchase. This proposal is multi-layered and richly innovative with education, job training, R&D, manufacturing, expanding existing businesses, high-tech innovation and collaboration, all guided by the vision of the aerospace heritage of the former Grumman facility. It is literally a dream come true.
The Ghermezian proposal fits the original intent of the transfer by the federal government – to create jobs, grow tax base and attract investment. The Ghermezian proposal goes far beyond just a build out – it is the highest and best use of the existing infrastructure and will meet the zoning and reuse plan. The Ghermezians are willing, able and funded to make this happen. Let’s make the right move and make this happen. Let’s get this property back on the tax roll after 20 years. Let’s build a future for our kids.
This is a very complicated build out. Private industry is much better suited to handle this than government. I believe this is more important than local political parties. I urge all of our elected officials to work together to give serious consideration to the Ghermezian family.
Sincerely,
Ed Densieski
Riverhead
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