Riverhead moves ahead with eminent domain of science center property, approve $1.95 M offer

Riverhead Town’s acquisition of the proposed Long Island Science Center site at 111 E. Main Street is moving forward, with the Town Board’s approval Tuesday of a $1.95 million appraisal of the property and its authorization to pay that sum to the owner out of the town’s general fund balance.

The board unanimously approved a resolution authorizing its attorneys to transmit the $1.95 million offer to The Place for Learning, which owns the real estate and operates the science center.

Riverhead Town on Aug. 26 obtained a court vesting order in the eminent domain proceeding. Under the state’s Eminent Domain Procedure Law, title transfers to the town once the vesting order and acquisition map are filed with the county clerk.

The law also requires the town to make a formal written offer to the owner based on the town’s highest approved appraisal. The Town Board’s resolution authorizes the town’s attorneys to transmit that offer, in the amount of $1.95 million, to The Place for Learning. The resolution also authorizes the town financial administrator to establish a budget for the expenditure.

The owner may accept the $1.95 million as full payment, or accept it as an advance payment while continuing to seek additional compensation in court. In practical terms, once title vests, the remaining dispute is usually over money: whether the town’s appraisal reflects the property’s fair value.

The property owner by law had a right to bring an action challenging the condemnation within 30 days after publication of the town’s determination and findings. The publication was completed on June 18. The Place for Learning did not challenge the town’s determination to take the property, according to court filings reviewed by RiverheadLOCAL. 

Attorneys for The Place for Learning and the holders of a private mortgage on the property, Elifran LLC and Fralin LLC, filed notices of appearance in the condemnation proceeding after they were served last month with the town’s petition and supporting papers.

The Town Board action Tuesday was a major procedural milestone for the town square project, since title to the 111 E. Main Street property would position the town to market the parcel and convey it to a buyer.

Officials have not publicly discussed whether they have had talks with potential developers of the property, but they have stressed the need for progress at the site. The property borders the town square site on the west and is an integral part of the town square development plan. Town Board members have repeatedly cited the science center’s perceived lack of progress in redeveloping the building as the reason to move forward with a condemnation proceeding.

The science center was once considered the centerpiece of the planned town square. The Place for Learning’s acquisition of 111 E. Main Street in 2020 prompted the town to purchase three adjoining properties east of the site that would eventually become the town square redevelopment project.

See: Main Street to get a ‘heart transplant,’ supervisor says, unveiling plans for town square and new, expanded L.I. Science Center (Feb. 14, 2020)

The town square project now includes a public plaza, playground and amphitheater, as well as a five-story, 92-room hotel and restaurant. The project also includes major site work to implement flood mitigation measures along the Peconic Riverfront.

Demolition and other site work has gotten underway, but officials said lack of movement with the science center redevelopment would prevent the overall project from being built out.

The town square itself is at the center of the town’s downtown revitalization efforts. Since the town acquired the East Main Street properties, its Community Development Department has secured multi-million dollar state and federal grants for the planning and development of the town square and other downtown projects, including flood mitigation measures and a planned parking garage north of East Main Street.