Vail-Leavitt Music Hall

The sale of Riverhead’s historic Vail-Leavitt Music Hall to The Jazz Loft is complete, clearing the way for restoration of the theater.

In a brief special meeting, the Riverhead Town Board approved a $331,485 plow truck purchase and shifted $75,000 in grant funds for Vail-Leavitt roof repairs.

Riverhead Town on Tuesday inked a contract of sale with The Jazz Loft, agreeing to sell the historic Vail-Leavitt Music Hall for $150,000.

A 4–1 Town Board vote Tuesday cleared the way for The Jazz Loft to purchase and restore the historic Vail-Leavitt Music Hall.

At a “qualified and eligible sponsor” hearing Thursday, The Jazz Loft presented its qualifications for buying, restoring and operating the historic Vail-Leavitt in downtown Riverhead.

A hearing to determine whether a Stony Brook-based nonprofit performing arts organization is a “qualified and eligible sponsor” for purposes of buying, renovating and operating the historic Vail-Leavitt Theater has been scheduled for Oct. 16 at 4 p.m.

Riverhead Town will move forward with its plan to sell and restore the Vail-Leavitt Music Hall through a partnership with The Jazz Loft, despite a last-minute appeal from another suitor asking the Town Board to reconsider.

A divided Riverhead Town Board on Tuesday took the first step toward selling the historic and blighted Vail-Leavitt Music Hall to The Jazz Loft.

Riverhead Town Board members heard two pitches Thursday from groups interested in buying, renovating and operating the historic Vail Leavitt Music Hall downtown.

Riverhead Town is in talks to lease the Vail-Leavitt Music Hall to The Jazz Loft, a nonprofit performing arts organization in Stony Brook, according to town officials.