Brookhaven Grants Patchogue COC $50K

AFebruar 4, 2003

In direct response to the concerns of East Patchogue community groups and individual residents, the Brookhaven Town Board last night unanimously allocated $50,000 for façade improvements along the Montauk Highway corridor of East Patchogue. The funding comes as a result several months of coordination with the Greater Patchogue Foundation and the Patchogue Chamber of Commerce in an effort to address the needs of business owners.

“This blighted downtown corridor is well overdue for major improvements,” Supervisor John Jay LaValle said. “This substantial funding from the Town is a sign of this administration’s commitment to revitalizing a once thriving and vital downtown economic base for the South Shore of Brookhaven.”

The funding will be administered through the Patchogue Chamber of Commerce’s Greater Patchogue Foundation and will assist new and existing businesses with renovations and updates to storefront facades and signage. Any property owner along this corridor can apply to the Foundation for a reimbursement of up to 50% of the cost of façade improvement with a $10,000 cap per applicant.

East Patchogue businesses can apply through an application by providing photographs of their storefronts prior to renovation, submitting any architectural renditions, as well as two estimates from a local contractor. The Patchogue Foundation Façade Committee will review the applications and give a letter of intent to reimburse eligible business owners. Paid invoices that are signed by the contractor, verification of any Town permit approvals, as well as photographs of the completed work must be provided by owners in order to receive reimbursement.

“This significant funding is a welcome gesture from one level of government that demonstrates the willingness and eagerness of its elected officials to turn East Patchogue around,” said Patchogue Chamber of Commerce President Vincent Grucci. “I thank Supervisor LaValle and the entire Town Board for their vision and real commitment to this program."

For several months, the Town has actively worked with East Patchogue residents and business owners as well as Suffolk County officials to identify and resolve the problems that affect Main Street between the Village line and County Road 101.

In addition to the $50,000 of Town support, is a grant of $10,000 from North Fork Bank that was secured by the Foundation earlier this year. The Foundation will apply for another allocation of $50,000 for the façade program through New York State in the near future.

Doug Steigerwald, Planning Team Member of Focus East Patchogue, in thanking LaValle and the Town Board said, “This is another important step towards effecting positive change in our community of East Patchogue.”

“The aesthetics and the economic health of East Patchogue is of great concern to this Town Board,” said LaValle, “Our goal is to stimulate interest in the area and reverse the decades of deterioration by working with committed organizations in East Patchogue.”

Last year, the Town established all retail and commercial properties fronting Montauk Highway, from the eastern edge of the incorporated Village Patchogue to County Road 101, be designated and included within the Suffolk County Industrial/ Commercial Incentives Plan. Business owners may have reduced property taxes for several years under the program.

Brookhaven Town offers small business owners direct help through the Small Business Advisory Committee and SCORE (Senior Corps of Retired Executives) in exploring the various financial incentives available to them.

Brookhaven Senior Citizen Remembers Town in Her Will

The Town's Senior Citizen Division has been remembered in one of their client's wills for providing outstanding services for Brookhaven’s elderly population. The Division received a check from the estate of one of the program clients in the amount of $17,483.90 because of the exemplary services that touched the heart of a client. The funds will be used to create a new program called Maids in Waiting that provides immediate in-home services to potential EISEP clients to bridge the gap for the seniors while they are waiting for assistance from the County EISEP program.”