Town Acquires Property For Parking Lot

Huntington town board members authorized a $3.2-million bond to acquire and redevelop the Chase Bank property in Huntington as a parking lot.

By Peter Sloggatt
psloggatt@longislandergroup.com

Parking-starved Huntington village will soon add more spaces to the inventory with the town’s acquisition of property  at New York Avenue and Gerard Street. The town board last week approved a $3.2-million bond to cover the $3.05-million purchase prices plus estimated  costs to develop the property for parking. The loy is expected to yield 71 spaces, according to a press release from the town.

The vote did not come easy. With bond votes requiring a supermajority of the board, Democrats Mark Cuthbertson and Joan Cergol held out to gain some additonal concessions before assenting.

“We had some leverage because they need four yes votes to bond,” Cergol said. Hoping to answer dissatisfaction expressed by numerous merchants, the dems were able to negotiate a freeze until 2023 on future parking meter fee increases, and gain a commitment that revenues generated by those fees will be dedicated to parking improvements, including construction of a planned parking garage.

Chase bank recently closed its bank branch on the property referring customers to its nearby branch at Main Street and Woodbury Road.