Protestors Object To Hotel’s Hampton Inn Switch

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Artist rendering of planned new Hampton Inn where the Old Town Hall is located in Huntington Village.

A crowd of speakers endured a lengthy town board meeting Tuesday and made it even lengthier as they lined up to take their turns at the microphone and urged the board to withhold approval needed for development of the old town hall as a hotel.

The board was scheduled to vote on is- suing a certificate of approval in a historic district, a final step necessary before the hotel developer can go for building permits.

Protesters, many waving bright yellow signs that read , “No Vacancy, Huntington is Full,” and “Preserve Huntington Village. No Hampton Inn,” among other sentiments, urged to vote no.

Speakers raised concerns about over-development, congestion and parking issues, and many raised eyebrows over what they felt was a lack of transparency concerning the project. In particular, many objected to the recent revelation that the now-80 room project would be operated as a Hampton Inn. Some felt they were hoodwinked.

“When someone says ‘boutique hotel,’ is Hampton Inn what comes to mind?” asked Huntington resident Bob Souter.

He compared the last minute announcement to what one might feel using a dating app when the person who shows up for your date is not what was pictured.

“We were blindsided when it was revealed the plans had morphed into an 80 room Hampton Inn monster,” Barbara Souter said.

Plans for redeveloping the old town hall building at Main Street and Stewart Avenue originally called for a 55-room hotel. Developer George Tsunis upped it to 80 rooms when he acquired the prop- erty in 2018. The project received approval from the Huntington Historic Commission and variances from the zoning board of appeals, including for parking. The board voted Tuesday to grant the certificate of approval.

Gun Charges Follow Dramatic Takedown In West Hills

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Federal agents excecuted a search warrant at the home of Abraham Finkler, shortly after he was arrested during a traffic stop involving two armored trucks, a helicopter and dozens of agents with guns drawn. Finkler is facing gun charges, according to a source close to the investigation.

By Peter Sloggatt
psloggatt@longislandergroup.com

A West Hills man is in custody following a dramatic, multi-agency takedown led by Department of Homeland Security agents Thursday morning.

An orchestrated traffic stop at West Hills and Old Walt Whitman roads and raid on the subject’s home onWest Hills Road involving close to 100 police officers and federal agents set social media afire throughout the day, but no details were forthcoming from law enforcement.

The operation was spearheaded by Department of Homeland Security, according to a source close to the investigation who declined to be named because he is not authorized to speak for the agency.

The operation targeted Abraham Finkler, 37, of 367West Hills Road who was taken into custody at about 10:15 a.m. Finkler, who owns a chimney liner fabrication company in Plainview, had left his home and was headed south onWest Hills Road toward his business. As Finkler approached Old Whitman Road, his pickup truck was boxed in by two “tanks” – as agents refer to the Bear and Bear Cat armored vehicles – and a helicopter swooped in overhead.

Finkler surrendered without resistance to a swarm of agents who approached the truck with guns drawn, according to the source.

Simultaneously, agents also with guns drawn, executed a search warrant at Finkler’s home, battering down the door and tossing in a pair of flashbang grenades. The incendiary devices, which put out an explosive noise and a blinding flash of light, are used to disorient anyone in the home as agents move in.

Only a housekeeper was in the house, according to the source. However, Walt Whitman High School, located nearby, was put on lockdown after the flashbang explosions were mistaken for gunfire.

DHS was investigating Finkler based on information that he had weapons in the house, the source said. Several firearms and ammunition were found in the house, which also had an illegal gun range in the basement, he said.

Finkler has prior felony convictions and is precluded from owning a weapon, the source added. He will face charges in federal court as a result of the raid.

As many as 90 agents and officers from HSI, ATF, DEA, SCPD, NYPD, Suffolk County DA’s office, and even Suffolk Park Rangers, were involved in the raid.

DHS NewYork region public affairs director Rachael Yong Yow did not respond to a request for information.

Finkler was arrested in 2004 when police found several hundred pounds of fireworks in the attic of his home in Plainview, according to a Newsday report.

Finkler also reportedly has dates in Third District Court related to construction at the six bedroom home where he lives with his wife and teenage son and daughter. Originally a mid-century ranch, it is now an imposing multi-peaked structure with two story columns and a crest on its parapet. Its three acres are behind a low masonry wall at street level.

Town officials have issued violations for unpermitted construction and excavation at the house and three-acre property, though Town spokesperson Lauren Lembo could not immediately provide details.

A review by The Long Islander of town records indicate no certificate of occupancy has been issued. A stop work order was issued Sept. 16, 2019 because permits had expired. Construction permits date to Nov. 2014.