Riverhead moves to seize site of future science center

Riverhead Town is moving to seize a vacant East Main Street storefront where the Long Island Science Center plans to move in, citing delays that threaten the success of downtown revitalization.

The science center’s board members, as well as construction and design consultants, made a final plea at Tuesday’s board meeting to block the eminent domain bid. They insist the nonprofit is ready to start renovations and will coordinate with Riverhead’s neighboring Town Square project. The $32.7 million development includes a mixed-use hotel, public plaza, playground and outdoor amphitheater.

The center failed to convince a majority of the board, which voted 3-2 to advance the eminent domain proceedings at the former Swezey’s department store. Town officials cited construction delays and deteriorating conditions and said the property is unsafe and contains mold. The resolution directs Town Attorney Erik Howard to seek updated appraisal, engineering and other documents required to take over the building. A public hearing would have to be held before the town can acquire the property, Howard said.

Town officials sought to seize the property last year, but dropped their plan after the science center said it had the resources to move into and upgrade the building. Last spring, the nonprofit insisted the new museum would open during the fall of 2025.

Councilwoman Denise Merrifield denounced the organization as the “science fiction center” last week as she referenced multiple iterations of plans dating back six years. She said the building has remained vacant and blighted and cast doubt on the group’s financial capability. She pointed to a $13,867 mechanics lien placed on the property last year and a $1 million county grant that’s set to expire in June.

“Those are huge problems financially for them,” she said Tuesday. “I have no confidence that they are going to be able to make that plan on the Town Square … a reality.”

Science center pushes back

Lucy Barnes, a science center board member, said the nonprofit has funding in place and is ready to build. “We have a wonderful concept for the science center as an economic catalyst for downtown Riverhead,” Barnes said Tuesday. The group submitted a trove of documents, more than 90 pages, to push back against claims that they haven’t made progress.

The packet included a January 2025 engineering report that deemed the building structurally sound, but recommended repairs, including to address moisture issues.

Science center consultants have said they plan to seek building permits this month to begin renovations for the first phase of the project.

Last year, Riverhead successfully seized an adjacent property, once the site of Craft’D cocktail bar. It’s been demolished to make way for the development project.

The Long Island Science Center was founded in 1990 to provide science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs to children. It currently operates a pop-up at Tanger Outlets in Riverhead.

The center bought the former department store in 2020 for $1.45 million. Eminent domain allows the town to acquire property for “general municipal purposes,” but owners must be paid “just compensation” by law.

In a news release issued Wednesday, the science center’s president said the group is “actively in a pre-construction phase” and plans are completed.

“At this stage, much of the work takes place behind the scenes through design development, engineering coordination and regulatory filings,” Larry Oxman, the group’s president, said. “While this may not yet be visible on site, it represents a substantial and necessary phase of progress toward construction.”

‘Keep steaming forward’

At Tuesday’s meeting, several residents also spoke in support of the science center, which they said is more desirable downtown than commercial development or more apartment buildings.

Councilman Ken Rothwell said he was initially impressed by the museum’s plans.

“It was like our own Smithsonian Museum coming to Riverhead. It was an absolute asset,” Rothwell said Tuesday. But the building poses safety risks, he said, and the town needs to protect its investment in the town square.

Councilman Bob Kern and Supervisor Jerry Halpin cast votes against eminent domain, saying the science center is a crucial “place-maker” downtown.

Halpin, who took office in January, said he still believes in a “path to shared success” and expressed concern about the cost of acquiring the property.

“There’s frustration that things haven’t been moving along,” Halpin said. He added that town board members should have asked the science center for more regular updates before Tuesday’s vote. “We also are putting a burden back on the taxpayers of our town by having to fund this until we can sell it again.”

Science center leaders said they still plan to seek building permits while the town moves to take it over. “We’re just going to keep steaming forward,” construction manager Alex Lipsky said at the meeting. “The building is still ours.”