The plans to transform the historic Village Latch Inn into condos are now before the Southampton Village Zoning Board of Appeals.
The owners, developer Steven Dubb of The Beechwood Organization and his partner George Benedict of Southampton, who paid $23 million for the property, are planning 24 townhomes on nearly five and a half acres at 101 Hill Street. At issue are considerations of density as well as environmental and other impacts on the community. Also required would be permission from the ZBA to change the use of the property from one non-conforming use (as the Village Latch was built before current zoning) to another non-conforming use, the 24 home condominium.
But, Steven Dubb told us, the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) study already performed on the property concluded that the project would have many benefits for Southampton, including minimal environmental, traffic and other impacts. After all, he pointed out, right now the property is a 67-room transient hotel. To change to 24 condos would involve less traffic and less noise.
Dubb also pointed out that while his project would be more dense, at 4.6 units per acre, than the Whitefields property next door, at 1.8 units per acre (which went condo in the 1970s), it would be less dense than other newer condo developments in the village. The Irving on First Neck Lane, for example, has a density of 5.3 units per acre and Coopers Farm is 6.4 units per acre.
So what’s next? Dubb says working with Whitefields owners to allay their concerns and satisfying the ZBA at their next meeting. We’ll keep you posted.
