Tomorrow evening, Sag Harbor Village officials will unveil handsome plans for a new waterfront park to be named after former resident John Steinbeck. The plans, by Edmund Hollander, look fantastic. There are two beaches, a fishing pier, a boardwalk, a path under the bridge to North Haven, benches along walking trails, a playground, and even a stage shaped like a scallop shell.
So far, so good. The only fly in the ointment is that Sag Harbor doesn't actually own most of the land designated for the park, located along 1, 3, and 5 Ferry Road and 2 West Water Street, and the owners, East End Ventures, have said they don't want to sell. Back in December, Greystone Property Development, which is working on the project with East End Ventures, released renderings by Robert AM Stern Architects for its planned One Ferry Road condo development. 11 units, each 2,500-3,000sf, would all offer water views with a luxury boutique aesthetic. The village is now exploring the idea of acquiring the land via eminent domain. Stay tuned.