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View of 127 East Main St. in Riverhead.

View of 127 East Main St. in Riverhead. Credit: John Roca

Riverhead now can demolish three downtown buildings in a historic district to clear room for a future town square after being granted state approval, Town Hall officials have announced.

An Aug. 12 statement from Town Hall said officials reached an agreement with the New York State Historic Preservation Office allowing Riverhead to demolish buildings at 117, 121 and 127 East Main St. to make space for the planned town square project.

Riverhead acquired the buildings in May. The total cost of their purchase and demolition is an estimated $5.5 million, officials said.

Approval was required from the state office before any demolition plans because the buildings are within a state historic district that Riverhead entered into in 2012.

In a statement, Riverhead Supervisor Yvette Aguiar said the town's Community Development Department provided "substantive" documentation to the state office. After reviewing all documentation, the state agency agreed with the town that "there are no prudent and/or feasible alternatives to demolition."

"The Town of Riverhead is beyond excited that this transformative project can now proceed in earnest," Aguiar said. "The State Historic Preservation Office was cooperative, reasonable and receptive to working with Riverhead to be sure that a mutually beneficial solution was reached."

The next step is for the state office to write a letter of resolution documenting alternatives evaluated and mitigation measures to be carried out that will minimize historical impacts, according to Riverhead Community Development director Dawn Thomas. Those measures could include salvaging defining features; creating a memorial plaque commemorating 117 East Main St. and its significance to the historic district; and Riverhead continuing to consult with the state office as the square’s construction advances.

View of 121 East Main Street Riverhead.

View of 121 East Main Street Riverhead. Credit: John Roca

Joe Maiorana, assistant community development project supervisor with Riverhead’s Community Development Department, told Newsday that while there is no timeline yet on either the buildings’ demolition or when the state agency will provide the letter, local officials are optimistic that the planned town square is moving ahead as planned.

"We would like to do it as soon as possible, but certainly we want to continue the positive dialogue with SHPO," Maiorana said. "So if it takes a couple of extra days for them to be satisfied with [the letter of resolution], that’s fine."

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