Riverhead moves closer to selling Vail-Leavitt Music Hall to The Jazz Loft

More than a year after reclaiming ownership of a historic 1800s theater downtown, Riverhead officials are ready for the show to go on, though some town board members want a full audition process to play out.

A split board voted 3-2 Tuesday to begin negotiating the sale of the Vail-Leavitt Music Hall to The Jazz Loft, a nonprofit performing arts center and museum in Stony Brook.

The resolution paves the way for the town to hold a hearing to review the group’s capability of restoring and running the venue, which dates to 1881. The town took back possession of the theater last year after suing the nonprofit that had run the venue for 40 years.

Two councilmen, Bob Kern and Ken Rothwell, voted against the measure, calling the process “unfair” to other interested applicants and a “race to the finish line.” Both questioned whether The Jazz Loft has the finances to complete renovations and want a more diverse lineup of performances at the site.

“I am not in favor of a one-lane music venue,” Kern said Tuesday, calling for the town to issue a formal request for proposals.

The Jazz Loft proposed to buy the building for $55,000 less than a competing group. Supervisor Tim Hubbard said The Jazz Loft offered $150,000; a bid by developer Ray Castronovo was $205,000. 

'Very overdue second act'

In a statement Wednesday, Jazz Loft founder Thomas Manuel thanked the town for entrusting the group with the “very overdue second act” at the Vail-Leavitt, adding that his priorities are to negotiate a contract, connect with the community and begin renovations.

“We are eager to see the theater blossom again as a venue for music with a range of styles and also serve as an incubator for educational events and collaborations with area artists,” Manuel said.

Board members heard two competing pitches for the future of the Vail last week, from Manuel and from Castronovo, who heads the Riverhead-based development firm The Zenith Group. Both entities said they would buy and restore the historic theater to align with broader downtown revitalization goals.

Riverhead is seeking for the buyer to address about $200,000 in structural repairs. “The property is in dire straits,” Community Development Director Dawn Thomas said last week.

Hubbard said The Jazz Loft is “more than perfect” for the site and that a request for proposals would lead to further delays.

“We’re not going to hang on to that property for another year, paying for heat and maintaining it, and hoping that the roof doesn’t get worse,” Hubbard said. “It makes no sense to me.”

At a meeting April 10, Manuel said The Jazz Loft has experience renovating historic properties. In 2016, the organization completed a $500,000 renovation of the Old Stone House in Stony Brook Village, built circa 1770, according to its website.

Riverhead would be a second location for the performing arts organization, which runs regular big-band concerts in Stony Brook.

Manuel said the group would “reactivate” the Vail-Leavitt to be the “crown jewel” downtown, benefiting the town culturally and economically by attracting people to see shows, dine and stay in area hotels.

Programming would focus on the uniquely American genre of jazz but also include a range of performances. Manuel said the group would work with other arts organizations and host community events.

“I’m always open for collaborations,” he said. “That’s the nature and spirit of jazz.”

Castronovo said he’d bring the Vail-Leavitt “back to life” by leveraging connections in the music industry to offer concerts across all genres, plus acting classes, kids entertainment, a TikTok and podcast studio and community events, like dance and music competitions.

“I’m very, very savvy in the music industry,” Castronovo said, adding that he would work with Mark Chroscielewski, of South Jamesport, who led renovations at New York City music venues including the Warsaw and Irving Plaza.

As a developer, Castronovo also said he has extensive experience restoring historic buildings.

Councilwoman lends support

Councilwoman Denise Merrifield voted to support The Jazz Loft, which she described as a “tried and true” venture.

“They are a well-run, highly professional, organized, acclaimed musical group,” Merrifield said.

Riverhead owns the building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, and gifted it to the nonprofit Council for the Vail-Leavitt Music Hall Inc. in 1982. In court, the town invoked a reverter clause in the deed allowing the municipality to recover the title if the theater wasn’t properly maintained.

In court documents, the town alleged management of the theater was “haphazard and inconsistent.”

Thomas said the town’s goal is “to make sure that the theater succeeds as a performing arts center, as we have hoped all these years, and to make it dovetail nicely with what’s going on downtown,” including a new town square that will feature an outdoor amphitheater.

Manuel estimated The Jazz Loft could complete renovations and open in the Vail before the end of this year, though the timeline depends on how long contract negotiations and a public hearing take.