December 12, 2014
Dear Village Residents,
I hope you all are enjoying the start of this holiday season.
I would first like to wish everyone a happy holiday and New Year as we approach 2015. We have some wonderful projects in store for the new year, such as the groundbreaking of the Bay Walk Park Phase II and the official grand opening celebration of our new Village Hall.
I have been contacted by a few residents with concerns about the pending departure of King Kullen and the status of Soundview Marketplace as a whole. I would first like to say that I am saddened that King Kullen is leaving, but, as it has been explained to us, this was a business decision made by the company despite efforts by the shopping center’s management company to extend their lease, which had already expired. As many of you may have noticed, a new management company has been operating the shopping center and they have been working to improve the safety and aesthetic conditions of the center. Our Building Department has been working to ensure that adherence to all building codes is done by the new owners. There are still many more improvements to be made but there has been progress towards improving the conditions.
The shopping center is located in a business zone. Their amenities and commercial taxes are very important to our Village and the Port Washington community. I understand that, with King Kullen leaving the center, some might think this is the beginning of a move to somehow lead to more disrepair and, ultimately, the demise of Soundview Marketplace, with the notion of senior condos or other multi-unit housing taking its place. I would like to state as strongly as I can that the Board of Trustees and I will not entertain any proposals to rezone this property to senior housing or multi-unit residential. Rather, we have been putting our efforts into assisting the owners of the shopping center and their managing agents in finding suitable business tenants and assuring them they will be warmly welcomed to the Village of Port Washington North.
I am also aware that there are rumors circulating about what businesses may also be leaving and what businesses may be coming into the center. While I cannot comment on rumors I will say that, due to the ownership and management changeover, there will likely there be other businesses that may leave the shopping center. I also know that the managing agents are actively speaking with a number of potential new tenants. We will have to give the situation time to allow the ownership of the center to re-develop it into a viable and profitable entity with the vibrancy of past years.
I hope this addresses many of the issues that might be circulating. If you need to speak with me personally about this, I would be happy to receive your calls at 516-233-9581.