Canoe Place Project Sails Forward

The dilapidated former Canoe Place Inn in Hampton Bays was a speakeasy, a hotel, and in recent years, deejays spun their beats attracting Hollywood’s glitterati to its night club. For some years now, its been waiting for its next incarnation, and now that latest life could be taking shape soon.

Farmingdale-based developers of the site, R Squared Development LLC, are looking to break ground by mid-June, according to Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman. The firm, which is run by cousins and business partners, Gregg and Mitchell Rechler, plans to preserve the former hot spot into a 20-room inn and 350-seat catering facility as part of the Canoe Place Inn, Canal, Eastern Properties Maritime Planned Development District on the northern portion of the Shinnecock Canal.

The plans for the site of the former inn, which is located on the western portion of the canal, also include a 70-seat restaurant with a 20-seat bar area, a 120-seat outdoor lounge area, and the renovation of five on-site cottages. On the other side of the canal, on what is considered the eastern portion of the development district, there are plans to construct 37 townhouses, a clubhouse, a pool, and a private marina.

In a statement released by Zimmerman Edelson Public Relations on Friday, Gregg Rechler, managing partner of Rechler Equity Partners, said he and his cousin are currently preparing to break ground “at both sites this summer and are excited to begin construction of a project that will revitalize the [east end] of Hampton Bays.”

The Southampton Town Board approved the zoning change in 2015 and it was extended late last year. The town planning board approved an updated site plan last week, allowing the project to move forward to the next phase, which is to obtain permits from the building department. Town Attorney James Burke was not available for comment about the status of the project.

peggy@indyeastend.com