Nearby: Fire-Damaged Bellport Home Demolished

Contributed by Town of Brookhaven.

 On March 23, Supervisor Ed Romaine was present to oversee the demolition of a condemned, fire-damaged house located at 603 Burdois Avenue in Bellport.

The house had been an eyesore in the neighborhood since the fire occurred in October of 2010. The demolition was the result of a coordinated effort by the Town’s Law Department, Building Department and Department of Waste Management. The Town worked with a local contractor, American Environmental Solutions of Patchogue, to handle the demolition, as well as the asbestos abatement which was necessary before the house could be taken down. The debris was removed by the Department of Waste Management and brought to the Landfill. Also at the demolition were Councilwoman Connie Kepert and County Legislator Kate Browning, John Roger from the Greater Bellport Coalition and Nancy Marr from the Bellport-East Patchogue Alliance.

Supervisor Romaine said, “Demolishing this dangerous eyesore makes an immediate impact on the quality of life in the neighborhood. I commend our Law, Building and Waste Management departments for their persistent effort to clean up this property and make it safe again for the residents in the area.”

Legislator Browning said, “It is critical that blighted properties be removed from the Bellport community as we continue to focus on revitalizing the area. This house was not only unsightly, it presented a danger to the health and safety of our residents.  I want to thank Councilwoman Kepert and Supervisor Romaine for their efforts to address this serious problem. By all levels of government working together towards a common goal, we can continue to improve the quality of life in Bellport one property at a time,” stated Legislator Kate Browning.

In October 2010, the property owners were directed by the Building Division to secure the house and complied with the Town’s request by installing a fence around the building since it could not be adequately boarded because of the extent of the damage.  They did not do any repairs or attempt to remove the building on their own.  Subsequently, the Town’s Building Division issued tickets for property maintenance violations and proceeded to moved through the Chapter 73 demolition process. A recent State Supreme court order allowed the Town to take action and demolish the building. A settlement was reached between the Town and the property owner to place a lien on the property to recover the costs of demolition and debris removal.