Business

Mattituck builder purchasing Hudson City Savings Bank property

Paul-Pawlowski

Months after withdrawing his plans for a mixed-use complex on Main Road in Mattituck, a local developer has his eye on another property up the road. 

Paul Pawlowski of Mattituck said Monday that he’s in contract to purchase the vacant Hudson City Savings Bank on the south side of Main Road and is expected to close on the property later this month.

The bank was partially built there beginning in October 2009, but never opened. Construction of a second approved building was not completed beyond the pouring of the foundation.

“Our plan is basically to finally finish what was started there,” Mr. Pawlowski said. “Our goal is to renew the site plan and building permits and finish out as approved.”

He hopes to have the bank portion of the property ready “before Christmas” and then begin the process of attracting a bank tenant.

The second phase of the project will be to continue construction on the proposed two-story building on the western portion of the property. He plans to have that building completed by spring.

Mr. Pawlowski said he’s meeting with town planning officials to discuss allowable uses for the first floor of the second building and hopes to add apartments to the second floor. Southold town planner Brian Cummings said at a Planning Board work session Monday that Mr. Pawlowski told him he hopes to construct a retail store with two apartments on the second floor.

The Planning Board is expected to vote on extending the site plan approval process at its next meeting Dec. 7.

“I wasn’t able to do something across from Capital One, so why not try and do something up the road?” Mr. Pawlowski said.

The bank building in its current state. (Credit: Joseph Pinciaro)
The bank building in its current state. (Credit: Joseph Pinciaro)

The bank building has stood unfinished for years and a foreclosure process commenced in 2012. An auction was held in October.

Hudson City Savings Bank, despite being the name most associated with the property, only had an agreement to lease the building once it was completed. The company took an ad out with The Suffolk Times in 2011 lamenting the delays.

“Like everyone else in town,” the ad stated, “we regularly drive by that uncompleted bank branch in Mattituck. Frankly, we wince when we see our name attached to it.

“Our involvement and responsibility is really pretty simple. Hudson City Savings Bank has a contract to be a tenant when the construction is completed.”

At this point, however, it is unlikely Hudson City, which is merging with M&T Bank, would be a tenant there.

Mr. Pawlowski, meanwhile, said he had no new developments to report at the other property he owns on Main Road, where in September he withdrew a change of zone application from residential to business in order to proceed with the construction of retail stores and affordable apartments.

That decision came days after residents and members of the Mattituck-Laurel Civic Association spoke out against his plans at a Town Board public hearing. He has since put that property, which is located just west of Sigsbee Road, on the market.

Top caption: Developer Paul Pawlowski at a recent Southold Town Board meeting.

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