Planning Board issues approval for new restaurant, retail shops on Love Lane

The Southold Town Planning Board has approved plans to redevelop a long-vacant building in the heart of Mattituck.

At a meeting Monday, the board approved an amended site plan for Hard Corner Heart of Love Lane, which seeks to convert an existing 16,500 square foot commercial office building into a restaurant and retail and affordable housing on Love Lane.

Local developer Charles Salice and business partner Mark Miller have been aiming to revitalize the former Capital One Bank building since they purchased it for $1.7 million in December 2017.

The plans call for a new 56-seat restaurant and two retail spaces on the first floor. Two commercial spaces are proposed for the second floor, along with one residential affordable apartment in the building on the corner of Love Lane and Pike Street.

The approval was issued with a series of conditions that must be met, which include specifying the proposed uses for the second floor commercial spaces, constructing the project in accordance with the approved site plan and architectural drawings and that future lighting or signage changes not included on the approved site plan be reviewed for compliance.

Trees and landscaping on the lot must also be maintained by the property owner. If a tree dies or is otherwise destroyed, it must be replaced with the same species and size within six months. Any changes in tree or landscaping species must be approved in writing by the Planning Board.

In November, the planning board waived the requirement for a public hearing on the application since it found that there would be “no substantial change to the existing footprint.”

Approved site plans are valid for 18 months from the date of approval.

“It’s been a very long journey and I thank our team for all their efforts,” developer Charles Salice said in a text message Tuesday. “We’re now going to assess the needs of [the] market place and see how best to move forward from here.”