Owners of proposed Patchogue hotel revise plan, omit apartments

A year after Patchogue officials approved the village's first new hotel in decades, the project's new owners have revised the plan — dropping rental apartments and adding a rooftop pool.

The Watch Hill Hotel Group and its owners, Yair Yaish and his wife, Heddy, are proposing to scrap the previous plan approved by Patchogue officials, which had called for 96 guest rooms and 13 rental apartments. The couple, who bought the project in April, instead want 120 rooms with no apartments.

The $47.4 million hotel's rooftop restaurant, approved to accommodate more than 200 people, would shrink to hold no more than 150 people. The first-floor event area would be increased from 3,500 square feet to 5,000 square feet, doubling maximum capacity in the room from 150 to 300.

The new plan requires approval from the Patchogue Planning Board, which held a hearing on the proposal last month.

In an email to Newsday, Yair Yaish said the changes are aimed at creating "a flexible, high-quality venue" for business conferences, weddings, corporate functions and other events.

"With the hotel directly across from the LIRR and within walking distance of downtown Patchogue, the goal is to attract events that might otherwise look elsewhere," Yaish said.

The couple altered the brand name under which the hotel will be known. Previously Tempo by Hilton, the hotel will adopt Hilton's Tapestry brand, Yair Yaish told the planning board at a July 29 meeting.

The project's Patchogue architect, James Manicone, told the planning board the Tapestry brand offers “more design freedoms” that would permit characteristics referencing “the history of the village.”

Planning board members expressed concern that the revised plan would require more parking for large events such as weddings and corporate gatherings.

“There won’t be very many of them if you don’t find a solution for parking,” chairman John Rocco said.

Parking would increase from 112 spaces to about 150, Manicone said.

It is unclear when the board will vote on the revised plan. The board's next meeting is Tuesday.

Patchogue officials previously have said the hotel — the village's first in at least six decades — would boost tourism and economic activity in the area. 

The previous hotel plan was approved last year. At the time, then-owner Allon Avgi, of West Avenue Partners, said construction could begin last fall or early this year.

The project was delayed for unspecified reasons, officials said.

Patchogue Mayor Paul Pontieri said in a phone interview he supports the new version of the hotel but raised concerns about parking.

“We’re looking at it and seeing if they have the parking for the event space,” Pontieri said. “If it adds another 100 people, it adds another 50 or 60 cars. We have to be careful.”

He added, “We’ll figure it out.”

Separately, Watch Hill has asked the Brookhaven Town Industrial Development Agency to approve a benefits package for the hotel, including up to $333,000 in mortgage recording tax exemptions, up to $1.8 million in sales tax exemptions and 20 years of property tax savings, Newsday previously reported. The IDA is weighing the request.

The company last month also applied for a roughly $5 million New York State grant via the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council. That request also is under review.

By Carl MacGowan

carl.macgowan@newsday.comCarlMacGowan

Carl MacGowan is a Long Island native who covers Brookhaven Town after having previously covered Smithtown, Suffolk County courts and numerous spot news and feature stories over his 20-plus year career at Newsday.