Wainscott neighbors 'concerned' over land deal

There are no Trader Joe's, Whole Foods or Wild by Nature stores in the town of East Hampton. One or the other could be there someday - as long as it is next to somebody else's house.

That's the verdict of Diana Weir, a member of the Wainscott Citizens Advisory Committee, whose group - made up of local residents - provides input to East Hampton officials on a variety of matters, including planning.

The issue has arisen because a Sagaponack developer, Gregg Saunders, has partnered with Isidore Mayrock and Louis Fortunoff - members of the family that owned and operated the Long Island retail giant Fortunoff's in Westbury for decades - on a deal to pay $3.9 million to buy the old Plitt Ford property on Montauk Highway in Wainscott.

Bob Schaeffer, vice chairman of the East Hampton planning board, said a preliminary application has been filed with the town to demolish the building - shuttered for more than a year - and build a 17,530-square-foot retail establishment.

Schaeffer said Saunders talked at a Citizens Advisory Committee meeting of luring a Trader Joe's, Wild by Nature or Whole Foods to the site.

"Just knowing the location, traffic will be an issue," Schaeffer said.

The application will be on the planning board's calendar at its Wednesday meeting.

Weir, a banker and civic activist for decades, said that there is no opposition to a proposed retail outlet at the site, but there is "concern."

"It's a little logjam" in the area, Weir said. "Something is going to get built, but we want to make sure it doesn't make the traffic worse."

"Let me put it this way," Weir said. "The people in Amagansett, Montauk and Springs would love" a Trader Joe's, for example, because they are not close to it. "But the people in Wainscott have concerns."

Saunders and Mayrock did not return calls seeking comment.

Fortunoff said he had no comment at this point.