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DILAPIDATED BUILDING IN CORAM IS HISTORY  April 5, 2006, FARMINGVILLE, NY –Brookhaven Supervisor Brian X. Foley and Councilwoman Connie Kepert announced at a press conference Wednesday that the town will soon have the dilapidated former Century 21 real estate building in Coram razed. The press conference was held outside the building, just south of Route 25 on Route 112. “We hear a complaint, we take action,” said Supervisor Foley. “Coram Fire Commissioner Van Johnson brought his long-standing complaints about this dangerous building to the Town Board on March 7, and we had the solution in place three days later. The building is a horrific eyesore and a danger to the public right at the entrance to Coram and has been for years. I am glad that we have been able to act quickly to get it removed. It is the kind of quick action about constituent complaints I promised would be part of my new, responsive Brookhaven Town government.”  “I stood at this very site last spring with Brian Foley at my side when I announced I was running for Town Board,” said Councilwoman Kepert. “The people of Coram have heard promises from politicians for years, but today I am glad to say that I am fulfilling my promise to the people of Coram to help clean up their community. This is the first step and it won’t be the last. I promise you that.” The owner of the building was told in a notice from the Town Building Department issued on March 10 that he had 30 days to remove the structure and all debris or else the town would do it for him, and charge him for all expenses. That action came after the Town Law Department, at the request of Supervisor Foley, reexamined a previous legal opinion that stated that as long as the property was properly fenced, it was not a threat to public safety, leaving the town helpless to do anything about the Coram eyesore. On March 7, the Law Department issued a new opinion that fencing was not enough to insure public safety and said the Building Department could commence an action to raze the building. The owners, Partnership of Mirabelli and Brandt, was sent a notice March 10 by Chief Building Inspector Arthur Gerhauser that they had 30 days to remove the structure and all debris or the town would do it for them. “This collapsing building at the entrance to Coram has been a plague on this good community for years,” said Supervisor Foley. “Government can’t let individuals inflict problems like this on an entire community, and my administration will not let anyone get away with abuses like this. “I’m glad to say that my administration was able to address the problem in a matter of days. There will be no more lame excuses for inaction for government in the Town of Brookhaven.” The owner has not applied for a demolition permit, which makes it likely the owners have no intention of razing the building before the 30-day deadline expires. On April 10, the town will again inspect the building and if it has not been torn down, the Town Board will be notified that it needs to appoint an architect to accompany the Building Inspector on a survey of the building. If necessary, the Town Board will approve the hiring of an architect at its April 18 meeting. Within two business days of the appointment of the architect, the survey will be conducted and the report of the survey will be posted on the building and sent to the owner. If the survey determines the building needs to be demolished, the Department of Law will make an application to the State Supreme Court to do so. The court will make a final determination and then the town will proceed with whatever action is authorized by the court.
Posted on Wednesday, April 05, 2006 (Archive on Monday, December 31, 2007)
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