Riverhead, PBMC finalize deal for new Town Hall

Riverhead Town has officially closed on the purchase of what Peconic Bay Medical Center called the “Robert Entenmann Campus” on Second Street, with the goal of moving a number of town functions into that building.  

The purchase price was $20 million, according to Amy Loeb, the executive director of PBMC.

Riverhead Town Supervisor Yvette Aguiar and the Town Board issued a press release confirming the deal Wednesday afternoon.

The town closed on the purchase of 4-6 W 2nd St and 214 Griffing Avenue in downtown Riverhead in a building that had housed Suffolk County National Bank for many years. 

“This town purchase will allow for the much-needed expansion of Riverhead’s police department, the town Justice Court, and enhance services to our community,” Supervisor Aguiar said. “We thank the Peconic Bay Medical Foundation for working and partnering with us on this much needed effort in our community.”

PBMC will move from the Second Street building to the former Mercy High School building, which is adjacent to the hospital, as well as into another smaller leased space in Riverhead which the hospital has yet to close on, according to Ms. Loeb. 

The PBMC Foundation acquired the Mercy property in 2020.  

The proposed deal between the hospital and town was first made public in August of 2022 and has moved quickly. 

“I am impressed and thrilled with the work of the town to get this done so quickly,” Ms. Loeb said. 

She said there will be a phased approach to moving out of Second Street and into the former Mercy site and said work on moving employees into Mercy building is “moving along.”

Town hall employees could begin moving to the new facility soon.

“We expect transitioning to commence in three months and the full transition to occur by the end of this year,” Ms. Aguiar said.