Riverhead holds ribbon cutting for new Town Hall

Riverhead Town officials unveiled the new Town Hall on West Second Street Wednesday morning, accompanied by nearly 200 community members and local officials.

“Today’s dedication will also commence the process of converting the former town hall into a justice facility adjacent to our police headquarters,” Town Supervisor Yvette Aguiar said.

The old Town Hall on Howell Avenue will become the new town Justice Court, dedicated to the late Town Justice Allen Smith in a ceremony on Oct. 24 at 1 p.m., Ms. Aguiar said.

Riverhead Town closed the purchase on the former Peconic Bay Medical Center administration building in January. The $20 million purchase includes the bank branch building — currently occupied by M&T Bank — on the corner of Roanoke Avenue and West Second Street. It also includes a currently vacant two-story building located on the corner of Second Street and Griffing Avenue and a sizable parking lot with access from Railroad Avenue and Roanoke Avenue.

“This location and its proximity to due downtown is a synergy to a perfect revitalization effort,” Ms. Aguiar said. “Located 500 walking steps from our downtown main street, Town Hall is now the perfect complement to the ongoing downtown revitalization efforts underway.”

Ms. Aguiar, the Town Board and all who made the move to the new town hall possible, were congratulated by notable local former and current government officials which included Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine, Southold Town Board Member Jill Doherty, Suffolk County Legislator Al Krupski and more.

“Riverhead is on the move,” Mr. Romaine said. “It is the official county seat of Suffolk County.”

Ms. Aguiar listed some of the amenities in the new building.

“Our new Town Hall is located at this beautiful four-level glass and brick building containing approximately 42,000 square feet of floor to ceiling windows, flooding the interior with natural light, while affording panoramic vistas of our downtown along with a state-of-the-art boardroom, and state-of the-art great conference room,” Ms. Aguiar said.

Mr. Krupski said the town is taking advantage of a wonderful opportunity in using the building.

“It’s better for the employees because they got to have a great space to work in. It’s much better for the public, because I think the public access should be improved by having this wonderful building,” he said.

PBMC chairperson Emilie Roy Corey and former PBMC President and CEO Andrew Mitchell were present at the ceremony as well. Ms. Corey snipped the ceremonial ribbon with Ms. Aguiar.

After the ribbon cutting, all attendees were invited to take a tour of the building.

Aside from the Town Board room, offices on the first floor include town code enforcement, town assessor, town clerk and tax receiver.

The second floor of the new building houses the building department, planning department, purchasing, human resources and community development.

Located on the third floor is the town supervisor’s office, town board offices, executive conference room, town attorney’s office, the accounting office, and Information technology office.

The lower level is comprised of a café marketplace and prep kitchen, freight entrance, storage and town historian’s office.

Riverhead Ciderhouse, Café Victoria and Suffolk County and others donated refreshments and plantings for the celebratory day.

Ms. Aguiar thanked numerous town official for coordinating the transition including Office Assistant Natalie Prevette, Purchasing Agent Teresa Baldinucci, Network and Systems Administrator Chip Kreymborg, and Town Board Member Bob Kern.

“Any published author will convey, some chapters are more difficult to write than others,” Ms. Aguiar said. “Today’s chapter, the new Town Hall chapter, is a result of many rough drafts, many revisions and tireless final edits by countless individuals spanning over two decades.”

See more photos below:

Photos by Melissa Azofeifa