Does Smithtown Main Street Need a Facelift?

Some residents might be in love with the mix of local history and modern storefronts on Smithtown Main Street, others are calling for a facelift. 

Councilman Bob Creighton, a challenger for Smithtown's Supervisor seat this November, is calling for a temporary suspension of the town's fees for downtown businesses and storeowners willing to renovate their facade. 

He has asked the town board at Tuesday's work session to consider whether it would waive the $250 initial fee, plus 15 cents per square foot, for a six-month period in hopes of encouraging businesses to spruce up. 

"It will have a small impact but I think it would have a positive impact," Creighton said in an earlier interview with Patch. 

Town of Smithtown received approximately $46,000 in fees from businesses or landlords looking to improve the facade in 2012. 

Supervisor Patrick Vecchio and other town board members said they were willing to give the stimulus a chance and reconsider its current fee, but were unsure if the waiving fees would make a difference to business owners. 

"Nearly 90 percent of the buildings on [Smithtown] Main Street are owned by people who don't live in town. Most of those buildings exact higher price for square foot in recent," Vecchio said. 

Tell us, would you like to see Smithtown Main Street stores given a facelift? 
Tell us in the comments below.