For many in Smithtown we've heard from, the abandoned lumber yard at 102 West Main Street could be the poster child for blight in the community.
The former Nassau Suffolk Lumber and Supply Corp., located almost directly across the street from Town Hall, grows more ramshackle by the day, weathered by the elements, overgrowth and vandals.
The large windows that overlook Main Street are largely stained, dirty or dotted with graffiti, with one large window long broken and covered with plywood. The old sign hangs in disrepair, exposing the bulbs and wires to the street.
In the back of the shop, which is sealed off with a metal fence topped with rusty barbed wire, the asphalt in the large lot is cracked and in the back of the storefront is actually falling down in places.
Even the inside of the storefront is being reclaimed, as vines and shrubs are growing inside.
The long debated property was last in the spotlight in 2009, when the town lowered the taxes $7,000 to benefit owners North Fork Management. According to LoopNet, the assed value of the land is $26,440.
But the owners had already begun demolition of the property when a stop-work order was issued in February 2009. That's because the owner demolished more buildings than he was permitted to. It was a boondoggle that 2009 Democratic candidate for supervisor Pat Biancaniello tried to use to rally voters against incumbent supervisor Pat Vecchio, according to Newsday archives.
It failed, and the lot continues to rot.
What would you like to see done here?
Missed an earlier installment? Visit our Emtpy in Smithtown topic page and .
