East End Business Book: Greenport to Sag Harbor Ferry in Works

Our East End Report, a wrap-up of the week's news from Greenport to Riverhead to Montauk, recaps each Patch site's most compelling story. Below, we bring your our weekly business wrap-up, so you're in the know on which businesses are coming and going in the area. 

Let us know if you have any news tips you'd like to see reported by emailing your local Patch editor. And for the small business owners out there, one way to market your business is by 

WESTHAMPTON-HAMPTON BAYS

Open for the Season: Dockers Waterside

Larry Hoffman, owner of  in East Quogue says when his restaurant opens for it's 23rd season, customers will find some new delights on the menu. 

"We are so excited to be back," said Hoffman, who says he can't wait for customers to enjoy the restaurant's waterside views while delighting in new dishes and expanded wine list.

"We hope people will forget the economy and come and enjoy a cocktail and sunset," he said.

SOUTHAMPTON

A pedestrian ferry proposed by the  that would  — and include a shuttle route through East Hampton and Bridgehampton — got an informal vote of confidence Tuesday night from the Sag Harbor Village Board,  reports.

In a straw poll, a majority of board members, including Mayor Brian Gilbride, said they are in favor of amending village law to allow the ferry to operate from the .

NORTH FORK

While the idea of a passenger ferry connecting Sag Harbor and Greenport is  a Friday evening public hearing in Greenport brought up whether both villages could support additional parking for ferry passengers.

Jim Ryan, from Response Marine, and Geoff Lynch Hampton Jitney president, gave a brief presentation on the pilot program, which would start after Memorial Day if approved. Lynch admitted there are a “lot of unknowns” about the ferry proposal at this point and said that is why they are only sourcing the ferry through 2012 at this point. He said they need to see the viability of this plan in helping to create an East End transit system.

Lynch acknowledged that both Sag Harbor and Greenport have a lack of parking and Hampton Jitney is considering asking school districts on both forks to serve as satellite parking during July and August. The passengers would then be shuttled to the docks. At this point, Lynch said, the school districts have not been approached. 

EAST HAMPTON

East Hampton Village properties up for sale and under construction will soon have smaller signs. 

On Friday, the village board approved an amendment to the code that restricts real estate and contractor signs to 18-by-18 inches, or just after 2.25 square feet, after  and several . The former legislation limits signs to 7 square feet.

The law, which will take effect June 1, was not without its opponents, despite a unanimous board vote. 

Two groups raised safety concerns about an aspect of the amendment that will require the smaller, one-sided signs to be posted parallel to the property instead of perpendicular.

RIVERHEAD

Looking toward possibly creating a regional processing and distribution center, local farmers are considering partnering with food purveyor J. Kings Food Service Professionals, which is in contract to purchase a 108,000-square-foot building on Sound Avenue to expand its distribution services across Long Island.

In late December, news broke that the Long Island Farm Bureau - serving as lead agent in collabration with others - was . While original plans slated the facility at Enterprise Park at Calverton, John King's idea to lease some space to farmers, coupled with the extensive time and money it could take to create a brand new facility at EPCAL, has some considering the Sound Avenue space.