On The Ropes - The Future Of Vintage Vines

Picture: 48.6 acres of land near Channing Daughters Winery may be subdivided into 37 possible building lots.

A proposed subdivision in Bridgehampton to be called “Vintage Vines,” near Channing Daughters Vineyards, has set competing interests against one another. In one corner are former Southampton Town Councilman Dennis Suskind and his partner who are looking to develop the land as a business venture. In another corner we have the environmental interests of this aquifer protection district including the endangered tiger salamander. But also tossed into the ring is the Hamptons working class which is hoping for affordable housing.

The current proposal is to subdivide the 48.6 acres into 37 possible building lots. Some advocates hope the Town of Southampton will come up with an acceptable offer to purchase the land for preservation. For locals looking for a place to live, the possibility of including affordable housing may come at the price of higher density housing, up to 57 homesteads. In the middle is the current proposal of 37 lots with 19.5 acres preserved which would include the trail system.

So who will win in this contest -- the salamander, the local plumber, or the developers who hope to create a future for themselves and their children? Indicative of the challenges on the East End, this case brings up the questions of free enterprise, preservation, and intervention to try to allow local residents in on the increasingly expensive American dream of owning a home. Stay tuned.

Our real estate columnist Heather Buchanan lives in Sag Harbor. Email her with comments and tips and see more of her writing at HamptonsHeather.com