To Buy Bridge Winery

Southampton Town announced this week that it and Suffolk County would purchase most of the defunct Bridgehampton Winery for $1,799,580.

The deal will add just over 69 acres to the town's Long Pond Greenbelt and end plans, pursued by JOG Associates, the property's owner, to transform it into a nine-hole golf course and eight-lot residential subdivision.

"This becomes a very logical place to use as a trail head," said Councilman Patrick (Skip) Heaney, referring to a recently completed draft management plan for the greenbelt, which calls for greater public access.

Central Hub

"One recommendation which percolated out of that effort was the recognition that we needed one central point where we could have a visitors center, parking, and instruct people on the layout of the greenbelt," said Mr. Heaney.

"I support that completely," added Supervisor Vincent Cannuscio. "It's a great idea that would change the parcel from merely being a relatively inaccessible area to one that would be open and inviting."

Paul Rabinovitch of the Nature Conservancy, which acted as a negotiator on the town's behalf, said it was also interested in the possibility of using the winery building, which was not included in the sale, as an administrative office, "if it is feasible and affordable."

Joint Effort

Under the plan, Suffolk County will pay $26,700 an acre for 30.1 acres of woodland on the eastern half of the property, using funds from its quarter-cent sales tax drinking water protection program.

Southampton Town will buy 39.3 acres of meadow, overgrown farm fields and vineyards, and ponds and wetlands on the western half of the property at the same price per acre. The town will use funds from its voter-approved open-space tax and other open-space funds, including approximately $100,000 that it received from New York State as a reimbursement for prior purchases.

JOG Associates, whose principal is Joseph O'Grady, will keep about four acres, which include the winery buildings and an old farmhouse and two one-acre building lots.

Just In Case

"We have been working actively with the County Executive's office on a partnership," said Mr. Cannuscio. "We have received assurances that the funds will be available."

Mr. Heaney said he was optimistic the county would come up with its share of the money. But in case it does not, he added a clause to the Town Board resolution that guarantees the town will purchase the whole thing. "That was my hook," he said.

JOG Associates' plan for a golf course and residential development has been pending since 1994. It required a change of zone through the town's quasi-public service use zoning law, and has drawn fire from environmentalists who feared the course would destroy the habitat of the endangered tiger salamander.

Sabin's Pledge Stands

Earlier this year, a group of neighbors, banding together under the name Save Black Pond and Its Wetlands, launched an ad campaign to preserve the parcel.

Andrew Sabin of Amagansett, a precious metals trader and herpetologist, pledged $100,000 toward the purchase of the land at the group's first meeting in February.

Yesterday, Mr. Sabin, who has said he wanted to see the parcel preserved for the past nine years, stood by his offer to contribute $100,000. "If they want it, they can have it," he said of the town. "If they don't want to use it for the purchase, they can use it to maintain trails or whatever. Something can be worked out."

Preserve Expanded

While the wooded eastern portion of the property has long been a target for preservation by both the town and county - a deal to buy it in 1991 fell through - the western half has been overlooked.

"The vineyard section was basically secessionary farm fields so it was on no one's list," said Mr. Heaney. But the town's open-space advisory committee, "recognizing its connection to the greenbelt and potential for use as a trail head," agreed to recommend it.