Priority for Cyril’s

Other than for fans of the banana Bailey’s colada, a “for sale” sign on the former Cyril’s Fish House on the Napeague stretch of Montauk Highway is welcome. The eponymous owner of the bar and restaurant decided this spring to not open after losing a case in East Hampton Town Justice Court that involved a raft of building code violations. Now, the property’s owners, who were not involved in the day-to-day operations there, have put it on the market.

For all we know, East Hampton officials may already be contemplating buying the property using money from the community preservation fund. Even if that is not the case, they should take a close look. Among the town’s concerns about the operation was that its septic flow could harm groundwater and reach Napeague Harbor. Buying the property would be a great opportunity to restore the low-lying land before a new owner or commercial tenant comes along and public acquisition becomes much less likely.

Given that the property is separated only by the Long Island Rail Road tracks from Hither Hills State Park and the Walking Dunes, returning it to a natural state would be ideal. And, the bumper-to-bumper tie-ups that Cyril’s generated in its heyday would be forever gone. Given past history, it is conceivable that a future town planning board might allow the place to revert to what it was like at its worst. Eliminating that possibility should be a priority. Knocking the joint down and planting it with native vegetation would be preservation money well spent.