Battle Brewing In Blue Point Over Plan To Turn Convent Into Drug Rehab Facility
SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A plan to turn a convent into a drug rehabilitation center is facing opposition on Long Island.
Now, the buyer of the convent is floating another idea, but it's also causing controversy.
The Seafield drug treatment center in the heart of Westhampton Beach has earned good neighbor citations from residents and was allowed to expand in the village. But as CBS2's Jennifer McLogan reported, it didn't start out that way.
"We had to fight this battle 33 years ago when we wanted to open up in Westhampton Beach," Chief Operating Officer John Haley said.
Now, Haley is mired in another battle – this one 25 miles away in Blue Point, where Seafield is buying the historic St. Ursula Convent for $5 million. The initial plan was to open a 76-bed rehab facility for women.
"The community realizes what is happening in Suffolk. We understand the drug epidemic, and we want to partner with them. It just comes down to land use and zoning," Brookhaven Town Councilman Neil Foley said.
The thought of a drug rehab center in residential Blue Point has been met with considerable pushback.
Local officials claim it's too near schools and zoning won't allow it. They're pushing to have the local library move in.
But under the Fair Housing Act, Seafield says anti-discrimination laws are on its side. If a rehab center for women is nixed, they will instead open a not-for-profit sober house for men.
The Blue Point Civic Coalition is not in favor.
"Basically the way we are taking this is a not-so-veiled threat to try to intimidate the community into changing its position and accepting the first proposal," said coalition member Jason Borowski.
The battle is a painful one for the St. Ursuline nuns whose numbers are dwindling and were forced to sell their magnificent mother home, equipped with nursing facilities.
Seafield is hopeful a resolution can be worked out with the Blue Point community.
"This is the kind of nimbyism and 'not in my backyard' mindset that is keeping people away from treatment that they need and the opportunities to recover," Haley said.
While Seafield supporters ask for more compassion and understanding, opponents plan to take their fight to the courts, if necessary, to block a rehab center or sober home from the location.
A feasibility study is underway to determine if moving the local library to the convent site is workable.