Volume 4, Issue 1
The Trail Mix is the monthly newsletter of The Friends of the Greenway. We established this bulletin to keep the Friends and users of the Greenway current on some of the “goings- on” regarding our Trail and to dispense a mix of bits and bytes of flavorful information. Hopefully, The Trail Mix will help to enlighten, inform, and entertain our readers. The Friends of the our parent organization – The Three Village Community Trust. The Trust was established more than twenty years ago to “Protect the Places You Love.” Support the Greenway today by joining the Trust today!
Our Annual Membership Drive is Now in Progress! Join Today. See Below.
An End to an Era ,And A New Beginning
Yes! It is finally happening! The derelict buildings at the abandoned Lawrence Aviation site are being removed! If you remember, it was one year ago that government officials, business leaders, civic groups and the Trust’s Friends of the Greenway gathered at the site to listen to Senator Chuck Schumer’s announcement that he had secured $450,000 in Federal funds to help in the tearing down of the decaying structures. It is hoped that the area will transition to several different uses: a new train station and railyard, a solar farm, and open space.
Senator Schumer (center) with Friends of the Greenway, the Trust Board, and community members at the Lawrence Aviation site in January 2023.
In past issues of your beloved Trail Mix, we have often written about the Lawrence Aviation site’s interesting history. In the 1940’s and 50’s the area, a sprawling 156 acres, was used in a variety of ways – farmland, a turkey farm (yes, a turkey farm), then a sand mine and an asphalt plant. In the late 1950’s, the opening of Lawrence Aviation coincided with the growth of Long Island’s defense industry.
Lawrence Aviation was a leader in producing metal components for many of the aeronautics industries during the Cold War. The company specialized in the manufacturing of super-light, and ultra-strong titanium products -requiring the use of caustic compounds, and chemicals in the process.
There is a lot of work going on at the site.
The corporation benefitted from a lack of any real government regulation or supervision. Between 1959-1990 Lawrence Aviation dumped, stored, buried and hid its industrial waste on the site – avoiding any expensive processing associated with the proper disposal of toxic materials. Secretly, Lawrence Aviation was the home for thousands of barrels leaking chemicals, large toxic lagoons, decaying tanks, unlined cesspools, and chemically soaked soil.
More work! Photo by Charlie McAteer
There are about 16 building coming down at the site.
When the Cold War began to wind down, profits at Lawrence Aviation flagged, and the company ceased operations. The company essentially walked away from the site, leaving any cleanup and remediation to you- the taxpayer.
Designated as a Superfund site, the federal government has spent over $50,000,000 cleaning up the area. There will be more remediation needed once the buildings are down. We are watching a sorry chapter of corporate greed, irresponsibility, and government mismanagement in our own backyard coming to a close.
Our Annual Gala
The Three Village Community Trust, along with the Friends of the Greenway, hosted its 19th Annual Fall Gala this past November at the Old Field Club. The Gala always brings together many of the area’s most prominent leaders from government, business, cultural organizations, educational institutions, and civic groups.
As you may know, the Gala is the Trust’s most important source of funding to “Protect the Places You Love.” As an all-volunteer, not for profit we depend on the Gala to support our projects throughout the upcoming year. Every Trust site benefits by this event including the Setauket to Port Jefferson Station Greenway. House.
The Trust’s Board and Advisors at the Gala
If you weren’t at the Gala: Katya Gimro, the very talented documentary cinematographer and director, sent a video of the Trust’s Fall Gala. It is something special, it is worth watching, and it will make you smile!
Here is the link: https://vimeo.com/886600457/7bcaea4744?share=copy
You can download the video here https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/zg6jg8zoiqv3w4a2d6x3k/Three-Village-Community-Trust.mov?rlkey=5mljdh425pgb4dzjzofd8rp5w&dl=0
Watch it conveniently here https://vimeo.com/886600457/7bcaea4744?share=copy
And – Here are our Sponsors for the Gala!
Please use the services of our business partners! They are Great!
Yes – that handsome man in the red vest at the Gala is our Chairman of the Friends of the Greenway – Charlie McAteer. Charlie is our Greenway Champion year after year!
Suffolk County Executive elect Ed Romaine with Town Councilman Jonathan Kornreich.
The Three Village Community Trust’s 2024 Membership Drive is Now in Progress
The Trust now enters its twenty-first year of “Protecting the Places You Love!” The success of the Trust, and the Friends of the Greenway, over the past decades has only been possible because of people like YOU! At this time, we hope you will continue your support us by renewing your membership, and if you are not a member – please join us!
The Smith/deZafra House in Setauket. Brookhaven’s first Town Hall.
Our all-volunteer organization relies heavily on memberships for the funding needed to protect our “museum collection” of historical homes and improve sites like the 3.2 mile Setauket to Port Jefferson Greenway and Patriots Rock Historic Site. In 2023, your membership fees enabled us to complete a major restoration of the grounds at the Smith/deZafra House in Setauket – Brookhaven’s first Town Hall!
Zelle users can go to tvcommtrust@optonline.net to make their membership payment.
Councilman Jonathan Kornreich is seen in the photo assisting a cleanup
Our Special Friends
Keep in mind, these special friends of the Greenway who support our efforts throughout the year! Please consider giving them your business, and mention you saw them in The Trail Mix.
Shown above is Dave Prestia, owner/operator, of Bagel Express
Bagel Express at 15-5 Bennetts Road in Setauket. Owned and operated by David Prestia, Bagel Express generously donates the catering of our Trail Steward breakfasts. Delicious bagels, hot, steaming coffee – sooo good! For the third year in a row, The Trail Mix has voted Bagel Express #1 for breakfast and lunch, and all of your catering needs. Call 631-675-2770 or check website at Bagel Express – New York | View our menu, reviews & Order food online (bagelexpressli.com)
A Big Friend of the Trust is Swan Cove Landscaping. Swan Cove does a whole line of services – lawn maintenance, pruning, stone walls, firewood. Dave Fortuna, owner/operator, donates many, many of his services to the Trust. The result – our properties always look great! Thank you, Dave! Call 631-689-8089.
Emerald Magic Lawn Care’s horticultural consultant, Craig den Hartog has been providing flower bulbs for the Greenway over many years at “no cost.” We planted a big bulk of these bulbs at the kiosk on Gnarled Hollow Road, Setauket. Craig generosity is part of his beautification effort known as Old Town Blooms. And, Craig was a driving force behind the recent Great Daffodil Dash benefiting the Port Jefferson Station-Terryville community! Why not support Emerald Magic who supports us! Call 631-286-4600, 631-804-9205.
For your yard’s beautification look to Setauket Landscape and Design. Steve Antos can help you plan and design the unique surroundings to make your property the envy of your neighborhood. His company has helped us with many large and small projects on the Trust’s historic properties. Call 631-882-7190.
And lots of thanks to Bove Industries and Skyline Industries for their generous support of the Trust’s projects – they have been instrumental in our grounds restorations at the Smith/deZafra House! Bove Industries and Skyline Industries are leaders in producing materials for roads and construction products.
Randall Brothers Tree Service is always a big help and big hearted in helping the Trust! Call 631-862-9291. Marty is the Man!
Jos. M. Troffa Materials Corporation at 70 Comsewogue Road in Setauket is a very special friend. The company has every conceivable item to beautify your yard. Mulch – they got it. Grass seed – yes! Soil, gravel, shovel, – everything. Forget the big box stores – You gotta go to Troffa!
Editor in Chief – Herb Mones
