This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Politics & Government

Village Presents Plans for Parrish Building

A town hall-style meeting is set for Aug. 30 to share findings of a "visioning process" for the future use of the museum building.

The public is invited to the next Tuesday to learn what community members said they want to see happen with the building on Jobs Lane when the Parrish moves to a new building in Water Mill next year.

Mayor Mark Epley, the and Webb Management Consultants will present the results of a “visioning process,” which included a community survey that sought feedback on what residents and others wanted to see happen at the building. The process also included one-on-one interviews, focus groups and conversations with leaders from other cultural institutions, according to a statement issued to the press last week.

The leaders of the town hall-style meeting will also discuss the plans for the future use of the building — a new tenant called The Southampton Center of the Arts — and the planned Southampton Village Arts District, including the , Southampton Cultural Center and other landmarks. After the presentation, the floor will open for a Q&A.

Find out what's happening in Southamptonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Southampton has the rare opportunity to restore and re-invent this historic property by creating a dynamic multi-disciplinary arts facility in the center of the village," Epley said in the statement announcing the town hall meeting.  "We view this as a vital, hundred-year decision and are committed to cultural use for this important village-owned landmark and its surrounding grounds. We are engaging the public and incorporating that feedback into the ongoing planning process to ensure that the outcome will serve all facets of our diverse community and firmly positions culture as the engine of economic growth in this village."

The Parrish is a draw for visitors and residents alike to downtown Southampton, and village officials fear its absence will be a detriment to the businesses that rely on the foot traffic the attraction creates. The hope is that the next tenant of the building will bring in just as many tourists to the business district as the Parrish has, if not more.

Find out what's happening in Southamptonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Promoters promised the Southampton Center of the Arts will bring “the best of local, New York City and international visual and performing arts as well as unique educational programming to the center of Southampton Village.”

The town hall meeting is Aug. 30 at 5 p.m. at the Southampton Cultural Center on Pond Lane.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?