The East Hampton Town Board voted Tuesday to end its relationship with R2 Architecture, the joint venture it had chosen in 2022 to design a new senior citizens center on Abraham’s Path in Amagansett, and said it would re-evaluate its plans for the facility.
The board will begin a renewed planning process that will explore partnerships with health care providers and nonprofits and may expand the intended users of the building beyond the senior population.
“We are focused on moving forward with the goal of getting this right,” Town Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez said in a press release announcing the decision. “We are taking this time out to reimagine the design, look again at costs, and make sure the final plan delivers value for taxpayers. Our seniors will remain at the heart of this project, but we also see an opportunity to build a center that serves the wider community: families, working residents, and future generations.”
Since its inception, the senior center, with cost estimates hovering around $30 million, has drawn debate over its price tag, location, design, and function.
The Star broke the news in early September that the two architects involved in R2 Architecture, Ronnette Riley Architect and Ross Barney Architects, had filed competing lawsuits against each other, delaying the already delayed project.
The two architects have accused each other of breach of contract and are seeking to dissolve R2 Architecture, even though, according to court documents, the venture was never properly formalized.
The press release makes clear that what was originally conceived as a senior center — called the Center for Modern Aging and Human Services — will now be fully re-envisioned as a “community space” with more varied programming.
“We could look at a model like the Montauk Playhouse Community Center,” Councilwoman Cate Rogers said in a phone call after Tuesday’s town board meeting. “We don’t have to look far for a model that houses many different services for many different people. Certainly, as the town looks to address early child care services, being able to envision something on a 14-acre property that we already own is exciting.”
The center was to be built on a seven-acre parcel the town purchased from the estate of Alexander Kabbaz. The town also purchased an adjoining 7.3-acre parcel from the same family in early 2024.
“The larger parcel opens up a whole plethora of opportunities,” said Ms. Rogers. “There are so few large municipal properties available.”
Councilman Ian Calder-Piedmonte, who was appointed to the town board in January 2024, abstained from a December 2024 vote to exempt the project from local zoning regulations. Like Councilwoman Rogers, he sees this as an opportunity for an expanded center.
“I’m looking forward to being involved on a project that was planned before my time on the board,” he said Tuesday afternoon. “I’ve heard a lot of feedback from the public and I’m looking forward to rethinking the design and taking into account the greater community. On the one hand, I think it’s important to recognize the need for a senior center, but while we’re building a community resource like this, it makes sense to have activities that are for non-seniors too, including recreation opportunities. It’s really early though to say what exactly that looks like.”
“I am firmly supportive of the needs of the town’s aging residents,” Councilman David Lys said in a text. “Since the beginning of my term in office I have been drawn to the conceptual plans of a new center and the long-term benefits that it would have for the community. Today, the town board has decided to move in a direction that I believe will continue to move towards my goals of providing excellent service and programming to our seniors and community members. While the architectural team might be changing, the need and my commitment to that goal does not.”
In an email, Councilman Tom Flight offered similar sentiments: “The town board’s decision marks a new chapter — one grounded in listening, reflection, and the determination to deliver a facility our entire community can be proud of. This pause gives us the chance to realign our goals and ensure the final plan reflects the many voices we’ve heard from residents.”
“Our aim is simple: to create a space that brings people together — a place where seniors, families, and future generations can come together and thrive,” he said. “East Hampton has always been about community, and this project will be no different.”
“East Hampton moves forward when we work together,” Ms. Burke-Gonzalez said at Tuesday’s town board meeting. “We now have the opportunity to take a step back, listen, and make sure the next phase truly reflects what our residents want and need.” The goal, she said, is “to build something that the community is proud of, that serves people well, and that stands the test of time.”
According to the press release, “Aspects of the planning and design work already completed will inform the town in the decision-making process regarding the future direction and ultimate completion of the project.”
R2 has already been paid $1.3 million for its design work. In January, the town cleared the site to make way for construction, which was to start in the spring.
Patrick Derenze, the town’s public information officer, said via text that the money covered already completed phases of work, including design services, programming, site planning, community engagement, and preliminary engineering.
“We are not considering changing the location,” he said. “We do not know what the cost would be as we do not have a design for a new building.”
Mr. Derenze did not respond to a question regarding a potential lawsuit against R2 Architecture, nor did the town supervisor after the board meeting.
Jake Turner, the town attorney, said early yesterday morning that “In the interest of protecting residents, we do not discuss legal strategy in the press.”
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Note: This story has been updated since it first appeared online.
