Greenport Business Owner Wants to Fly Helicopter To Work, Build Helipad on Property: Mayor

NORTH FORK, NY-A Greenport business owner has approached Mayor George Hubbard to discuss plans to build a helipad on his property.

According to the Greenport Village Mayor George Hubbard, he and Village Administrator Paul Pallas met with Walter Gezari, owner of STIDD Systems, Inc, on Carpenter Street.

“He has big plans for his property,” Hubbard said, including taking out the old Cooper’s Fish Processing Co. building and building a new warehouse, as well as repairing the bulkhead.

Plans for expansion, Hubbard said, include the creation of 10 new jobs, in addition to the 12 that STIDD currently provides, for a total of 22 jobs in the village.

But before he moves forward, Hubbard said Gezari has asked the village board if they’d green light a plan to build a helipad on the parcel so he can fly his helicopter to and from work. The helipad would be located on his property, Hubbard said.

When reached by phone Friday, Gezari said, the mayor must have misunderstood initially — he does not, nor does he plan to, fly to or from his Calverton home.

“I do not fly from my home in Calverton. I take off and land at an airport in Suffolk County, a FAA designated airport. I have no intention of flying from my home in Calverton anywhere.”

In fact, Gezari said he has signed agreements that he will not, ever, fly from his personal home.

“The helipad is to be used for the company helicopter,” Gezari said. “It’s used for daily missions, to pick up clients, materials, and the furtherance of the business. It’s made an enormous difference in our growth, and it’s the reason why we can now expand, fix the bulkhead and hire more people.”

The helicopter, he said, “is a force multiplier. It’s been a game changer. That’s why we are doing this. We need a place to land the helicopter, otherwise we will look for another place.”

The mayor wants to emphasize the helipad will be only for Gezari’s personal use, with zoning restrictions that will be written in to the site plan.

”It’s not like we’re opening an airport in Greenport. It’s for his use only,” he said.

The mayor said Gezari reached out with an eye toward remaining in Greenport.

If he does not get the okay, Hubbard said Gezari told him he would like to buy the Mattituck airport, which is for sale, so he can commute. The STIDD business would then be moved out of Greenport to Mattituck, Hubbard said.

On Friday morning, Cindy Wickham, wife of Jay Wickham, told Patch that the Mattituck airport property has not been listed yet by her family. “People are talking about it because eventually we are going to sell it; we just haven’t done it yet.” The airport was created from a potato field by Jay Wickham’s father Parker Wickham, who died in 2011. “He could definitely get in touch with my husband,” she said.

Hubbard said in order for the plan to proceed, Gezari would need to receive New York State and Federal Aviation Administration approval, and go before the Greenport planning and zoning boards.

Gezari, Hubbard said, has both a plane and a helicopter and he flies both himself.

Gezari has said he will fly over water before landing in Greenport, he said.

The plan would mean Gezari would spend approximately $20 million for the expansion, afford 12 new high-paying jobs, in addition to the 10 that exist, with a 401K plan and benefits.

Greenport Village Trustee Mary Bess Phillips asked if Gezari had a site plan.

Hubbard said preliminary plans had been sketched out.

Trustee Doug Roberts raised some concerns about damage and other liability issues.

Hubbard said there’s nothing in the village code that forbids helicopters.

The mayor said nothing was being decided Thursday night; he said he’d contact Gezari again by the end of the month for further discussion.

Hubbard said he’s considered the jobs the idea would create. “At first I was skeptical but in reality, it would be really good. It would cleanup the waterfront and keep it a working waterfront, and create good-paying jobs.”

The mayor added that the dire need for jobs is a key concern, and the proposal could help to keep the economy vibrant and provide work for locals.

Resident Bill Swiskey raised some concerns about helicopter noise and vibrations . “I don’t mind helicopters but I think before you vote you should send a note to everyone who lives on Bay or Central Avenues so they can come ito a meeting. Heliopters can raise a hell of a racket.”

Mattituck resident Teresa McCaskie, who’s been a longtime advocate rallying against helicopter noise on the North Fork and East End, blasted the idea.

“Under no circumstances should the Greenport mayor or the board consider putting in a heliport in the downtown Greenport area. If the heliport would be available 24/7, it would be an access point not only to the North Fork but for Shelter Island and the Hamptons. Due to the limitation and restrictions currently on East Hampton, business owners are looking at creative ways to provide aircraft service to the East End at the cost of local residents and their quality of life. If a heliport is open 24/7 there will be no rest. If residents want to keep Greenport the way it is they’d better be ready to fight to protect it.”

Hubbard said that residents have no need to worry; the helipad would be only for Gezari’s use only, and for his own business, on his own property. Restrictions would strictly preclude him from ever expanding that use, he said.

Patch file photo.