Wednesday, February 12, 2025
A gathering at the East Woods School library was a tumultuous scene on Wednesday night, as a Village of Oyster Bay Cove board meeting devolved into a shouting match. Roughly 20 residents argued passionately against the recent purchase of property at 57 Sandy Hill Road by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, asserting that it will negatively impact quality of life in the village and reduce property values — and that the board went behind residents’ backs to get the deal done.
The proposal by the laboratory to convert the 11-acre property into housing for postdoctoral researchers has sparked fierce opposition from residents of this quiet village. While board members, some residents and laboratory representatives praise the plan as a potential boon for the community and the renowned research institution, critics, led by the nonprofit Save Oyster Bay Cove, argue that the project could damage the village’s character and environment.
At the meeting, residents voiced a wide range of arguments, from concerns about increased traffic and the risks of drunken driving to the loss of tax revenue, since the lab is a nonprofit and will make payments in lieu of taxes instead of regular property taxes.
Residents also claimed they were worried about having to deal with a large institution with dozens of people as their next-door neighbors.
“I won’t be able to back right into the preserve,” said resident Helen LaRocca. “I won’t be able to get on my horse like I have for the last 30 years and ride down Sandy Hill anymore.”
The property, formerly home to Harmony Heights, a school for adolescent girls with mental and emotional health needs, has been largely vacant since the institution closed in 2023. The laboratory purchased the property in January 2024, with plans to convert into living quarters for 28 postdoctoral researchers.
In an interview before the meeting, Lisa Cruz, vice president of communications for the lab, emphasized that the intended use aligns with the property’s historic function.
“Our plan is to use the property essentially as a residence, similar to how it was previously utilized,” Cruz said. “We are updating and renovating the existing structures to provide bedrooms with en suite bathrooms, shared living spaces and a communal kitchen. There are no significant structural changes planned, only necessary updates to bring the property up to code.”
Despite the lab’s assurances, residents have complained about the impact on local traffic and the environment, and what they view as an erosion of the village’s tranquility. Evelyn Ain, president of Save Oyster Bay Cove, said that the organization was formed in response to what she calls a failure to notify residents by village officials.
“Instead of the village being transparent, they went ahead and they changed the village codes to specifically meet the lab’s needs,” Ain previously told the Herald. “We only learned about it when it was too late to voice meaningful opposition. The increased traffic, potential environmental harm and the impact on property values are significant concerns that are being dismissed.”
Oyster Bay Cove Mayor Charles Goulding refuted claims that the village acted in secrecy. In a previous interview, he explained that the village had hosted a number of meetings, and informed the public about the initial discussions the same way it does for all of its regular business.
“We held two open board meetings and a public hearing on this matter,” Goulding said. “I also sent a letter to every resident explaining the lab’s plans, and I didn’t receive any negative feedback at the time. It wasn’t until much later that the opposition surfaced.”
Goulding defended the project, highlighting the environmental and impact studies conducted by the lab, which concluded that the impact would be minimal. He also noted the potential benefits for the local economy of the hamlet of Oyster Bay and neighboring communities.
“The lab has done a traffic study, and the impacts are minimal,” Goulding said. “These fellows will be shuttled to and from the lab, and they’ll be working long hours. They’re not families with children, so there’s no strain on the school district.”
The property is in a historic preservation district, and the lab has committed to preserving the existing structures without making perimeter changes. Even so, opponents argue that the project is inconsistent with the village’s zoning laws and character.
Save Oyster Bay Cove has taken its campaign public, organizing a news conference on Monday, running ads on Channel 12, and launching a website featuring digitally altered images of skyscrapers on the property — a depiction Goulding called “distortive.”
“From the beginning, this has been a fear-mongering campaign,” he said. “There are no skyscrapers, no major construction. The buildings will remain as they are.”
Responding to community concerns, Cruz said the lab had scaled back some aspects of its plans. Originally the lab planned to house up to 30 researchers there, but that number is now 28, and it is open to working with residents on a more equitable solution.
“We have listened to the feedback and reduced the scope of our proposal,” Cruz said. “Our goal is to be good neighbors and address legitimate concerns.”
The property’s former school housed a comparable number of students, leading supporters of the project to argue that the lab’s proposal is not a significant departure from past practices. But Ain and her group remain unconvinced, insisting that the village is at risk of becoming overdeveloped.
“This will change the whole integrity of the Village of Oyster Bay Cove,” Ain said. “This project sets a dangerous precedent. If the village bends the rules for one powerful entity, what’s stopping others from coming in and doing the same?”
The project has been met with mixed reactions in the broader community. Goulding said he had received numerous emails supporting the lab, and that many residents praise its mission and the prospect of bringing bright young scientists into the area. But Ain said that Save Oyster Bay Cove was considering legal action to halt the project, and has hired an attorney. “We’re exploring every option available to us,” she said.
