Sip•n•Twirl Rises Again!

Coming Along, on Schedule

Beautiful Weather

Second level going up on schedule!

 

Pix: Thx 2 The Fire Island Pines Historical Preservation Society & Mike Fisher

Spring Ahead!

 Photos: FIP, April 9, 2012 

 

As you can see, we’re still working as fast as humanly possible, and coordinating our buildout work with the reconstruction of the LaFountaine Building. All three social venues we operate
– Sip·n·Twirl, Pines Bistro, and Pines Pizza –
are still on track to open and begin
serving you in June (yes, June of 2012!).

 

Our returning lineup of the Pines’ most popular DJs, including
Steven Oliveri, Twisted Dee, Chris Camuso, Susan Levine,
and, of course, the fabulous TwirLINA, can’t wait to get back behind the turntables for you – and all your favorite bartenders, servers and support staff are lined up and patiently waiting for the word “GO.”

 

Thank you, again, for all your support, and we can’t wait to begin
greeting, serving, dining and dancing, for & with you & yours. 

  

All the best,

 

PJ & all your friends at the Club, the Bistro, and Pines Pizza & Ice Cream!

~

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Leap Day Update

Foundation for the new "LaFountaine" building is complete!

Framing for its first floor decks is now in progress.

Onward! ...as fast as humanly possible.

Thx 4 your support.

PJ McAteer
· Sip·n·Twirl
· Pines Bistro
· Pines Pizza

Variances granted to permit reconstruction of the LaFountaine building!

Good news! The Brookhaven Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) granted the variances sought to permit the reconstruction of the LaFountaine building that burned in November. The BZA cited the extensive support from within the community to justify granting the variances sought. The BZA also quoted from the several letters submitted by FIPPOA in its findings and conclusions. The granting of the variances will permit the Town of Brookhaven Building Department to issue the necessary building permits. Nicole advises that construction will begin soon.

– As reported by Jay Pagano, FIPPOA President

Thank you!

PJ McAteer
· Sip·n·Twirl
· Pines Bistro
· Pines Pizza

How You Can Help the Rebuilding Effort in the Pines

On January 11, the Brookhaven Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) meets to consider the fast-track permitting that has been recommended by our elected officials, by FIPPOA, and by numerous members of our community. Permits are for the entire LaFountaine Building, home to seven businesses, all of which are important to the Pines community for the 2012 season. 

A few individuals, together with ABCO (Affiliated Brookhaven Civic Organization), oppose this accelerated permit application and are misrepresenting the nature of the proposed project to support their position. A prominent posting on ABCO’s public website claims that the project seeks an “increase to 100% lot occupancy.” In fact, the proposed structure maintains the prior structure’s footprint, floor sizes and lot coverage, and, in addition, within those constraints, plans to include updates to contemporary building structural codes, including ADA compliance. The LaFountaines are simply asking to rebuild what was lost in the fire, which was a legal commercial building, with all current Town of Brookhaven Certificates of Occupancy.

Attached is a letter that you may use to show your support for a rebuilding process that will allow the LaFountaine building, and all its tenants, to be operational for the 2012 season. Please download, complete, sign, and either scan, and email to info@sipntwirl.com, or fax to 631.293.2574.

Please direct any questions to info@sipntwirl.com.

Download BZALetterOfSupport-FINAL

Thank you!

Looking Forward to 2012

 

Your friends

at

Sip•n•Twirl

Pines Bistro

Pines Pizza 

 Wish you & yours

the best

for Health, Happiness & Peace

 in 2012

~ And Remember ~

WE WILL* PROVIDE A PLACE FOR THE PINES TO SOCIALIZE, EAT & DRINK

FOR THE 2012 SEASON

__________
*Unless prevented by permitting delays – we have the plans & resources to make it happen – info on what you can do, about the false and misleading information being published online by ABCO regarding permit requests for the LaFountaine Building, is coming – please check back very soon

~ Also ~

We believe that community involvement is invaluable.
Please take a few moments to think about the Sip·n·Twirl, Pines Bistro & Pines Pizza businesses,
review what others are saying, and provide your own suggestions, as Comments, below.

Updates: Big Picture, Insurance, Building & Permits

Hope you had a terrific Thanksgiving! Sorry about the week off – the blog may have been quiet, but we’ve been plenty busy. All of the essential information has been gathered and provided to the insurance companies, and they are moving ahead as quickly as we can drive them.

As that milestone indicates, we are working as fast as humanly possible. For the building, we have decided to proceed with Fire Island-experienced partners, and have engaged Scott Bromley, as architect, and Billy Santangelo, for design and construction. On a parallel path, we are also in discussion with restaurant, kitchen and club interior designers.

The process, of course, also involves more meetings than we care to think about, with the Town of Brookhaven, FINS*, Suffolk County Department of Health, and more. An expediter has been engaged, and pretty much everyone we work with is aware of the urgency of this project, and committed to getting things done in a timely manner. The many permits involved are in the works, and it does not look, at this point, as if they will be a significant impediment to our progress.

At this point, we are pleased (if tired) and feel confident enough to say that:

WE WILL PROVIDE A PLACE FOR THE PINES TO SOCIALIZE, EAT & DRINK,
FOR THE 2012 SEASON 

Community involvement is invaluable.
Please take a few moments to think about the Sip·n·Twirl, Pines Bistro and Pines Pizza businesses, review what others are saying, and provide your own suggestions, as Comments, below.

__________
*Fire Island National Seashore, part of the U.S. National Park Service

Updates: Thanksgiving, LaFountaine & FIPPOA

Happy Thanksgiving!

Though there's not much to show for it, just yet, if you've heard something that sounds like growling, or perhaps barking, from the general direction of Brookhaven Town offices, it may be more than the November wind playing tricks on your ears. Activity is furiously underway, on the enormous crazy quilt effort of gathering and exploring ideas, while also evaluating plans, proposals, timelines and options, not to mention chasing down permits.

As we give thanks for what we have, it's a time to, again, be grateful to those who prevented a much greater loss, the night of the 14th, than the significant one we suffered. We should also be mindful of the major work ahead, for some of us, to restore resources and services to our community.

That's about it, for now. In case you didn't see (or read) them, following are copies of a couple of recent (brief) situation updates.

– All the best, from your Sip·n·Twirl | Bistro | Pizza friends & neighbors

---------------

▪ From Nicole LaFountaine, via FaceBook (Nov 22)

Okay, so I had no idea what an ordeal building a building on Fire Island in 6 months would be and I know we are just beginning. Again, I am so grateful for everyone's support. There are so many people in my TEAM making it happen. PJ McAteer is a freakin BULLDOG!! We are working around the clock. It's gonna be a CRAZY winter!! Stay tuned...

▪ From FIPPOA, via email (Nov 22)

A Fire Investigation Team has been to the site of the fire but no final determination has been made as to the cause of the fire. The Fire Marshal said that it may be deemed "undecided" in the end. They believe that the fire started in the general area between the two buildings. FIPPOA has reached out to our elected officials to inform them of the fire and seek their assistance in rebuilding. We have received many expressions of support and concern from the Town, County and Federal levels. All have expressed an interest in being of assistance in the rebuilding of the commercial sector.

I have attended meetings with the property owners and Mark Lesko, Brookhaven Town Supervisor, and his staff, to map out this assistance. Mark Lesko could not have been more supportive. He said that the Pines is an incredibly important community in the Town of Brookhaven, and that he would do everything [in his power] to ensure that the Town doesn't delay rebuilding. He also offered that, where a permitting issue is not the responsibility of the Town, he would personally call the county executive. Tim Mazzei, our Town Councilman, also attended these meetings, and offered similar pledges of support. I also received a phone call from Steve Bellone, the newly elected Suffolk County Executive, offering his assistance.

The affected property owners are only at the preliminary stage in their rebuilding. Nikki LaFountaine asked that I relay to you that she is working around the clock to get her property rebuilt and the businesses back in operation for the summer of 2012.

Andrew, Seth and Matthew from Pines Ventures haven't yet made any decisions about rebuilding the Pavilion. They see the fire as an opportunity to re-imagine and re-develop their properties in a manner that works better and is more beautiful. They are putting together a team to develop a plan as soon as possible. The community will be given an opportunity to provide input into that plan. Finally, Mark Lesko and Tim Mazzei will come to the Pines on Friday to inspect the site.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Jay [Pagano, President, Fire Island Pines Property Owners Association (FIPPOA)]

Sip•n•Twirl Thanks You!

Your Sip•n•Twirl, Pines Bistro and Pines Pizza family & friends have been truly amazed and inspired by the outpouring of support, following last Monday’s devastating fire, from the Pines community, and from around the world. Such a truly heartwarming response strengthens our resolve to move forward aggressively, together with Nicole LaFountaine, to rebuild, and, as quickly as humanly possible, be back to serve you!

As the insurance folks finish up, we're using our collective experience to plan as efficient a project as possible, while considering any improvements that wouldn’t delay the reopening of the bar, club, restaurant, pizzeria, and other businesses that serve the Pines community from the LaFountaine building.

We have created this site to keep you updated and informed, and to ask for your comments and suggestions – rebuilding is an enormous challenge, and we value your input.

Check back here for updates – we plan to post news and/or graphics, at least weekly, and are committed to providing a place for the Pines community to eat, drink, socialize and dance, in the 2012 season.

A Few Details:

• Please join our permanent email list*, at: tinyurl.com/SipNTwirlSignup
• *New email – please add info@sipntwirl.com to your address book to ensure delivery
• "Subscribe" to this blog, about the rebuilding process, using the links on this page