Cornelia Dodge

The Plaza area of downtown Montauk is the major business area in Montauk. It became Montauk's commercial center after the great hurricane of 1938. The Plaza area is divided by Montauk Highway and extends south to the Atlantic Ocean. There are wide variety of year-round commercial establishments in addition to the seasonal motels and resort units. Montauk’s Plaza business district includes banks, clothing stores, gas stations, restaurants, bars, a pharmacy, repair shops and other establishments traditionally found in business centers. The downtown area is laid out in a grid of 40 foot by 100-foot lots separated by wide public roads and alleyways.

 

The Plaza area of Montauk developed after its inception with few controls. The numerous motels along the oceanfront are greatly enhanced by their coastal location, indeed, many are built directly on the dunes, and their reason for being is proximity to the beach. While these water-enhanced uses contribute significantly to the resort economy of the Montauk, they are under immenent threat by rising waters.

 

The area radiating from the traffic circle known as ‘The Plaza’ is presided over by East Hampton’s sole [six-story] skyscraper, both artifacts of Carl Fisher’s day when Montauk was slated to become the “Miami Beach of the north”.

 

Much of the present motel and other resort construction date from the post-war boom of the 1950’s, pre-dating zoning and site plan review. As aging structures begin to require renovation, it is up to East Hampton Town and the Montauk community to shape the future Plaza area into an attractive and prosperous area, and address potential problems from parking, public transportation, traffic, erosion, rising waters, affordable housing and a highly seasonal community. Overall planning, including a preservation plan, will help devise community goals and create a planning framework for future development and redevelopment.

 

Implementation of a preservation plan should also seek to improve infrastructure such as parking, sidewalks, parks and active recreation sites, enhance visual appeal and formulate community preservation standards for the entire area. (TofEH LWRP XIV-11, 12)

 

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