Sayville Turns the Page on Library Sale

The downward turn in the real estate market has not been good news for many people. But for a small group looking for a new house of worship, falling real estate prices have been a god-send.

After selling their Bellport property several years ago, The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Bellport were a congregation without a home. So when they began using the Sayville Congregational United Church of Christ on Middle Road, Unitarian President David Jarmula couldn’t help but notice the “For Sale” signs across the street, on the property that once was home to the Sayville Public Library.

Falling Real Estate Opens Door

“When I first saw it, the asking price was $2.4 million, so we didn’t even consider it,” Jarmula said. So the group “remained homeless for three years” he said. And then recently, after an exhaustive search that resulted in several possibilities but nothing more, they revisited the library site and found that their fortunes had turned.

“It was a million dollars less,” Jarmula said. “A few hours before that, after driving around and not finding anything, I was completely crushed. And then I learned the price [on the library property] had dropped that much.”

“We had several serious inquiries,” said John Belmonte, Sayville’s assistant superintendent of business. “The property was on the market for two-plus years. Originally, it was listed much higher, but that was before the market crashed.”

At first, the property was being sold exclusively by one realtor. But the district changed to “an open commission,” Belmonte said, “to pool the expertise of several real estate agencies.”

Enter James Clifton, from Prudential Douglas Elliman. He sold the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship’s Bellport property and after unsuccessfully trying to find them a new location, connected the group with the school district.

“Working with the school district has made things smooth,” Clifton said. “They have good relationships with the Town of Islip, and that’s important given zoning and usage issues.”

A Gathering Place for the Community

The congregation is not large. Jarmula estimates that at its peak, they had about 60 members, and have about 35 now. “We were a group without a home, trying to hold ourselves together,” Jarmula said. “We weren’t fulfilling our mission. We weren’t running programs and we couldn’t reach out into the community.”

Jarmula’s vision for the new space includes utilizing the main space as a multi-purpose room, complete with new, hardwood floors and an upgraded sound system. “Some said it’s too big, but we’re looking at this building and seeing all the abundance that it offers,” he said.

Residents can expect tai chi, yoga, Pilates and meditation classes, along with dance and music events. The group currently offers one service per week, on Sundays at 11 am.

“After that, we have what we refer to as ‘coffee hour.’ There’s two things that Unitarians are known for: strong coffee and good conversation,” Jarmula said.

For West Sayville resident Bryan Drumm, a three-year member of the group, the new location is ideal.

“I’ve been rooting for this location for a while,” he said. “It really fits our needs.” Added Oakdale resident Kara Straley, “To have a home, to be able to do the things you want to do, is a real good feeling.”

There’s no time frame for when doors will reopen, as there’s much work that needs to be done, both in terms of the facility as well as the sale itself. But when they do, Jarmula promises an open-door policy.

“This is having a place that we’re willing to share with all groups,” he said. “We want to have the doors open, make it a community resource where everyone is welcome.”