Hayground's New IASC Building Featured in Sag Harbor Express Newsletter

By Kathryn G. Menu, from Aug 14, 2026

“As August reaches its peak, the conversation around Sag Harbor inevitably turns to the seasonal squeeze on our village streets — from finding a spot to park downtown to navigating summer traffic patterns.

Our reporting this week opens at Tuesday’s Village Board meeting, where parking once again dominated public comment following the abrupt 11-day closure of the Bridge Street lot late last month. Chamber of Commerce leaders and local business owners shared the real-world fallout of losing 93 key parking spaces designated for downtown workers and visitors. While the lot has since reopened, Mayor Tom Gardella and village officials are heading into crucial lease renewal talks with property owner Adam Potter ahead of next spring. Beyond parking, the board is taking a proactive stance on long-term village infrastructure — positioning Sag Harbor to apply for county grant funding to upgrade its 50-year-old sewer system — while extending popular traffic-calming pilot programs designed to curb cut-through traffic in residential neighborhoods.

Further into downtown, long-awaited updates are unfolding across our business district. New owners John and Kelly Piccinnini are putting the final touches on The Corner — formerly the iconic Corner Bar — following a successful soft-opening run with friends and family. While eager diners await the official grand opening, the refreshed space promises to preserve the warm, neighborhood feel that made the establishment a local landmark for decades.

Just beyond the village in Bridgehampton, exciting progress is underway at Hayground School, where construction on the new Integrated Arts and Sciences Center has passed the halfway mark. Dedicated as the Jon Snow Art Studio in honor of the school’s visionary co-founder, the environmentally cutting-edge facility features mass-timber construction, geothermal climate control, and rooftop solar power. Designed to unite hands-on scientific inquiry with creative studio work, the new space stands as a vibrant testament to Hayground’s enduring commitment to community-centered education.

Whether you are tracking local government decisions, keeping up with downtown traditions, or following the growth of our area schools, thank you for relying on us to keep you connected to the pulse of Sag Harbor. You can find these full stories inside this week’s print edition and updated daily at 27east.com.”