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Image provided by: Freeport Memorial Library
' ' 1 . . -K, , ^ \ g^GUrQBSSSGSISWUI' iU9!Mli!l7WElSim3 www.freeportbaldwinleader.com i -V Freeport .. i ' : V: .. •* to.'.. .-V., ■ THE LEADER ■■■ ' *' ••■ - t M . , ■ ~ ■ ■■ % - . - > . . ■ . . , ,■ ' ' - A - s ■ -r=j >1 80th Year, No. 36 Freeport, N.Y. 11520 A Herald Community Newspaper Thursday, October 1, 2015 75<: Marker honors Froepon Point Shipyard r By LAURA SCHOFER lschofef@)iherald.com . It takes a family to build a village. On Saturday, Sept. 26, the Freeport Landmarks Commission unveiled its newest marker to commemorate the Freeport Point Shipyard, founded by the Scopinich brothers - Fred and Mirito - in 1922. The Freeport Point Shipyard, now an empty lot located next to Tropix on the Nau tical Mile, was once a bustling business that employed 80 men. They built fishermen’s Garveys, Coast Guard boats and rum-run ners during Prohibition and military boats during World War II. The business remained in Freeport until 1956 when Fred’s sons Fred and Mario moved the business to East Quogue. “We are here today to acknowledge the contributions made by the Scopinich fam ily,” Fr. Douglas Arcoleo, pastor of Our Holy Redeemer Church, said in the opening remarks. “They built more than boats; they helped turn a village into a family.” The Scopinich boys, 87-year-old Fred and his brother, 84-year-old Mario Scopinich, attended the ceremony. “I was bom in Freeport in 1927, and graduated from the schools,” Fred said. “I couldn’t wait until I got out of school to come down and work on the boats.” Brother Mario, known as “Toots” be cause of his love for Tootsie Rolls, also recalled Freeport fondly. “They were very good days,” he said. A1 Grover prepared a statement about the Scopinich family’s contributions to Free port that was read by Fr. Arcoleo. “Between 1922 and 1931 they built many mm mnning boats. At the same time they received many contracts for Coast Guard boats. Both the mm-mnners and the Coast Guard each opt ing for faster boats,” he said. The crowd of by-standers laughed but Fred Scopinich explained that “we had to make the Coast Guard boats to specifica tions, not so with the mm-mnners,” he said. “During World War II the Scopinichs built many government boats for which they received three Army Navy E aw^ds. This award was for excellence in completing quality crafts way ahead of schedule,” ac cording to Grover. “They built approximate ly 25 46-foot Buoy boats used in clearing channels; 30 45-foot air-sea rescue boats; 30 45-foot Picket boats used as landing craft and eight 72-foot boats sent to England on a lend-lease.” Grover also said that after the war “they rreepoTT Memorial Library MARIO AND FRED SCOPINICH unveil a marker that honors the Freeport Point Shipyard, founded by their family. built many commercial fishing boats and custom sport fishing boats.” Jerry Bracco, owner of Bracco’s Fish Market and Restaurant on the Nautical Mile, called out “and they built my father’s fishing boat!” “ Cynthia Krieg, president of the Freeport Historical Society and the village historian, thanked the Village of Freeport and the Pub lic Works Department and the Community Laura Schofer/Herald Development Agency for its support as well as the Freeport Historical Society and the Freeport Memorial Library for, its research efforts. Patrina Reda, president of the Land marks Commission, thanked everyone for attending. The Landmarks Commission will be unveiling seven more historical markers around the village in the next few months. FHA considers a new Moxey Rigby Christina Daly/Herald MOXEY RIGBY could be replaced vyith a new 100-unit, low income housing project. i F reeport’s AP Scholars ; Gallery show i Page 2 j Page 4 Fundraiser for Freeporter Election Coverage Erica Cesarano Page 8 i 1 Page 3 1 By Laura Schofer Ischofer @ Iiherald.com A new Moxey Rigby may be on the horizon. The Freeport Housing Authority has issued a Request for Qualifications seeking a joint ven ture with a real estate firm to develop and con struct 100 units of public housing. This project is for families and will replace Moxey Rigby located on Buffalo Avenue and Merrick Road in Free port. “There have been flood ing issues at Moxey Rigby for years,” John Hrvatin executive director of the\ Freeport Housing Author- took the initiative to contact New York State to see if they would be willing to help us with a new building. And they are willing to help fund it.” Where will the development take place? “We don’t know yet, but HUD will require that it be in a central location, near schools, transportation and shopping,” he said. “It will not be in a contaminated location; it will not be in the Industrial Park.” To date, there have been two meetings with residents at Moxey Rigby to let residents know about the project. There will be no evic- See FHA, page 2 ity said. “FEMA gave us O i l 92ZS-02SM . AN i y O d 3 3 y j $6 million to mitigate and ^ # Q y >| 0 |y y 3 [^ a te-sloiy walk-up. I 6Z0O.J.O1 ib-avO m a ii
