Filming of Steven Spielberg movie reduces parking options in Huntington
Streets are already being blocked off ahead of the production, which starts on Tuesday.
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The arrival of a Steven Spielberg movie to Huntington has brought with it new parking restrictions for drivers. The restrictions are now in effect in Huntington Village.
"I live across the street and there's no parking. Where am I supposed to park," asked Jill Helmus, a Huntington Village resident.
Some neighbors are already finding it difficult to find a space, while others are taking it in stride.
"It's one day. That's it. It's all good," said Gerry Federici, a Huntington resident who works in the village.
Parts of nine roads will be off limits near Main Street until 6 a.m. Wednesday.
The New Street parking lot and Chase Bank parking lots are closed until Tuesday night, and Lot 22 at the LIRR station will be closed all day Tuesday.
"There's no question it will have some disruption on traffic and parking in Huntington village tomorrow, we're not naive to that. However, it's a Tuesday, we're not doing this on a Friday night, or a Saturday night" said Huntington Town Supervisor Ed Smyth.
Some businesses News 12 spoke with off camera say they aren't happy with the closures. But other owners, like Deborah Kiley, who owns the Emerald Door Salon, are all for it.
"I think it's a great opportunity for the town to have some heartbeat put into it like a movie is being filmed here, that's great," said Kiley.
The town expects about 600-700 people will come to the village on Tuesday for the production. "We're expecting them to utilize some of the restaurants, merchants, in the Huntington Village area so we're hoping it's going to be an economic boom for the village," said Smyth.
"That's good for us, extras coming in for pizza," said Anthony Rossi, an employee at Little Vincent's Pizza.
There will be some alternate side parking, and meters won't be on Tuesday.
The town says the money they will get from the film crew will "far exceed" what they would normally collect on a Tuesday from metered parking. The money will go into the town's General Fund.
