So what happened?
Developer Joe Albanese said he had a dispute with his construction manager and is in the process of picking a new one. He also said he had run out of money for the project, as his costs exceeded the amount for which he had obtained financing, but that he's in the process of obtaining additional bank financing to continue the project.
"We should be back under construction in the next couple of weeks," he said, adding that he is hoping to open by September.
"We're about 90 percent done," he said. "We have all the equipment in there, we just have to finish the installation, painting, carpeting and blacktop. We were going like gang busters for a while."
The work stopped about three weeks ago, he said.
"I was surprised to see the work stopped because it had gotten this far along," Supervisor Phil Cardinale said.
He suggested the town might be able to help.
"If he needs assistance, he should call Chris Kempner, our Community Development Agency director, and she might be able to point him in the right direction," Mr. Cardinale said. "In times like this, when few people are starting new projects, I don't think anyone is going to stand in the way of letting a project get to completion."
Named "Bowl 58" even though it technically is at 96 Main Road, or Route 25, the project received approval from the town's Planning Board in May 2008 and appeared to be nearing completion, at least from the exterior.
The facility is being built on the site of the old Chevrolet dealership just west of Route 105 and comes when bowling alleys have closed in places like Mattituck, Westhampton and Rocky Point in recent years.