LONG ISLAND | General Developments Updates/Compilation

[Nexis]

Originally Posted by Urbanica

Nexis - not anything specific that I know of (other than the Avalon Great Neck on page 3 of this thread, but that is almost a mile east of the main drag) , but the Village did pass some incentive zoning slightly away from downtown a few years ago to "enhance its primarily residential character through quality redevelopment of distressed properties and incompatible uses" along the Steamboat Rd corridor. I am not aware of anything in "downtown" Great Neck. Great Neck Plaza I believe also has mixed use incentive zoning.

Speaking of Great Neck Plaza, a separate incorporated village that centers around the train station it is definitely worth a visit. IMHO great Neck Plaza is one of the handful of very successful Long Island villages that have a great walkable, compact, and generally cohesive downtown that has seen a decent clip of positive development over the years, and is exemplary of the North Shore/South Shore differences to a certain extent that has been discussed on this thread. It is definitely worth one of your patented photo diaries...

Ive walked from Great Neck Plaza to Douglaston a few weeks ago...its a nice area...

[Urbanica]

Nice! From:

http://www.dhmurray.com/lumberroad.html

Originally Posted by Urbanica

Adaptive reuse? On Long Island? Is it true? Looks like 2 old industrial buildings are coming down and a third renovated for this $11 million project in Roslyn downtown. Cant find any renderings; I'll post if I do.

http://libn.com/2014/03/13/nassau-id...d-use-project/

Nassau IDA OKs aid for Roslyn mixed-use project
By: David Winzelberg March 13, 2014

The Nassau County Industrial Development Agency approved economic incentives Wednesday to developers turning an old lumber yard into a mixed-use residential and retail project in the Village of Roslyn.

Lumber Earth Realty, the company owned by local builders Kevin Dursun and John Santos, is redeveloping the former 1.5-acre site formerly owned by Nassau-Suffolk Lumber at 17-21 Lumber Road into a two-story building with 20 rental apartments over about 22,500 square feet of retail space.

Two of the three buildings on the parcel, first developed in 1918, will be demolished, and the other will be renovated as part of the plan.

Read more: http://libn.com/2014/03/13/nassau-id...#ixzz2vy9ek4ZN

[Tubeworm]

Originally Posted by Urbanica

Great opinion piece today in Newsday on basically how lame the entire proposal is. An A+ piece as far as I am concerned:

Thanks for posting that Urbanica. I agree completely with that article.

[Nexis]

Some TOD in Mineola


Transit Oriented Development in Mineola,NY by Corey Best, on Flickr


Transit Oriented Development in Mineola,NY by Corey Best, on Flickr


Transit Oriented Development in Mineola,NY by Corey Best, on Flickr

[Urbanica]

Cool Pics!

Originally Posted by Nexis

Some TOD in Mineola


Transit Oriented Development in Mineola,NY by Corey Best, on Flickr


Transit Oriented Development in Mineola,NY by Corey Best, on Flickr


Transit Oriented Development in Mineola,NY by Corey Best, on Flickr

[Urbanica]

From the Avalon Website, Phase II renderings. Typical Avalon, but relatively attractive and an improvement over Phase I. Phase II was approved by the Village Zoning Board of Appeals in Jan 2015, with 165 total units.

http://avalonrockvillecentreii.com/#home

Originally Posted by Urbanica

This proposed phase II of the Avalon development downtown represents a very big expansion of the downtown population of Rockville Centre, a developing downtown area. All told, with the original Avalon developement a few years ago of 350 or so units, and this proposed Phase II with about another 350 units, I would consider that a major urbanization of the Rockville Centre core, only a few blocks from the Long Island Railroad station.

I really like what is going on in a lot of Long Island downtowns. Most still need some streetscape work, however...



From:

http://www.liherald.com/stories/Rock...ontent_source=

Rockville Centre AvalonBay set to expand
Former Rockville Racquet will be site of Phase II development
By Alex Costello

AvalonBay Communities has announced that it is expanding to the former Rockville Racquet site across the street from its apartment complex on Banks Avenue.

Though the plan is still in the preliminary stages, the new development, known as Phase II, will be about the same size as the current 349-unit Avalon complex, at 80-100 Banks Ave., and will be designed to match its aesthetics. In addition to the one- and two-bedroom apartments the Avalon complex has, Phase II will add studio and three-bedroom units as well.

“It’s very clear to us that there is still a great demand for rental space in Rockville Centre,” Matt Whalen, AvalonBay’s senior vice president of development, said in a release. “More and more young professionals are moving to Rockville Centre — young professionals who grew up here and want to stay in the village — [along with] empty-nesters looking for a viable housing option that will allow them to stay in Rockville Centre after selling their single-family homes. Avalon Rockville Centre meets all these needs.”

Rockville Racquet closed late last year, and AvalonBay purchased the property.

“Rarely on Long Island do we get a chance to really do a true Phase II,” said Chris Capece, the company’s development director. “And once the previous land sellers shut down the tennis center and decided to sell the property, it was a really unique opportunity for us. We’re excited to try to do a Phase II in a community where the property has been really well received.”

...more in LI Herald

[Nexis]

Not as Urban as it could be , but its better then a classic suburban proposal.

[Tower Dude]

Progress is progress.

[Urbanica]

I actually am not sure how I feel about this one. While a $25MM dollar renovation of a movie theater is spectacular, and its effect on the downtown of Lynbrook will be hopefully substantial and positive, the theater that is being "renovated" (rather destroyed) is very historic and I have always thought would look incredible if renovated correctly. This could be a big missed opportunity if not done right. Oh well.

(The rendering is actually from a different angle/street than the photo (photo is from Merrick Rd, rendering is from Atlantic Ave ); I wish they produced a rendering from Merrick Rd also.)



From:

http://libn.com/2015/05/28/village-g...-theater-redo/

Village greenlights $25M theater redo
By: David Winzelberg


A $25 million plan to redevelop a multi-screen movie theater has won the approval of the Village of Lynbrook.

The project, by Syosset-based Blumenfeld Development Group and The Prusik Group, is designed to transform the Regal United Artists Theater at 321 Merrick Road and the nearly 100-year-old building it’s housed in into a more modern and plush movie house, according to a statement from the developers.

The theater has been an anchor of downtown Lynbrook since the beginning of the 20th century, when it first operated as a live theater. It will be closed at the end of the summer and reopened about 18 months later once renovations are complete.

Jerry Grewe, vice president of real estate for Regal Entertainment Group, said the company is “proud to lead the way” in the revitalization of the downtown Lynbrook area.

“The luxury amenities at the theater will certainly impress our guests and attract movie-goers from a wide region,” Grewe said in the statement.

Read more: http://libn.com/2015/05/28/village-g...#ixzz3bSiTNOGD

[daviday]

Originally Posted by Urbanica

Cool Pics!

Very cool.

[Urbanica]

Word on the street is that TRITEC (ala Patchogue New Village and the Ronkonkoma Hub) will be proposing a rather large (200 units or so) rental very close to the Lindenhurst train station. Plans to be announced before the end of the year. Long time to wait, but something to look forward to.

The main drag in Lindenhurst is not bad in my opinion, would be nice to put down 300+ or more residents within walking distance to get more foot traffic and interest there.

[red0eagle335]

Originally Posted by Urbanica

Word on the street is that TRITEC (ala Patchogue New Village and the Ronkonkoma Hub) will be proposing a rather large (200 units or so) rental very close to the Lindenhurst train station. Plans to be announced before the end of the year. Long time to wait, but something to look forward to.

The main drag in Lindenhurst is not bad in my opinion, would be nice to put down 300+ or more residents within walking distance to get more foot traffic and interest there.

That's funny because I think I read the same exact article in the paper yesterday. They are planning to make changes to the parking system by making the parking meters a bit more expensive.

[Urbanica]

Th Village Board approved this on May 20...spectacular news. Mineola is starting to turn into the real deal; from a dated crossroads a few years ago to now multiple TOD low/mid rises and the recent Winthrop Hospital center. Looking good; its starting to develop that "sense of place" that so many Long Island downtowns lack.

The developer was quoted that they won't break ground on this until they reach their rental targets on the other large development they are doing a few blocks away. Makes sense.



From:

http://www.mineolaamerican.com/2015/...reen-approved/

The Mineola Village Board approved the hotly-debated and controversial 266-unit Village Green apartment complex 4-1 on May 20. This comes after four public hearings, resident objection and numerous back-and-forths between the village and Mineola School Board concerning tax breaks for developers, school children upticks and housing saturation.
According to the agreement between Lalezarian Developers and the village, the $80-$100 million project at 199 Second St. will not break ground if his first Mineola development, a rising 315-unit building at 250 Old Country Rd. is not hitting rental targets. Lalezarian indicated as much at a November 2014 hearing and did not return calls for comment on this story.
“We’re not going to do something stupid,” Lalezarian said last year. “Before we complete [250 Old Country Rd.], we’ll start pre-leasing apartments. If we see we’re wrong and it’s not renting, we’re not going to start another project.”
Furthermore, the horseshoe-shaped, eight-story building’s developer will need to adhere to conditions, mainly streetscape improvements, apartment set-asides and other public amenities.
“This decision has not come easily or lightly to any of us,” Mayor Scott Strauss said. “But we’re going to vote with our hearts.”
Lalezarian will set aside 27 apartments for workforce/next generation/first responder housing. New York State requires multi-family developers to set aside at least 10 percent of a proposed property for affordable workforce housing.
The agreement states Lalezarian would install pavers, lighting and street furnishings in the downtown area near Second and Main streets, Mineola Boulevard and the Mineola Long Island Rail Road Station. Other mandates include the Village Green’s plaza area be open to the public, include outside seating and a fountain.
“I’m for revitalizing the downtown,” trustee Dennis Walsh said. “I’ve been at every hearing [concerning downtown development]. I believe there’s a critical mass that needs to be met for the downtown to be revitalized.”

...more in the article.

[Urbanica]

Originally Posted by Nexis

Anything proposed for Great Neck?

Nexis - I was in downtown Great Neck Plaza yesterday; just found out that a beautiful 4-5 story luxury mixed use is going up on Grace Ave just east of Middle Neck Rd right in the heart of town. The rendering at the site was excellent. Unfortunately I didn't snap a pic; was in my car. I found this rendering on the web but I don't think this is the current design, at least as much as I saw driving by at about 15 MPH looking at the rendering without going too slow to annoy traffic. Next time I am up there I'll snap a pic of the site.

Supposedly its first floor retail and/or commercial/offices, topped by 3 floors of 30 or so luxury rentals.

[Urbanica]

Suffolk County has just proposed a somewhat sweeping but nascent plan to connect its downtowns and employment centers. Most notable is to move the terminal of Islip MacArthur Airport to the north side of the airport right next to the Ronkonkoma train station. Others include moving the Yaphank train station east to the Brookhaven National Labs, and in general, stitching together the fragmented pieces of Suffolk's economy. Good stuff, and an excellent read:

http://libn.com/2015/06/16/suffolk-s...air-terminals/

Suffolk seeking $350M for transit plan, new train stations, air terminals


Suffolk County leaders today at a meeting of the Long Island Regional Planning Council said the region would seek $350 million to build new airport terminals and expand public transit to link downtowns to research centers and universities.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone in Stony Brook University’s Charles E. Wang Center on Tuesday unveiled the plan to create the “Long Island Innovation Zone” or “I-Zone” as a kind of high-tech corridor.

The goal, at least in part, is to give Suffolk its own version of Silicon Valley or Alley, the way regions such as Research Triangle in Raleigh-Durham, N.C., have done.

The “I-Zone” would connect what Bellone called “the cornerstones of our innovation economy” largely via public transit. It also would see to give them a collective identity via new transportation infrastructure.

Stony Brook University, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Patchogue, Ronkonkoma and Long Island MacArthur Airport would become the hub of this innovation corridor or high tech highway.

A new bus rapid transit line, operated as a separate service run by Suffolk County, would travel on a bus lane down Nicolls Rd. complete with technology so that lights change to allow the bus to move more efficiently and that there is Wi-Fi charging stations.

A train station would be moved about a half mile to Brookhaven National Laboratory and new airport terminals would go up at Islip MacArthur Airport near the Ronkonkoma railroad station, creating a train to the plane link.

Bellone said the county would seek $350 million in state, federal, local and private funding to link public transit to create a research area stretching from Stony Brook to Patchogue and Ronkonkoma.

“We have the Ronkonkoma Hub, Patchogue Village and the innovation assets, “Bellone said.”We need to do a better job tying it all together.”

Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine, Islip Town Supervisor Angie Carpenter and Village of Patchogue Mayor Paul Pontieri said they supported the plan that seeks to unite research, rail and downtowns in a new vision of Long Island.

“Right now, it is literally impossible to move around this island without a car, because the infrastructure is not in place,” Bellone said of the goal to use transit and research as hubs. “The good news is we’ve got the basic infrastructure. We just need to build additional elements off of it.”

Although there has been talk at least since the 1970s of improving and expanding public transit, much of the network on Long Island has been east-west.

The county already completed two transportation studies at a cost of $7 million, funded by the federal government, regarding rapid transit along Nicolls Road, which could become a new corridor like Route 110.

“It’s been said that a vision without a plan is just a dream,” Long Island Regional Council Chairman John Cameron said. “I think for the first time, we’re seeing there is a plan. And quite possibly there is a reality.”

Bellone said the new zone would seek to “stitch together” assets in a sort of “suburban retrofitting,” creating a transportation hub that the region “could market nationwide as a place to locate an “innovation company.”

“We build out a network of vibrant downtowns filled with innovation jobs and connected by great public transportation to one another and to our research centers, our universities,” Bellone said of a plan he called a “vision to maximize the world-class SUNY system as a tool of economic growth.”

Transportation on Long Island often was developed without seeking to create a single infrastructure. The terminals at Islip MacArthur Airport currently are on the south side of the property, while the railroad station is on the north.

Although shuttles could connect rail and plane, building new terminals could make the link even easier, further linking the airport to areas across Long Island and in New York City.

“This idea is so critical to the region’s future,” Bellone said. “By building a new terminal directly connected to rail, you could walk off the plane and have a direct connection to Manhattan in an hour.”

The plan also calls for seeking to better integrate Stony Brook University, which educates nearly 25,000 students including 4,000 new students each semester and employs 14,000, with other nearby institutions and downtowns.

“We need a transportation structure in place that will allow us to attract and retain scientists and entrepreneurs,” Stony Brook University President Samuel Stanley said. “Modern transportation assets can make a huge difference to us and other research institutions on Long Island.”

Xiangyu Yin, a Stony Brook graduate student, said she has traveled by train to New York City, but travels nearly exclusively by car on Long Island.

Not everyone would tak advantage of a bus on Nicolls Road, she noted. “I have a car, and I live off campus,” she said, noting that she would still have to drive to school, to catch a bus on Nicolls Road.” That may be good for students who live on campus or international students who don’t have a car.”

While this vision of an innovation island might seem an ambitious plan, Suffolk County argues this isn’t so much about creating institutions, as building infrastructure to harness them better for economic development.

“We already have world-class assets in Suffolk County,” Justin Meyers, a spokesman for Bellone, added. “We’re not building from scratch.”

The plan also calls for moving the Yaphank train station a mile east and rebuilding it a Brookhaven National Laboratory, linking researchers to the rest of the region. “This global research institution will become fully integrated into the region’s transportation structure,” Bellone said.

The Long Island Rail Road is on board in principle for the plan that would entail moving railroad stations closer to research institutions.

“I think the I-Zone really builds on a lot of our greatest resources and one of those is a history of innovation,” said Elisa Picca, a Long island Rail Road spokeswoman.

The plan also calls for helping build out of the Ronkonkoma Hub development, currently being led by East Setauket-based Tritec, including additional funding for sewers and parking for the new downtown. They already applied to the Town of Brookhaven for site plan approval for their first phase, including 489 market-rate apartments.

Bellone said the goals later on would include providing stronger transit links to Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, possible via a shuttle bus.



Read more: http://libn.com/2015/06/16/suffolk-s...#ixzz3dKNnXCjK

[Urbanica]

This broke ground recently (the past week), below is the site plan. Phase I is the apartment complex portion on the far upper right. Not bad in its northern portions, but the retail and office portions on the south are very standard and basically just buildings in a sea of parking. Hopefully it will present well from the main east-west drag that runs through it.

In all, not a bad proposal and a reuse of land that had already been very disturbed by the former racetrack. I think the site plan retains most of the previously undisturbed forest, which is a plus.

Originally Posted by Urbanica

Another "smart growth" development may soon break ground. This one is located in Yaphank, pretty far out in Suffolk County, at the intersection of two highways, formerly the site of a racetrack. About 800 housing units, 300K of retail, a hotel, all in a town center-like arrangement. The plan leaves a wooded buffer and clusters development. Not bad per se, but because of its somewhat odd location at the intersection of two highways, the development will be somewhat of an island. Better than single family sprawl and office parks though. These sort of developments are slowly changing Long Island.



From:

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/t...date-1.8961811

Project at former Parr Meadows racetrack site to start construction this fall
Originally published: August 4, 2014 5:29 PM

A Yonkers-based developer plans to begin construction later this year on a long-delayed housing and retail project at the former Parr Meadows racetrack site in Yaphank.

A legal challenge brought by an environmental group had stalled the $231 million Meadows at Yaphank project after the Brookhaven Town Board approved zoning changes three years ago.

The Open Space Council, which had sued to block the project because of environmental concerns, and developer Rose-Breslin Associates reached a settlement, clearing the way for construction to begin this fall, said Brian Ferruggiari, a spokesman for the developer.

Rose-Breslin plans to build a 220-room hotel, 850 housing units and 327,000 square feet of retail space on 322 acres at the northwest corner of the Long Island Expressway and William Floyd Parkway. Part of the parcel had been the site of the short-lived Parr Meadows horse racing track in the 1980s. Construction may take up to 10 years.

[Urbanica]

By some accounts, the Hauppauge Industrial Park is the second largest in the nation, after Silicon Valley. Over 55,000 people work at the park. The Town of Smithtown (where a lot of the park is located) recently created an overlay district within the park that will allow increased building heights (now up to 50 feet). Not a huge change, but it might be enough to attract more varied uses to the park and increase the employment numbers overall. Too bad there is no rail link there...

http://www.newsday.com/business/smit...hbo-1.10645937

[Urbanica]

Good news out in Riverhead, a developer has agreed to purchase the vacant Sears site downtown and build a 5 story mixed use complex with retain on the ground floor and about 160 apartments above.

http://www.newsday.com/business/deve...val-1.10657369

Developer buys old Sears building in downtown Riverhead; seen as key to revival
Updated July 19, 2015 6:32 PM
By WILL JAMES

Jericho developer David Gallo has agreed to buy the long-vacant former Sears building in Riverhead and three adjacent buildings in a deal town officials hail as a significant step toward the economic revival of downtown.

Gallo's contract to purchase the buildings followed about 20 months of negotiation with Florida developer Sheldon Gordon, who owns the buildings through a holding company, Riverhead Enterprises LLC, said Connie Lassandro, a consultant for Gallo who helped negotiate the deal.

Gallo's company, Georgica Green Ventures LLC, plans to replace the old structures with a five-story building with stores on the ground floor, about 160 apartments on upper floors and underground parking, she said.

...more in the article

[Tubeworm]

Anyone have access?

http://longisland.news12.com/news/re...eum-1.10686163

http://www.newsday.com/business/bruc...ida-1.10685383

[Nexis]

Nope....shame they have such a stranglehold on LI's news...