David Winzelberg //October 3, 2024//
Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bill into law last week that allows the Town of Brookhaven to use some of its parkland for a wastewater treatment plant to advance a proposed 37-acre redevelopment in Mastic Beach.
The new wastewater treatment is a key component in the effort to revitalize the area’s downtown and create a mixed-use development that is likely to include townhomes, apartments, retail and commercial space and a community center.
Map of proposed Mastic Beach redevelopment area. / Courtesy of Beechwood Organization
Called the Neighborhood Road Revitalization, the project is helmed by Jericho-based Beechwood Organization, which was designated as master developer for the plan by the Town of Brookhaven in Oct. 2021. Two years earlier, the town conducted a blight study of 140 parcels along Neighborhood Road and surrounding streets, which confirmed that the area had a sufficient amount of blight, code violations and obstacles that have deterred meaningful private investment in the area.
In Nov. 2022, the town unveiled a proposed master plan that aims to transform the area along Neighborhood Road, from Commack Road to Doris Drive, into a walkable and vibrant downtown, with new housing, retail shops, restaurants, services and public gathering spaces.
The project is currently in the process of seeking community input before the developer can establish specific proposals, which will then undergo an environmental review. But permitting town parkland to be used for the wastewater treatment plant is a critical step in moving the plan forward.
“The revitalization of downtown Mastic Beach has been a top priority for community leaders, residents, businesses and elected officials on all levels of government, for years,” State Sen. Dean Murray, who introduced and advocated for the parkland legislation, said in a written statement. “I’m thrilled that our legislation will allow the Beechwood Organization’s project to advance with the construction of a much-needed sewage treatment plant that will benefit the entire community.”
Beechwood principal Steven Dubb said the legislation is a significant step towards making the revitalization of Mastic Beach’s Neighborhood Road Corridor a reality.
“It paves the way to treat wastewater from the proposed development and in a way that ensures water quality in nearby bays and estuaries,” Dubb said in the statement. “The construction for this needed sewage treatment plant will benefit the community at large. We are extremely grateful to Governor Hochul, Senator Murray, and Assemblyman DeStefano for getting this legislation passed, and to Supervisor Panico and Councilwoman Dunne at the Town of Brookhaven for always championing this transformative project.”
Brookhaven Supervisor Dan Panico said the availability of sanitary capacity holds the keys to unlocking the redevelopment potential.
“In this case, the needed redevelopment potential in downtown Mastic Beach can only be achieved through the creation of an STP, as there is no alternative hook up elsewhere,” Panico said in the statement. “Therefore, this alienation bill helps achieve that purpose and we are hopeful that New York State will be a partner in the redevelopment effort with additional funding for this and other needed infrastructure projects in the future.”
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