Riverhead Transit-Oriented Housing Project Advances

The Town of Riverhead has named Uniondale-based RXR and Jericho-based Georgica Green Ventures to be master developers of a transit-oriented housing development project planned near the Riverhead Long Island Rail Road station.

The town board selected the two firms during its February 15 board meeting after a yearlong search in which a half dozen developers submitted proposals for what’s known as the Railroad Street Transportation Oriented Development, a designated New York State Urban Renewal Area.

“The creation of a transportation oriented development at the Riverhead railroad station will vastly increase public transportation options to live, work and play in downtown Riverhead and beyond,” Riverhead Town Supervisor Yvette Aguiar said.

Riverhead was awarded state grant funding several years ago to create the plan, adopt new zoning and issue a request for qualifications for the project. The plan includes partly turning the train station parking lot into a new mixed-use development in a long-blighted area.

The winning proposal calls for 243 apartment units, 2,340 square feet of retail space, 12,800 square feet of commercial space and a four- to five-story parking garage with 420 to 520 spaces.

Construction is expected to take about three years.