Despite Ongoing Difficulties, Promising Developments at EPCAL

To many, Enterprise Park at Calverton, or EPCAL, is synonymous with a struggle to make things happen, dreams deferred or even derailed. And yet, there is a second side to this story. There have been some noteworthy developments at EPCAL recently and over the years, although at least so far not in the most high-profile chunk of that massive 2,900-acre property acquired from the U.S. Navy in 1998.

The efforts to develop a 1,600-acre chunk of EPCAL both stalled and remain stuck in ongoing litigation, but despite that stalemate, other projects have been moving ahead. And other portions of EPCAL have been developed, even as this chunk has ended up in a long, lingering limbo.

In the shadow of that segment of EPCAL and in other parts of Riverhead, including its downtown, businesses have been opening — from brewpubs, to water parks with a hotel and many other projects in the works.

EPCAL has seen some big changes as well, even if plans for that 1,600-acre parcel haven’t come to fruition.

The Calverton Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant, owned by the U.S. Navy and leased by the Grumman Corp., once occupied the land. In 1998, when Grumman chose not to renew its lease for the site, the Navy transferred the 2,900-acre site to the Town of Riverhead Community Development Agency, indicating the purpose was to foster reuse of for economic development.

“Some people think nothing has happened at EPCAL,” said Dawn Thomas, administrator of the Department of Economic Development, Planning and Building for the Town of Riverhead. “In fact, it’s actually been a very successful redevelopment.”

She said that 1 million square feet of the existing industrial space on 500 acres, known as the “industrial core”, that came as part of the Navy’s transfer has been “re-occupied by a variety of different industrial uses that employ hundreds of workers with high paying jobs.” The buildings, which also included offices, storage and a sewage treatment plant, are near two runways, one 7,500 feet long and one 10,000 feet long (the second longest on East Coast) and once designated as an alternative space shuttle landing, Thomas added. “Those were the buildings that had been used to build planes,” she said.

Although not as high-profile as some consumer uses, an industrial park has quietly taken hold there, providing an industrial East End core. Riverhead Building Supply constructed a new building, joining Reilly Architectural, Island International Enterprises, Tebbens Steel, Lido Stone Works, United Metro Energy Corp., Wholesale Fence, Hustler Powerboats and Island Exterior Fabricators, all side by side. “All that heavy industry is there. It’s a very busy site,” Thomas said. “The development of the remaining 600 acres is expected to result in an increase in this type of development. These businesses provide jobs and necessary tax base to the town.”

The tug of war over one tract of land in EPCAL continues as that parcel’s future remains to be seen, attracting the most attention. The Town of Riverhead in 2018 entered into a contract to sell 1,600 acres to Calverton Aviation and Technology, including the two runways. It was initially determined to be “qualified and eligible” to sponsor “a development project that is consistent with the town’s goals and zoning.”

The Riverhead Industrial Development Agency, however, unanimously declared last year that Calverton Aviation & Technology was not financially able to develop the remaining land.

That led to the formal dissolution of a deal between the town and Luminati and its partners. As that development remains in limbo, other projects have been pushing forward in and beyond the area, sometimes with traditional industrial uses and sometimes with very different definitions of development.

Splish Splash got company last year when Scott Pointe opened in EPCAL, bringing a different spin to water parks. The adventure park includes a more than 20-acre manmade lake and 49,200-square-foot building, enabling Scott Pointe be a year-long attraction. The park also features what they bill as the nation’s biggest indoor surf pool.

Other indoor activities include: Formula One race car simulators; a ninja warrior course; warp walls; a soft play area, golf simulators; axe throwing; rock walls; virtual reality stations; laser tag; mini-golf; and a CrossFit gym. It also features Lake View Grill, a full-service restaurant, bar and café.

Wellbridge, an addiction treatment center co-founded by Chairman Andrew Drazan, adds a social service and healthcare dimension to the property. And Veterans Memorial Park brings a green element, including a nine-mile walking and biking trail around the EPCAL property known as Veterans Memorial Trail. Two new ice hockey rinks, baseball fields and other park amenities have also been constructed.

“We’re doing a feasibility study to determine other appropriate and useful things in that park,” Thomas said. “That is under way by Sports Facilities Advisors. We received a grant to get that study done. It will be done in about eight weeks. Then we’ll know how we should to develop the rest of the park.”

Paid for by a $30,000 Empire State Development grant, matched by $30,000 from the town, that could lead to recommendations for a wide range of options such as tennis, pickleball, indoor lacrosse or even a stadium.

In the meantime, the revitalization of Downtown Riverhead remains one of the region’s pivotal projects, including a new town square, 90-room boutique hotel, bandshell and amphitheater, adaptive playground and other developments. Two theaters are also receiving big investments.

“It was once a movie theater, so it didn’t have the dressing or green rooms or storage that would attend a performing arts venue,” Thomas said of the Suffolk theater in Downtown Riverhead. “Their expansion is almost completely approved. They will begin construction soon. “

The space obtained a $2 million grant from New York State to expand the back of the house and stage, truly reimagining it as a performance venue.

And the Vail-Leavitt Music Hall, built in 1881, is being taken back by the Town of Riverhead, seeking to rejuvenate that space as well. “We are now working with people who will be reinventing that space,” said Thomas, who cited a $250,000 Suffolk County grant for renovations. “A lot of things need to be repaired at the Vail. Once that happens it will start to re-emerge as an important performing arts venue downtown.”