Heartland Town Square won't get sewer with Suffolk County

Heartland Town Square won’t get a sewer agreement with Suffolk County this year, but developer Jerry Wolkoff had a message: “I’m not going away.”

In a phone interview on Wednesday, after Suffolk legislators did not approve an agreement, Wolkoff said, "I'm leaving all my options open. One thing, though, I’m not going away. It’s been over 15 years, and I haven’t gone away yet." 

Wolkoff, 81, noted his age and said his son, David, “is going to follow through.”

A Suffolk legislative committee last month voted against advancing an agreement to connect the project to the Southwest Sewer District. But opponents worried the measure could be revived at the legislature’s meeting on Tuesday night.

Environmentalists and neighbors had raised concerns about the planned 9,000-unit project in Brentwood, with 3.2 million square feet of office space and 1 million square feet of retail space.

Some labor unions have also protested against the project because Wolkoff has not signed an agreement to use all-union labor on the project.

Wolkoff, one of the largest donors to county elected officials, said he was surprised the sewer connection was controversial.

“I’m surprised that I had to go to the committee to start with, to give me what I believe is my right to get,” Wolkoff said.

County officials have said the proposed sewer connection agreement could be resubmitted.

By David M. Schwartz

dschwar1@newsday.comschwartznewsNY

David Schwartz covers environmental issues. A native Long Islander, he's worked at Newsday since 2013.