Huntington to lease office to developer

The Town of Huntington plans to sign a lease this week allowing a Plainview firm chosen to oversee the revitalization of a key Huntington Station corridor to open a satellite office in a town-owned building in the area.

Renaissance Downtowns, the master developer chosen by Huntington last year to redevelop the New York Avenue corridor, signed the lease last week on the space at 1266 New York Ave., which formerly housed a dentist's office.

Renaissance is slated to open its location there in early May, according to Brandon Palanker, vice president of marketing and public affairs for Renaissance. He said the move is a key part of the firm's work in Huntington Station.

"We feel it's very important to have a local presence," Palanker said.

The space is owned by the town's Community Development Agency, and was previously occupied by dentist Vikas Arora, who had entered into a five-year lease with the town in 2010. As part of the agreement, he agreed to provide free and reduced-cost dental services to children and adults in Huntington Station.

But last December, Arora sent a letter to the town notifying it that he would be leaving the space. In March, the CDA board -- which consists of the town board -- voted to release Arora's management company from its lease on the condition that the company pay the CDA $3,850.70 it owed for four months of back rent.

Under the pending month-to-month lease with Renaissance, the developer would rent the 650-square-foot space for $866.67 a month, said Joan Cergol, executive director of the town's economic development corporation. Under the agreement, Renaissance would be responsible for $162.50 per month in utilities and for renovating the space.

Palanker said Renaissance will host meetings at the site, in addition to holding regular hours for people to walk in.

Huntington hired Renaissance last year to oversee a master redevelopment plan for the New York Avenue corridor. Renaissance is also working on the redevelopment of downtown Hempstead Village.

Delores Thompson, executive director of the Huntington Station Enrichment Center, which sits next to the planned office, said she has high hopes for the success of the project.

"I'm hoping they're going to do something to bring back Huntington Station," Thompson said of Renaissance. "We're looking for them to do something great here."