This week in Huntington newsletter: The shift that made Melville a magnet for development

Thank goodness it’s Friday. A hospital and medical school proposal for Melville have kept me and my colleagues busy — I hope you've been following along.

NYU Langone Health plans to spend billions of dollars on a complex at 1 and 2 Huntington Quadrangle that will include an academic medical center and a hospital of about 500 beds, with an emergency department, ambulatory services and research labs.

The proposal comes about a year and a half after the town passed legislation for an overlay district zoning category to attract businesses to that area.

Earlier this year, the town board approved the first application for the district, which will bring 400 units of housing to the hamlet, just off of Maxess Road. 

Check out the community response to the hospital plan here, and how the overlay district came to be, after years of discussion.

Town Supervisor Ed Smyth told me that a simple shift in the vision for the new district — considering Maxess Road as a "Main Street," rather than the busy Route 110 corridor — helped make it a reality. 

What do you think about the transformational changes coming to Melville? Let me know at deborah.morris@newsday.com.

New site for African American Museum

Even though it's years from being built, the Huntington African American Museum is moving from Halesite to Huntington Station. A snag in getting clearance from the state to allow the museum to use the Halesite location spurred the change. Read my story here to get the full update.

Interestingly, the location, on the northwest corner of Pulaski Road and Park Avenue, is across from where McDonald's is seeking to build a restaurant. That intersection is suddenly getting a lot of attention.

What's your take? Do you think Huntington is being overdeveloped? Let me know at deborah.morris@newsday.com.

Readers speak up

Last week, a story mentioned here about the proposed McDonald's really hit a nerve. People have strong opinions about the idea.

Reader Christine Pelisson believes the proposed McDonald's deserves a break: "I know it’s not the healthiest option, but sometimes you just want a treat," she wrote, adding that for her, the closest McDonald's is a half-hour away. By the time she gets the food home, "fries are cold."

Paul Carey, of Greenlawn, is not lovin' the idea: "There is NO WAY adding more traffic ... is sustainable for this area or the residents who live nearby," he wrote. "This will also bring 24 hour traffic to an area that cannot withstand this."

Look for an update on newsday.com to see what happened at a zoning board of appeals public hearing that was scheduled for June 4.

Elsewhere in town

The restaurant turnover in our town continues with some notable closings recently:

• Huntington’s Golden Globe Diner, formerly the Golden Dolphin, closed May 17 following a dispute with the landlord. Read what owner Peter Tsadilas told my colleague Nicholas Grasso here.  

• Erica Marcus reports The Rust & Gold sports bar and 1653 Pizza Company downtown, not far from the Golden Globe, also have closed. A partner in both restaurants said the venues are closed "while we finalize a sale." Read the full story here. 

Things to do

Check out these fun and interesting things to do around town in the coming week.

LGBTQ+ Pride Flag Raising Ceremony

When: Saturday, June 6, 1 p.m.

What: June is Pride Month, and the town is hosting its second annual ceremony in partnership with the town's LGBTQ+ Task Force.

Where: Heckscher Park, Prime Avenue, Huntington 

Information: For more information, go here.

Spring Garden Tour

When: Sunday, June 7, noon-4 p.m.

What: Self-guided tour of private gardens. 

Where: Six locations across the town.  

Information: Tickets are needed. To register, go here.

David Lee Roth at the Paramount 

When: Sunday, June 7, 8 p.m. 
What: The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and former Van Halen front man performs in Huntington as part of his North American tour.

Where: The Paramount in concert with Northwell, 370 New York Ave., Huntington

Information:  For tickets, go here. 

Find more things to do at newsday.com/lifestyle.