A view of the Ronkonkoma LIRR station, looking south, in...

A view of the Ronkonkoma LIRR station, looking south, in October 2023. The parking lot behind it and the wooded area beyond that were to be included in the Midway Crossing project.  Credit: Newsday/John Paraskevas

Suffolk County has terminated Chicago real estate conglomerate JLL as master developer of the $2.8 billion Midway Crossing project on county-owned land in Ronkonkoma and plans to seek new proposals to replace the convention center and health offices complex that had been proposed for the site, county officials announced Tuesday.

The administration of County Executive Edward P. Romaine said JLL, formerly Jones Lang LaSalle, had failed to make significant progress toward hiring staff and arranging financing for the oft-delayed project, which also would have included a hotel and a new Long Island MacArthur Airport terminal.

Supporters had hailed Midway Crossing as a "transformative" project that would create tens of thousands of jobs and redevelop county-owned parking lots at the Ronkonkoma Long Island Rail Road station.

Suffolk officials signaled they planned to restart the project from scratch, seeking both a new developer and revamped proposals to revitalize 179 acres south of the LIRR tracks and north of the airport.

Romaine spokesman Michael Martino said there is "no timeline" for restarting the project. 

The move by the county pauses a project that had drawn wide support from business leaders but has been plagued by delays and design changes since JLL was picked by the administration of then-County Executive Steve Bellone to lead the project in April 2018. 

“Today Suffolk County took steps to reimagine the Midway project, paving the way for new ideas and strategies to benefit the surrounding communities, improve infrastructure, and create a powerful economic engine for our county," Martino said Tuesday in a statement. "In the coming months, the county will seek expressions of interest from interested parties to ensure this historic project will become a reality.”

The JLL plan called for a total of 2.7 million square feet of new construction, including a convention center; a 300-room hotel; health sciences facilities; a new air terminal at MacArthur Airport; and a walkway connecting the airport and the Ronkonkoma train station. Construction was expected to take 10 to 15 years and create 10,000 jobs. Midway Crossing was expected to have about 9,500 permanent jobs when completed.

The project was co-sponsored by Islip Town, which had hoped to replace MacArthur's aging terminal with a North Terminal closer to the train station. It was not immediately clear how Suffolk's decision affected Islip's plans.

Islip spokesperson Caroline Smith declined to comment.

JLL vice chairman Derek Trulson, in a statement released to Newsday, said the company had "fulfilled, and will continue to fulfill, all its obligations" to Suffolk and had lined up financing and partners to start planning construction.

"We have given the public sector everything necessary" to launch the project, Trulson said. "JLL remains fully committed to making Midway Crossing a reality for the people of Suffolk County and to supporting the town’s vision to improve the MacArthur Airport, bringing more jobs and vital economic development to the region.”

JLL's initial plan in 2018 called for a 17,500-seat hockey arena aimed at attracting the New York Islanders. That plan was scrapped a year later after the Islanders agreed to move from Barclays Center in Brooklyn to the UBS Arena in Elmont.

Some county legislators were skeptical from the beginning, saying they were left in the dark by the Bellone administration and initially learned about the JLL proposal from Newsday reporters.

In a letter to JLL on Friday, Suffolk County Attorney Christopher J. Clayton said the firm had failed to assemble "a complete development team" and "a viable financial plan" to finance the project. 

He added the project "has not advanced sufficiently" and JLL had shown "no demonstrable project readiness" that would attract private and public investment.

Community reaction to the convention center-hotel proposal was generally mixed, with many embracing job creation promised by Suffolk officials but others expressing concerns about noise and increased traffic.

Salvatore Napolitano, president of the Greater Ronkonkoma Civic Association, said Tuesday he was eager to meet with future developers to discuss plans for the site. He said civic members wanted to see improvements such as roads, bridges and sewage treatment.

"We need [new] roads," Napolitano said. “It just seems like there’s a lot more infrastructure projects that need to be looked at before we start building buildings.”

With Brianne Ledda, James T. Madore and Joe Werkmeister

Suffolk County has terminated Chicago real estate conglomerate JLL as master developer of the $2.8 billion Midway Crossing project on county-owned land in Ronkonkoma and plans to seek new proposals to replace the convention center and health offices complex that had been proposed for the site, county officials announced Tuesday.

The administration of County Executive Edward P. Romaine said JLL, formerly Jones Lang LaSalle, had failed to make significant progress toward hiring staff and arranging financing for the oft-delayed project, which also would have included a hotel and a new Long Island MacArthur Airport terminal.

Supporters had hailed Midway Crossing as a "transformative" project that would create tens of thousands of jobs and redevelop county-owned parking lots at the Ronkonkoma Long Island Rail Road station.

Suffolk officials signaled they planned to restart the project from scratch, seeking both a new developer and revamped proposals to revitalize 179 acres south of the LIRR tracks and north of the airport.

What Newsday Found

  • Suffolk County has removed Chicago developer JLL from the $2.8 billion Midway Crossing convention center and air terminal project in Ronkonkoma.
  • County officials plan to restart the project by seeking a new developer and new proposals to redevelop county-owned land between Long Island MacArthur Airport and the Ronkonkoma Long Island Rail Road station.
  • JLL said it "fulfilled, and will continue to fulfill, all its obligations" to the county.

Romaine spokesman Michael Martino said there is "no timeline" for restarting the project. 

The move by the county pauses a project that had drawn wide support from business leaders but has been plagued by delays and design changes since JLL was picked by the administration of then-County Executive Steve Bellone to lead the project in April 2018. 

“Today Suffolk County took steps to reimagine the Midway project, paving the way for new ideas and strategies to benefit the surrounding communities, improve infrastructure, and create a powerful economic engine for our county," Martino said Tuesday in a statement. "In the coming months, the county will seek expressions of interest from interested parties to ensure this historic project will become a reality.”

Massive yearslong plan

The JLL plan called for a total of 2.7 million square feet of new construction, including a convention center; a 300-room hotel; health sciences facilities; a new air terminal at MacArthur Airport; and a walkway connecting the airport and the Ronkonkoma train station. Construction was expected to take 10 to 15 years and create 10,000 jobs. Midway Crossing was expected to have about 9,500 permanent jobs when completed.

The project was co-sponsored by Islip Town, which had hoped to replace MacArthur's aging terminal with a North Terminal closer to the train station. It was not immediately clear how Suffolk's decision affected Islip's plans.

Islip spokesperson Caroline Smith declined to comment.

An early rendering of the Midway Crossing project.

 

An early rendering of the Midway Crossing project.

  Credit: JLL/Crawford Architects

JLL vice chairman Derek Trulson, in a statement released to Newsday, said the company had "fulfilled, and will continue to fulfill, all its obligations" to Suffolk and had lined up financing and partners to start planning construction.

"We have given the public sector everything necessary" to launch the project, Trulson said. "JLL remains fully committed to making Midway Crossing a reality for the people of Suffolk County and to supporting the town’s vision to improve the MacArthur Airport, bringing more jobs and vital economic development to the region.”

JLL's initial plan in 2018 called for a 17,500-seat hockey arena aimed at attracting the New York Islanders. That plan was scrapped a year later after the Islanders agreed to move from Barclays Center in Brooklyn to the UBS Arena in Elmont.

Early skepticism

Some county legislators were skeptical from the beginning, saying they were left in the dark by the Bellone administration and initially learned about the JLL proposal from Newsday reporters.

In a letter to JLL on Friday, Suffolk County Attorney Christopher J. Clayton said the firm had failed to assemble "a complete development team" and "a viable financial plan" to finance the project. 

He added the project "has not advanced sufficiently" and JLL had shown "no demonstrable project readiness" that would attract private and public investment.

Community reaction to the convention center-hotel proposal was generally mixed, with many embracing job creation promised by Suffolk officials but others expressing concerns about noise and increased traffic.

Salvatore Napolitano, president of the Greater Ronkonkoma Civic Association, said Tuesday he was eager to meet with future developers to discuss plans for the site. He said civic members wanted to see improvements such as roads, bridges and sewage treatment.

"We need [new] roads," Napolitano said. “It just seems like there’s a lot more infrastructure projects that need to be looked at before we start building buildings.”

With Brianne Ledda, James T. Madore and Joe Werkmeister

Timeline

April 2018: Suffolk County announces selection of Chicago-based developer JLL, then known as Jones Lang LaSalle, to lead redevelopment of county-owned land in Ronkonkoma.

May 2019: JLL scraps plans for 17,500-seat hockey arena, proposes new plan for 7,500-seat arena and 6,000-seat soccer stadium, convention center, 300-room hotel and office and retail space.

December 2021: Islip Town joins project and announces plans for a new Long Island MacArthur Airport terminal.

August 2022: JLL withdraws plans for indoor and outdoor sports-entertainment arenas.

December 2024: Islip Town Board rejects $872,000 to start planning construction of North Terminal.

Ronnie Tanner, a horse jockey in the '60s and '70s, and Kendrick Carmouche, a current jockey, spoke about the racism Black jockeys have faced. NewsdayTV's Jamie Stuart reports. Credit: Ed Murray, Jonathan Singh

'I had to keep my mouth shut'  Ronnie Tanner, a horse jockey in the '60s and '70s, and Kendrick Carmouche, a current jockey, spoke about the racism Black jockeys have faced. NewsdayTV's Jamie Stuart reports.

Ronnie Tanner, a horse jockey in the '60s and '70s, and Kendrick Carmouche, a current jockey, spoke about the racism Black jockeys have faced. NewsdayTV's Jamie Stuart reports. Credit: Ed Murray, Jonathan Singh

'I had to keep my mouth shut'  Ronnie Tanner, a horse jockey in the '60s and '70s, and Kendrick Carmouche, a current jockey, spoke about the racism Black jockeys have faced. NewsdayTV's Jamie Stuart reports.

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