Ronkonkoma Hub update: At least 2 developers seek to build

Two major developers are vying for the rights to build on Suffolk County-owned land between the Long Island Rail Road's Ronkonkoma station and Long Island MacArthur Airport, a property that's been at the heart of controversial and stalled development efforts for years.

Suffolk County launched a search for developers in July by releasing a 36-page request for project proposals. It required pitches to include "a mix of office, health care … life science, retail, food and beverage, hospitality, and industrial/manufacturing uses” on 48 acres of county land called the Ronkonkoma Hub.

Proposals also had to have space for a future connection between the train station and airport, where Islip Town is weighing whether to build a new north terminal that would make it possible to directly connect the two transit centers.

Lake Ronkonkoma-based Tritec Real Estate Co. and Jericho-based Blumenfeld Development Group both told Newsday they submitted project proposals to the county by the Sept. 25 deadline, although details about their pitches remain largely unclear.

Mike Martino, a spokesman for Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine, said it was “too early” for the county to confirm how many proposals it received or estimate when a developer will be chosen. He told Newsday that a committee will be convened to review the proposals.

"I am looking forward to learning what the proposals are outlining, and have every confidence that the winning proposal will help the county develop its [property], create jobs and play a major role in Suffolk's economic development goals,” Romaine said in a written statement.

The two companies

Tritec is overseeing the nearby $1.2 billion Station Yards project. That development sits north of the LIRR station and will include nearly 1,500 apartments, almost 200,000 square feet of retail space and another 360,000 square feet of office space when completed.

Company spokesman Chris Kelly described Tritec’s Ronkonkoma Hub pitch as “nonresidential” but said the developer wouldn't share further details before speaking “with community leaders, local stakeholders, and relevant elected officials.”

Blumenfeld Development, or BDG, has overseen multiple commercial developments in the region, including the Bulova Corporate Center in Queens. BDG president Ed Blumenfeld said the company’s portfolio also includes aviation infrastructure.

Blumenfeld described the company's bid as a commercial development that would include “biotech research and healthcare along with retail.” He said the plan also “provides for the option of adding entertainment and recreational development to the mix.”

“But it is important to recognize that any development on county property needs to dovetail with the Town's own adjacent efforts at Long Island MacArthur Airport,” Blumenfeld said in an email. “That requires coordination, consensus, and communication.”

Past effort fuels skepticism

An earlier proposed project, called Midway Crossing, would have joined the town and county developments as well. But Romaine canceled that $2.8 billion initiative in January 2025 because the selected developers missed planning deadlines.

Suffolk Legis. Anthony Piccirillo, the presiding officer, has historically been skeptical of retrying that effort. In June, he told Newsday he wanted to redirect about $50 million in county tax revenue set aside for the Ronkonkoma Hub, arguing the initiative had failed to meaningfully progress.

Piccirillo (R-Holtsville) told Newsday he wanted more time to review the proposals before commenting on them.

An Islip Town selection committee recommended a developer's proposal for the town’s portion of the project in July, Newsday reported. The committee tapped developer RXR to build a new terminal at the airport’s north end, but that plan still needs final approval from the five-member town board.

Skepticism about such a move still exists among some town officials, including Councilman Michael McElwee, who told Newsday he is “still a firm believer that our airport is just fine exactly where it is.”

But Councilman John Lorenzo, who has historically shared McElwee’s skepticism about a new north terminal, told Newsday he saw Tritec's and BDG’s county bids as “a great start” for the broader development initiative.

“It’s a complete step in the right direction, in my opinion,” said Lorenzo, whose district includes the airport. “I would love to sit down with the county. … The town and the county have to work together with this project to move it forward.”