LIA chief urges Avalon Bay to try again

Long Island Association president Kevin Law is asking Avalon Bay, whose hopes to build a 490-unit housing project in Huntington Station were dashed by the town board last year, to try again.

In a letter to Avalon Bay president Tim Naughton in late December, Law noted that the company has already invested millions of dollars on the Island in studies in its failed efforts to build the development, which would have included some affordable units.

"Please don't let the setback in Huntington discourage you from further investing in our area," Law said. "Long Island still has all of the assets that attracted Avalon here in the first place, like our parks, beaches, golf courses and proximity to New York City. "

Law also said the LIA would "galvanize the business community to ensure that the unfortunate land use process in Huntington never happens again to Avalon or any other smart transit-oriented development project again."

"We want you here," Law concluded. "We need you here."

Avalon's proposal was turned down by the town board in a 3-2 vote in September. Opponents said the project was too dense for the area.

In a statement, Matt Whalen, an Avalon Bay vice president, did not commit to another such effort but said that the company is hopeful that under Law's leadership "the business community will help promote sound new developments across Long Island and counterbalance all of the forces which are trying to ensure that nothing is built" here.

Desmond Ryan, executive director of the developers' group Association for a Better Long Island, said that while he welcomed Law's idea, the market has changed dramatically in the last few years. Home prices are markedly lower in both Nassau and Suffolk and the number of houses on the market remains large. For Avalon to now make another investment into such a market would be "extremely difficult," Ryan said.

Huntington Town supervisor Frank Petrone said he expects Avalon Bay to make another proposal, albeit smaller, sometime in the future.