Bids are in for vacant Ronkonkoma Hub south

Daily Point

Long-empty parcel gets two proposals by deadline

With at least two major developers submitting bids, it looks like the vacant land south of Ronkonkoma's Long Island Rail Road station might have a new chance at life.

The Point confirmed that Blumenfeld Development Group in Jericho and Tritec Real Estate Co. in Ronkonkoma submitted bids by the Friday deadline.

Tritec already is building Station Yards, a mixed-use development that ultimately will have 1,450 apartments, along with office space, retail and restaurants, just to the north of the Ronkonkoma LIRR station.

However, a senior Tritec executive confirmed to The Point that the developer's bid for the southern portion is "non-residential." Tritec officials declined to provide further details about their proposal.

Town of Islip officials have made clear they do not want and wouldn't approve zoning for housing on that portion of the property, and the county said in its request for proposals that it was seeking uses other than residential.

Ed Blumenfeld, who heads Blumenfeld Development Group, told The Point that his bid recommends commercial development, including space for life sciences companies, which includes those who do research and development related to biotech and healthcare. He also proposes to add retail "to support the commuter aspect and the existing residential around Station Yards."

But Blumenfeld's plan also provides for the option of adding entertainment and recreational development to the mix as well.

Blumenfeld said the group behind his bid includes Woodbury engineer John Cameron, who was involved in Midway Crossing, a previous attempt to build on the southern portion of the Hub, which Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine canceled last year.

Blumenfeld noted that his bid showcases a recognition that anything built on the county property would need to dovetail with the town's own efforts at Long Island MacArthur Airport. The Point has previously reported that Islip officials had chosen RXR, the longtime real estate developer headed by Scott Rechler, as its preferred candidate to redevelop and modernize the airport land. Blumenfeld, who said he has previously done contracted work at MacArthur, Republic and Gabreski airports, noted that he has had a longtime relationship with Rechler, adding that "we communicate often."

"We are very familiar with MacArthur Airport and with the train station. There's such a synergy there and it's time we took advantage to do something dramatic on Long Island," Blumenfeld said. "That's what we're hoping to achieve with our proposal."

Observers said the two bids on the county land boded well for the possibility of getting something done on the long-empty parcel.

"The fact that they got two very, very responsible bidders lays the groundwork for a significant development at the site," said Mitch Pally, who previously headed the Ronkonkoma local development corporation, which was tasked with coordinating the future of the property. "I think it works very well that there are two significant Long Island developers who can work closely with the town proposal from Scott Rechler and his group to potentially move the terminal as part of the larger project."

Romaine spokesman Michael Martino told The Point that the county had "received encouraging responses from well-known, successful companies." 

"We have every confidence that the project proposed by the winning bidder will be a tremendous economic engine and create jobs and opportunities on the county parcel," Martino said. "We're looking forward to the review process." 

Blumenfeld added that developers need willing partners in government. 

"We need the county and the town to sit down with the private sector and get it done," he said. "There has to be give and take and there has to be a meeting of the minds and there has to be a willingness to go forward."

— Randi F. Marshall randi.marshall@newsday.com

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