Senior-care project replacing East Islip Lanes set to start in August
East Islip Lanes has officially closed as construction is slated to begin in August of an assisted living center on the site. Credit: Rick Kopstein
Construction on an expansive assisted living and memory care facility slated to replace an East Islip bowling alley is due to begin next month, creating 90 senior living units that will serve an aging Long Island population.
The 88,000-square-foot facility will built on the former site of bowling alley East Islip Lanes, which will be demolished, and host 104 licensed beds, according to project developers Benchmark Senior living and National Development.
The firms expect the facility to open in 2028, they said in a joint June 30 news release, Benchmark said.
The plans, which progressed over several years despite community opposition, will bring another senior living community to the Island as its population continues to age. Citing U.S. Census data, Newsday reported last year that the percentage of Island residents age 65 and above rose more than 19% from 2015 to 2023.
“In general, assisted living is needed almost everywhere,” said Lisa Newcomb, the executive director of the Empire State Association of Assisted Living.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was “very, very little development” in the assisted living and memory care space, Newcomb said.
But the population kept aging, and so did the need for senior living facilities, she said.
Newcomb called assisted living “a need-driven industry,” stimulated by an elderly population coping with the effects of aging.
“It’s, all of a sudden, mom’s medication is cooking in the oven; mom is falling,” Newcomb said.
A spring 2026 survey by commercial real estate services and investment management company Jones Lang LaSalle Inc. showed 86% of respondents were looking to increase their senior housing investment this year. This comes as more than 10,000 Americans turn 65 each day, according to the report.
However, construction starts for assisted living facilities nationwide have slowed over the past several years, the report shows.
The bowling alley will be "removed" for the building of the senior living facility, a Benchmark spokesperson confirmed. According to the company, "construction mobilization," or the preparation of the site, will start in July, "with site work ramping up in August."
Over a month after its last days as a bowling alley, East Islip Lanes still looks like one. Tuesday morning, the exterior walls were still navy blue with painted pins.
“As a tribute to East Islip Lanes, which previously occupied the site, interior design elements of the community will take inspiration from the bowling alley,” the news release reads.
The new Benchmark site will offer 64 assisted living apartments and 26 memory care apartments, the release says.
“As demand for high-quality senior living continues to grow across Long Island, Benchmark at East Islip represents an exciting opportunity to bring our personalized approach to assisted living and memory care to more seniors and families,” said Tom Grape, founder, chairman and CEO of Benchmark Senior Living, in the news release.
Locally, residents have expressed concerns about traffic and whether the facility will fit into the community, Gary Teich, president of the East Islip Community Chamber of Commerce, told Newsday in June.
"Whenever a new development is proposed, it's natural for neighbors to have questions," Benchmark said in a written statement, noting it has heard community feedback and worked with local officials to make site plans.
There will be less on-site parking than there was for the bowling alley, Benchmark said.
"We believe Benchmark at East Islip will be a positive addition to the community by creating jobs, supporting local businesses, partnering with community organizations, and providing older adults with the opportunity to remain close to family and friends," Benchmark said in a statement.
The East Islip facility will be Benchmark's third Long Island community, and its second in partnership with National Development, the news release says. Whisper Woods of Smithtown and Orchard Estate of Woodbury are both operated by Benchmark.
Across the Northeast, Benchmark has 70 senior living communities, the release says. This includes independent living, assisted living, memory care, and continuing care retirement communities.
"Long Island is an attractive market for Benchmark because it has a large and growing population of older adults, strong demand for high-quality assisted living and memory care, and a need for additional senior living options," the Benchmark spokesperson said in a written statement.
Arielle Dollinger joined Newsday as a staff reporter in 2022. Previously, she covered local and national news as a freelancer for The New York Times, Newsday and other outlets.
