Newsday: These Long Island housing developments are game changers

The Boulevard at Yaphank

• Number of units proposed: Estimated 850 units
• Developer: Breslin and AVR Realty
• Year first proposed: 2011
• County/Town/Village board sitting with: Brookhaven Town

Next steps for approval: Rental units and condos have already been built and have proven popular, with about 200 more rental units currently being developed. A town park was recently completed, and a hotel is also being planned for the community. The retail portion of the project is currently being developed.

History of proposal: Developer Wilbur Breslin began purchasing tracts of land in Yaphank in 1972 with the goal of creating a 1.65-million-square-foot mall with more than 12,000 homes and 1.3 million square feet of office space on 2,000 acres. The project was highly unpopular with the public and was denied in 1989. In 1999, Breslin partnered with AVR Realty to develop the smaller Meadows project, now known as The Boulevard, which was approved in 2011. Ground was broken in June 2015 with construction scheduled to finish in 2025.

Future of proposal – how will it be a game-changer for the region? After many years of failed developments in the area, The Boulevard at Yaphank could bring several benefits to the area. In addition to creating new housing and retail for western Suffolk residents, the project could help expand the Ronkonkoma LIRR line with the addition and electrification of a new Yaphank station. A study is currently underway on whether it is feasible to construct a new station. Rental housing around the proposed rail stop is also an option once a location is chosen, according to Mitch Pally, chief executive officer of the Long Island Builders Institute.