Update From Renaissance Downtowns

We want to start with a HUGE thank you to all Source the Station members and community stakeholders who have contributed over the last 18+ months to the crowdsourced placemaking (CSPM) process in Huntington Station. Renaissance Downtowns is committed to co-creating a vibrant, mixed-use downtown in Huntington Station with a dedication to the triple bottom line of social, environmental and economic responsibility.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014 was a significant night for our community. Through ideas gathered on Source the Station, we had previously identified a hotel as one of the publicly supported uses that can drive significant economic development. However, a hotel had not been previously allowed under the C-6 overlay zoning. Thanks to all the support and hard work of the Huntington Station community, the Town of Huntington Board unanimously approved the addition of a special use permit for hotels to the C-6 overlay zone. This allows developers to APPLY for a special permit to develop a hotel in Huntington Station, however all planning, site plan approvals and SEQRA processes including public hearings are still required. We recognize that the community wishes to see specific plans for a hotel and special permit addition has allowed Renaissance to move forward in creating those plans. Part of this planning process is to accommodate the the commuter parking in Huntington Station and Renaissance sees the commuter base as an important part of this effort and the future of Huntington Station.

Simultaneously, the Town of Huntington and Renaissance heard the concerns of stakeholders that a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) is not yet in place. To address these concerns, the Town and Renaissance amended their development agreement to make it a REQUIREMENT that the CBA be in place PRIOR to final site plan approval. Our team has already began meetings with stakeholder groups about the CBA and we will continue to gather feedback, with the goal of having a CBA signed by the end of the third quarter of this year. For information, please visitwww.sourcethestation.com/cba. Additionally, we welcome ALL community stakeholders to attend the next meeting, get involved, and provide their input on Tuesday, April 22nd 6:30-8:30pm at Station Sports (25 Depot Rd).

Furthermore, we are committed to help implement the Town’s Columbia Terrace project for Veterans housing, which could be in the ground as early as this summer, while a development parcel on NY Ave at Northridge Street is in the late planning stages for approximately 15,000 sf. of retail and commercial space slated to begin construction in early ‘15.  While pushing to implement development on the more immediate opportunities Renaissance continues to work with the town on solving infrastructure issues that will allow for additional development both on the part of Renaissance and other property owners/developers while supporting local businesses and entrepreneurs through various programs.

For more, please reach out to our Source the Station office at (631) 629-4660, by email at andrea@sourcethestation.com, or in person at 1266 New York Avenue, Huntington Station, NY 11746. We look forward to continue our work together!