Renaissance Downtowns' First Phase Nears Completion in Huntington Station
/By Connor Beach
cbeach@longislandergroup.com
Construction on the Northridge building, the first phase of Renaissance Downtowns’ Huntington Station revitalization project, will be complete by the end of the year, according to the developer working on the building.
Grant Havasy, a Melville resident and managing partner of Huntington-based Blue and Gold Holdings, said he and his fellow company members see the plan to redevelop Huntington Station as an opportunity to revive the community.
“When it’s just a plan, not everyone wants to be the pioneer,” said Havasy, who is a graduate of Half Hollow Hills High School East in Dix Hills. “As a Huntington company, we felt so confident in the concept that we were happy to be the first domino.”
The mixed-use Northridge building, found at 1060 New York Ave., includes space for up to four commercial clients on the ground floor and 16 one-bedroom apartments across its second and third floors.
A 596-square-foot retail space has been leased to May’s Gourmet Deli, which plans to open its second location.
The remaining 4,560 square feet of commercial space is still up for grabs, according to Juliana Severo, of Signature Properties, one of the building’s listing agents.
Similarly, each of the 16 apartments are also on the market. Rents average around $2,500 a month, Severo said.
“The apartments are perfect for young people to stay in Huntington rather than move into the city,” Severo said.
The Northridge building is step one of Plainview-based Renaissance Downtowns’ larger development plan for the surrounding area. There is also a second, larger mixed-use building planned for Gateway Plaza, along with 49 artist lofts, a hotel and an office building, each of which Renaissance Downtowns wants to build off of New York Avenue, north of the train station.
Renaissance Downtowns President Ryan Porter said construction on the Gateway Plaza building is expected to begin next year.
“The majority of what we push for is mixed use because the vibrancy of a downtown area is created by a walkable space,” Porter said.
Development has been eyed for the side north of the train tracks because it has sewer access not found on the southern side, Porter said. Renaissance Downtowns is working with county and town officials to improve the sewer infrastructure on the southern side, he added.