Superblock Construction Gets Unanimous Approval From Nassau IDA

LONG BEACH, NY — The Nassau County Industrial Development Agency unanimously approved a plan which will allow a developer to begin construction on the vacant Superblock in Long Beach — a property that has been vacant for decades. It will also end the multi-million-dollar lawsuit the city is facing.

At a meeting Tuesday night, the IDA approved resolutions to allow Garden City-based developer Engel Burman to receive tax incentives for building hundreds of apartments and condominiums on the long-vacant site. The project will bring hundreds of new residents to the city, the IDA said, and help Long Beach's economy.

"This site has been a challenge to fill for many, many years," said IDA President Richard Kesel. "This project will be an extraordinary boost for the City of Long Beach, the people who live there and the county of Nassau."

Engel Burman is proposing to build 238 apartments and 200 condominiums on the six-acre site, which fronts the ocean on Shore Road, between Long Beach Boulevard and Riverside Boulevard. The project would also include retail space.

An economic impact study on the project by the IDA said that the project would create 883 jobs and bring about $21.5 million in spending to the area each year from new residents. It also estimates the developers would pay more than $100 million in Payments In Lieu Of Taxes (PILOTs) over 25 years.

The deal would also lead to iStar, the former developer of the site, dropping a $100 million lawsuit it filed against the city. iStar claimed that it didn't get IDA approval for its project on the site because the city didn't support it.

The vacant site sits right on the city's boardwalk, and has been an eyesore for residents for years. It has sat vacant since 1985. Numerous attempts were made to develop the property, but they all fell through. IDA board members were hopeful that the Engel Burman project would finally clear up the site and make the area more appealing.

Because of the importance of the project, Kessel said he was forming a special committee to follow the progress and make sure things are going smoothly. It will consist of IDA board members, representatives from local trades, and people from the city. Kessel said the committee would follow the project "from groundbreaking to completion."

"This is one of the most important projects that the IDA has ever done," said Kessel. "It's something that hasn't been able to be accomplished for almost four decades."