2 Buildings To Be Demolished In Downtown Riverhead Monday

RIVERHEAD, NY —Two longtime buildings in downtown Riverhead will be demolished Monday — making way for a new town square.

The public is invited to watch the buildings come down, an event town officials have called a "downtown development milestone" as revitalization efforts gain traction downtown.

The two "long blighted' buildings, opposite the Suffolk Theater, are set to be razed Monday at 10 a.m.; the public is welcome to attend and watch, town officials said.

One building, the former iconic Swezey's Department Store, stood for more than 100 years and survived the Hurricane of '38, closing in 2003. The building has remained closed in the almost-20 years since, falling into disrepair.

"That building, in particular, has been an impediment towards revitalizing our downtown," Riverhead Town Supervisor Yvette Aguiar said in a release.

With an eye toward revitalization, Riverhead was awarded an $800,000 grant through the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council in 2019 towards the creation of the Town Square, which will consist of a public gathering space, pedestrian connectivity, and open vistas from Main Street to the riverfront. The project cost was offset by the utilization of $1.2 M in Suffolk County funds.

The primary goal of the project is to reorient the pedestrian focus from the traditional Main Street to the Peconic Riverwalk, town officials said. Plans include repurposing some existing
town-owned riverfront parking as public gathering and event spaces, splash fountains and a themed children’s playground, town officials said.

In 2020, during the start of the pandemic, with the Riverhead town board committing to bond up to $5.5 million for the project; the Town of Riverhead closed on the three properties involved in May 2021. The buildings at 117 and 121 East Main Street will be demolished on Monday, while plans for 127 East Main Street include extensive renovation, through a private sector partnership, town officials said.

“I want to commend the entire town board, as well as the community development department, engineering department and law department staff, for their commitment and efforts to take significant actions since 2020 to move the redevelopment of downtown Riverhead forward," Aguiar said.

Aguiar also thanked Rep. Lee Zeldin for enlisting the U.S. Army Corps. of Engineers to assist
and address flood mitigation measures necessary to protect the Town Square and the entire Main Street from flooding moving forward. To that end, the Army Corps. completed a floodplain management study in 2020 at a cost of $140,000, which was matched by $40,000 from the ESD Town Square funding.

“Monday’s demolition in Riverhead marks the beginning of what will be a historic revitalization of downtown Riverhead, which will kickstart the local economy, expand opportunity
and provide an overall improvement to the quality of life of Riverhead residents," Zeldin said.

"The redevelopment of the Riverhead Town Square is an amazing partnership between state, local and federal officials as we work together to revitalize and rejuvenate this important economic corridor for the region. Once completed, this project will greatly improve and enhance the quality of life for residents and businesses alike,” New York State Senator Anthony Palumbo said.

New York State Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio added: “Downtown Riverhead is ready for transformative economic redevelopment."

And, said New York State Assemblyman Fred Thiele: “I am thrilled that Riverhead is moving closer to further revitalizing its downtown area with an economic development project that will benefit its residents, visitors, schools, and adjacent businesses."

The Long Island Science Center, which purchased the building next to the Town Square, will feature a state-of-the-art planetarium and provide an "invaluable educational resource" for schools, he added.

Suffolk County Executive Steven Bellone, also applauded the progress: “Suffolk’s vibrant downtowns are essential to our post-pandemic economic recovery and we are proud to help support this innovative project that will bring new life into one of Suffolk’s great downtowns," he said. "This project will help to create new jobs and economic growth, while also expanding access to downtown Riverhead and creating new environmentally friendly, outdoor public spaces.”

Suffolk County Legislator Al Krupski said, once Town Square is complete, it will welcome the community to the riverfront. "Downtown Riverhead is drenched in history, and it has a wonderful environmental and aesthetic asset in the Peconic River . . . It will be a celebration of the downtown area, and the importance of communal spaces. Demolition of the buildings is a major step in the process."