New Day Dawns For Riverhead Train Station Area

RIVERHEAD, NY — The Riverhead town board has chosen a master developer for a project that will transform the area surrounding the railroad station, long blighted, to make way for apartments, commercial space, and parking.

Following a year-long review process that began with the issuance of request for qualifications in March, 2021, the Riverhead town board chose RXR and Georgica Green Ventures as master developer to foster the development of a transportation-oriented development, or TOD, project, town officials said

The "Railroad Street Transportation Oriented Development" is a designated New York State urban renewal area, according to Community Development Director Dawn Thomas.

The town board is expected to formally vote to select the RXR and GGV team by resolution at the February 15 meeting.

“The creation of a transportation-0riented development at the Riverhead railroad station will
vastly increase public transportation options to live, work and play in downtown Riverhead and
beyond,” Riverhead Town Supervisor Yvette Aguiar said.

She thanked the 10-member TOD committee for their diligent work.

Riverhead was awarded New York State grant funding several years ago to create the plan, adopt new zoning and issue an RFQ for a developer for the project. The plan, in part, involves the town leveraging the train station surface parking lot for a new mixed-use TOD development that the town is confident will transform the long blighted area, Thomas said.

The RXR / GGV proposal, which conforms to existing zoning, calls for 243 apartment units, 2,340 square feet of retail space, 12,800 square feet of commercial space and a four to five story parking garage with 420 to 520 spaces, town officials said.

Construction is expected to take about three years.

Aguiar credited the entire town board “for once again being unified in its desire and
commitment to advancing downtown revitalization. Over 30 years of studies and planning have
finally put Riverhead in the position to realize our full economic development potential. Together with Riverhead Town Square, the TOD will transform the downtown business district into a thriving regional hub that offers an attractive venue for people to live, work and play.”