Grants Could Bring Big Investment to Downtown Rocky Point

Local officials are awaiting word on a couple of grants they say could start paving the way – literally – for a revitalized downtown Rocky Point, adding up to more than an $800,000 investment in the area.

The Rocky Point Civic Association applied for a $55,000 Suffolk County Downtown Revitalization Grant, while Councilwoman Jane Bonner said that she's waiting to hear on a $750,000 application through the New York State Department of Transportation that would bring a "soup to nuts" facelift to the business district.

Brookhaven Town has sent its application in to DOT, according to a spokesman for state Sen. Ken LaValle, R-Port Jefferson, though as applications are being taken on a rolling basis, it remains unclear when word might come down. While a wait-and-see approach remains, Bonner said on Monday she's hoping that a municipal investment in the area could spur private investment as well.

"This would show business owners that the town, county and state are investing in the future of downtown Rocky Point, and give the business owners an incentive to spruce things up, or in some cases, sell their property to someone who would," she said.

While not as tangible as a $750,000 construction project – which would include new sidewalks, street lights, planters and more – investment in the area has already begun.

Following a corridor study running from Mt. Sinai to Wading River, the town re-zoned nearly 80 parcels in the downtown corridor in January to make them more attractive for business purposes on Broadway and the Route 25A business district, increasing the permitted square footage for businesses in the area and attempting to spur pedestrian walkability. In addition, a property off of Broadway was purchased in March using federal funding, which will eventually host 16 parking spots. And most recently, Brookhaven Town Board approved $5,000 which will go toward creating a sort of "design manual" – standards for building facades, street lights, etc. – for future projects in the corridor.

Bonner said if the town is unable to land state funding for the project – which focuses on Broadway, from King Road to Route 25A – she has a commitment from Town Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro to phase the work in over the next couple of budget cycles. And if the town is able to capture the grant, Town Highway Department work would instead focus on the Route 25A section of the "T."

Losquadro confirmed that he has put $700,000 in next year's budget – which will be voted on this fall by town board members – for the downtown Rocky Point area, and should state funding come though, he would be committed to keeping it there.

According to Kathy Weber, treasurer with the Rocky Point Civic Association, a $55,000 application with the Suffolk County Downtown Revitalization Committee would re-work the intersection at Prince Road and Broadway, offering new crosswalks, curbs, and streetlights. The application, due in mid-June, will compete for a pool of $250,000 available county-wide, and Weber said she hopes to hear by September or October how the project stands in relation to other applications.