Wrecking crews move in as Jefferson Plaza makeover gets underway

Demolition has begun at Jefferson Plaza in Port Jefferson Station, marking the first physical step in a sweeping redevelopment that will replace one of Long Island’s oldest shopping centers with a mixed-use complex featuring hundreds of apartments and a revamped retail section.

Heavy equipment rolled onto the 10.4-acre site at the intersection of Terryville Road and Route 112 last week, clearing the way for a project that would transform the largely vacant plaza into a miniature downtown.

The project will feature a main street dividing homes from shops, according to the plans submitted to Brookhaven Town by owner Staller Associates Realty of Islandia.

Built in 1959, the 112,000-square-foot center became largely vacant earlier this decade as tenants including Rite Aid departed. Zorba the Greek restaurant closed in January after 46 years at the plaza.

The Planet Fitness there says it remains open, and that their hours are as of now unaffected by the construction. A Subway inside a part of the plaza that has not been knocked down has closed.

The project makes use of a Brookhaven zoning code that permits housing on commercial properties. Town officials and civic leaders have backed the plan as a way to revitalize a struggling corridor.

_{Top: the demolition of Jefferson Plaza in Port Jefferson Station began last week (Andrew Theodorakis photo).}