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A long-blighted strip of Montauk Highway in Bellport into East Patchogue is about to get a facelift at one of its more prominent locations: the intersection of Montauk and Station Road.
The owners of the property at the northwest corner of the intersection — now the site of a crumbling Sunoco station and minimart — are planning to replace the building with an entirely new one, and more.
The new building will house a new minimart and Dunkin’ Donuts, and stand closer to Atlantic Avenue to the north.
“As far as revitalization goes, there have been efforts over the decades to make the neighborhood of North Bellport a more beautiful place, and I think this is a step in the right direction,” said Muhammad Junaid, whose family acquired the land in 2010.
The plans also call for a well-lit canopy and eight new fuel pumps, six for gasoline and another two for Diesel.
Junaid said the planned upgrades, which still need zoning variances, site plan approvals and building permits through the town, make good business sense as well.
“Competition has become so severe, with big companies like Speedway [and others] moving in and being really aggressive,” he said. “You need to upgrade to remain competitive in this market. And besides that, it’s a huge lot, it’s not very pretty and things are breaking. You spend so much money just trying to maintain the place and keep it running the way it is.”
Junaid said the family will also be installing a waterfall or fountain on the property, closer to Montauk Highway.
This news comes as representatives with Brookhaven Town, Suffolk County and local advocates such as those with the Greater Bellport Coalition have been pushing to revitalize the area, namely by getting sewers to Montauk Highway to further spur additional beautification and development.
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The new owners of the adjacant Miracle Plaza are planning renovations as well, though residents have raised concerns about losing small and well-known mainstay businesses such as Holla Dollar in favor of larger chain stores like Family Dollar.
Calls to the Miracle Plaza owners have not been returned in recent weeks.
Junaid, whose family owners the property at the gas station, said the current owner of the Sunoco station will be staying put and leasing space in the new building as well.
He said the planning approvals and permits should be coming over in the next few months.
The hope is to get construction under way before summer.
“That’s the goal,” he said.
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