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It’s now the Suffolk County Planning Commission’s turn to review the plans for a proposed hotel in Patchogue Village.
Following a public hearing on Tuesday night, the Patchogue Village Board will refer the project to the commission for consideration of a zoning change for the potential site at 138 West Avenue, a former bowling alley. The proposal would rezone the site from an E-Industrial District to a Hotel District.
West Avenue Partners, LLC, the applicant, plans to develop a Tempo by Hilton hotel, an upscale brand that will overlook the Patchogue River. In response to recent public feedback, the developers have modified their plans, reducing the building from six stories to five. The project now includes 96 hotel rooms, down from the original 116, and 13 apartments instead of 16.
Before voting on the zoning change, the Village Board must receive a recommendation from the Suffolk Planning Commission. The Village Board is expected to vote on the zoning change within 45 to 60 days after the commission’s review.
“They may determine it’s a matter of local determination,” said Patchogue Village attorney Brian Egan.
If the zoning change is approved, the project will proceed to the Village Planning Board for a regulatory review.
At the latest public hearing, the developers presented new renderings, showcasing the riverside view of the hotel. Previous renderings focused on street views from West Avenue and Division Street. “It’s a nicely landscaped area with a black wrought iron fence separating the municipal space from the hotel,” said Larry Davis, a Patchogue lawyer representing the applicant.
The developers also shared plans to collaborate with the neighboring Fire Island National Seashore to create a public park in the space between the properties.
The project has divided the community, with some residents viewing it as an economic boost and others expressing concerns about potential congestion in the downtown area.
Patchogue Village Mayor Paul Pontieri, one of the project’s strongest advocates, sees the development as key to establishing Patchogue as a premier destination on Long Island’s South Shore. If built, this will be the only hotel in the South Shore village.
“How do we become something different than what we are? How do we become a destination?” Pontieri previously said.
Check back with greaterlongisland.com for developments on this project. Scroll down for previously supplied renderings from the developer’s architect, JM2 Architecture.
New renderings from the river
Renderings from the street
Top: Renderings courtesy of JM2 Architecture
