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Construction on Riverhead’s long-envisioned Town Square is expected to begin as soon as the summer or fall.
This, after years of planning and millions of dollars in federal and state support.
“We are getting ready to start construction,” Dawn Thomas, the town’s community development director, told Greater Long Island. “We should be breaking ground soon.”
That means a major transformation is coming to the heart of the downtown, backed in bulk by more than $24 million in federal grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The funds will help build a new parking garage, add walkability upgrades and support flood protection projects tied directly to the Town Square itself.
“Not only does Riverhead have beautiful beaches, wineries, breweries, farm stands and marinas, we are about to become the home of a wonderful and majestic town square,” said Riverhead Supervisor Tim Hubbard. “It will consist of quaint shops and eateries, boutique hotel and restaurant, inclusive playground and amphitheater.
“Riverhead will become the sparkling gem of the East End.”
Thomas told Greater Long Island in 2024 that the Town Square will indeed feature three main components: A public plaza at street level, a playground and splash pad near the Peconic River, and a performance amphitheater — all of which double as flood mitigation efforts recommended by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The town is finalizing an agreement with J. Petrocelli Construction to serve as the master developer. Petrocelli is also designing a boutique hotel that would rise at the eastern edge of the Town Square, as previously announced.
And in a major shift, the Long Island Science Center is now back on track to be a key part of the Town Square after officials had considered seizing the building via eminent domain. Hubbard said the Science Center’s newly phased building plan addresses previous flooding issues and allows for an earlier reopening, with more work coming later as funds allow. A planned public hearing on the seizure was recently canceled.
Another $1.4 million in new state funding, announced in January through the governor’s Pro-Housing program, is being used to support the amphitheater portion of the Town Square.
As for the parking garage, Thomas said last year that $15 million of the $24 million federal grant allows the town to build something that’s both functional and attractive. The garage will go up on the First Street lot and include a police substation, landscaping, signage and lighting.
The town expects to begin construction on the garage about a year after the Town Square breaks ground.
Meanwhile, another $4.6 million will be used for downtown streetscaping improvements. That includes new sidewalks, crosswalks, curb bump-outs, street furniture and landscaping — all aimed at making the area more walkable and pedestrian-friendly.
Thomas told GLI in a previous discussion that Griffing Avenue and Main Street were “exceptionally wide.”
“We would pinch in areas, like they did in Westhampton, add street furniture, trees, landscaping, signage,” she had said. “And now you’ve created a better environment for pedestrians so they’re more apt to park and walk.”
— rendering credit: UDA – Jeffrey Schweiger, RA
