Secatogue Avenue between the LIRR train station and Eastern Parkway will be closed until September 1, due to the ongoing construction of Jefferson Plaza—a $59 million transit-oriented development project next to the LIRR station—which will involve installation of water, gas, cable and electrical utility lines underground. When finished, the two phase construction project is expected to end in 154 new apartment units as well as another approximately 19,400 square feet of retail space.
“The main reason for doing this now is that there is much less traffic in July and August around the train station,” said Farmingdale Village Mayor Ralph Ekstrand.
According to Ekstrand, with so many people away on summer vacation and no school bus traffic, summer serves as the ideal time to do the work so come September, when school starts, the construction won’t displace any fall classes.
“Believe or not, the developer expects to have all of this put in, in less than two months,” Ekstrand said.
The project will include the installation of storm drain and sewage connections to the Nassau County stormwater and sewage systems.
Following Hurricane Irene, back in 2011, the village board passed legislation that requires any new development in the village to bury all utility lines. While burying utility wires is costly, developers have
agreed not only to pay to bury the wires, but to remove telephone poles.
Developer Anthony Bartone said the installation of PSE&G utilities underground were approved from the get-go, while the existing telephone poles needed to be removed to help widen the roadway along South Front Street in the village to allow for two-way traffic flow downtown.
“We wanted to do everything all in one shot,” Bartone said.
Although Secatogue Avenue remains closed for the time being, Bartone said that he plans to reopen the street before Labor Day and anticipates having construction completed on the smaller of the two buildings by October or November of this year.
To get weekly updates on the progress of Phase I and Phase II of the TDI-Bartone development, visit the village website at www.farmingdalevillage.com/Jefferson%20Plaza.htm.
