The Nassau County Planning Commission unanimously approved an application on Thursday, May 1, for the property that holds the Sunrise Mall to be divided into four parcels of land, which may pave the way for Amazon to come to Massapequa.
The approved plan divides 67 acres of land into four parts: Parcel A will be 26.7 acres, Parcel B 32.3 acres, Parcel C 5.56 acres, and Parcel D 2.52 acres.
Jeffrey Mooallem, the executive vice president and chief operating officer at Urban Edge Properties, a real estate investment trust that manages the property, said a contract was signed between Sunrise Mall Holdings LLC and Amazon for Parcel A.
Judy Simoncic, an attorney representing Sunrise Mall Holdings LLC, the property owner, assured that the subdivision would not lead to the mall’s demolition.
“I can’t emphasize enough, there is no construction proposed and there will be no immediate demolition of the main mall building,” she said.
The mall is situated in the middle of the property, stretching into both Parcels A and B.
Simoncic said it would be years before any demolition plans would be considered for the site and that those plans would need town and county approval.
Amazon has nine locations throughout Long Island, with nearby warehouses in Bethpage, Carle Place and Syosset.
Several community members spoke at the public hearing on Thursday, voicing concern over the zoning change.
“If you put Amazon in there, it’s 24/7 with the noise, with the deliveries,” Joyce Bambino, a Massapequa Park resident, said. “At least with the mall, 11 o’clock came and it was lights out.”
Sunrise Mall Holdings LLC purchased the property in 2020. The two-story, 1.2 million-square-foot mall was 65% occupied at that time. Simoncic said the COVID-19 pandemic and online competition led to leases not being renewed. Dick’s Sporting Goods is the only retail store still operating in the mall.
Other residents said there would be concerns about traffic and quality of life in the area, which Simoncic said would not be anything to worry about until plans for the property are made.
“In a real estate market and economy that are facing challenges, we are taking a thoughtful and comprehensive approach to the analysis of a retail property that has clearly come to the end of its current mission,” the website said. “The process requires time as we seek to determine how best to add depth to the town’s economy, be consistent with acceptable land use, and generate meaningful jobs.”
