Almost at the finish line after 20 years

Sometimes, projects and ideas take time to coalesce.

In the Greater Bellport Coalition’s case, it took two decades to get approvals for two major recent successes, mainly sewers, as well as the proposed Bellport Center. 

You can thank longtime GBC co-chairs Joann Neal and Regina Crawford, along with stalwart members including former president John Rogers and GBC secretary Nancy Marr.

The Long Island Advance interviewed Neal and Crawford at the bustling Dunkin’ on Montauk Highway, in Bellport, that opened in 2022, a major important addition in itself to the area. It had a dozen customers drinking coffee, conversing, and eating breakfast sandwiches inside at 10:30 a.m.

The Brookhaven Zoning Board approved Bellport Center’s appeal on April 29, green lighting another game-changer for the area on the southwest corner of Station Road and Montauk Highway; that is, a two-story building with rental possibilities for several merchants and a community room upstairs for nonprofit meetings. The planned project is across from the attractive Sunoco Station that received a significant facelift.

Montauk Highway is still sparce with trees, but Crawford said eventually, that will take place with landscaping. The GBC received a $4.5 million NY Forward grant submitted by the town last year for projects requested, including more lights, signage, landscaping and a mural that represented the community at the LIRR train station.

There were five plans since 2014 for that corner before the Bellport Center project passed, Crawford said.

(Crawford and Neal admitted containing themselves when it was finally approved. They did allow themselves hearty claps, though.)

“It had originally been zoned for a park and variances had to be addressed,” Neal said before going forward. The project was applied for under Fraz Realty Inc.

“It was very hard keeping the coalition with its vision alive after 20 years, especially with the constant changes with the town board and county legislators,” Crawford added.

“Different people had different visions,” said Neal.

John Farakh Iqbal, owner of the Bellport Sunoco Gas Station and Grab & Go convenience store at 1741 Montauk Highway, created an attractive business model with his gas station renovation and wants to do the same with the Bellport Center. Last year, he told the Advance he was investing $2.4 million in the project.

“He’s ready to build,” Crawford said.

With the Long Island Rail Road steps away, the Bellport Center concept “has always been a plan for progress,” Crawford added.

There had been a number of visioning meetings, including one in 2007 at St. Joseph the Worker. “People would get discouraged when they didn’t see anything happening,” Neal said.

Councilman Mike Loguercio, who has been working with the community, has been supportive.

“Basically, Ed Romaine (as town supervisor) and I promised to clean up the entire area and bring in economic growth and housing, and now it’s coming into fruition with D & G Development Group founder Peter Florey (with partner Leonard D’Amico). Dunkin’ Donuts and Miracle Plaza have been redone.”

Neal and Crawford related some of the must-dos first put on GBC’s checklist. “We needed affordable housing and apartments,” Neal said. “What was there in rents was too expensive and there were constant evictions.” She mentioned a plan for apartments with a pool that was shot down. Now, she pointed out there were the Gleneagle Green apartments offering affordable housing as well as the planned 96-unit affordable housing complex.

“Family Dollar closed, but Dollar General opened,” Crawford said. “We’re going to get a laundromat and are hoping for a supermarket next door.”

“We’re not quitting,” said Neal.

Crawford said she remembered when there were no trees and no lights. “Then they were installed on Station Road when ShotSpotter was put in. But after a while, a lot didn’t work. And John Rogers took a count one time. There were 66 that were out.”

Rogers, a former GBC president for 17 years, said the lights got fixed after he notified the town. “The town has been responsive across administrations, and we have a good working partnership with the both the county and the town. After the town passed the land-use plan in 2014, they did rezoning; D & F Development came up with proposals for Atlantic Avenue and the town made sure the apartments got built.”

Legis. Dominick Thorne attends many of the GBC meetings and has been a key fighter for the community. He called Neal and Crawford with the sewer news.

“Sewering will enable economic growth and open up a whole new possibility for businesses in that area,” he said. “You can’t have supermarkets and restaurants without sewers.

“I’m responsive to the neighborhood and was a heavy advocate to take this to fruition, and I must commend the coalition for their continuing support for that neighborhood.”

Thorne said the sewers will traverse Station Road and a large swath of Montauk Highway in the greater Bellport area. Work will start in 2027. Also, the county was picking up the costs for the design and surveying. “Surveying letters have already gone out to homeowners and businesses,” he said. “The sewers will increase property values.”