Development proposed for property near Hicksville LIRR Station

The current industrial property at 230 Duffy Avenue, Hicksville, could be repurposed as an e-commerce distribution center but its landlord believes its walking distance proximity to the Hicksville LIRR station makes it a prime candidate to contribute to the redevelopment of downtown Hicksville by allowing it to become a residential transit oriented development with apartments for those who wish to remain on Long Island without the responsibilities of home ownership.

Milvado Property Group turns aside its original plan for an as-of-right e-commerce distribution center

As the Town of Oyster Bay moves ahead with plans to redevelop downtown Hicksville, Milvado Property Group, a leading owner and manager of industrial, office, mixed-use, and R&D properties across Long Island, today announced they have submitted a request to Town Hall that would allow their property at 230 Duffy Avenue to be rezoned as a transit oriented development parcel and thereby support the town's economic strategy for Hicksville.

The move comes as the ribbon was cut on shared work space and more than a dozen apartments at 35 Broadway in Hicksville characterized by Town officials as "the template for turning Hicksville into the most beautiful and vibrant downtown on Long Island."

David Hercman, Milvado's Regional Director, stated, "The Town of Oyster Bay is recognizing that transit oriented development has the means to power Hicksville's economy, enhance property values, generate taxes that will support schools and essential services, and underscore the wisdom of a nearly two billion dollar investment in the Long Island Rail Road. Accordingly, we are following their direction by seeking to repurpose what is currently industrial space adjacent to the Hicksville LIRR station."

Mr. Hercman stated their initial plan was to reinvent their 125,000 square foot building at 230 Duffy within an as-of-right zone that would allow them to raise their roof to fifty feet and create an e-commerce distribution center for vans and trucks.

Considering the future

Hercman noted, "We recognize there will be an exhaustive zoning and review process since a residential transit oriented development cannot be built as of right. We weighed the opposition that every proposal brings against the considerable benefits to the community including reduced traffic, access to one of the most important mass transit improvements in Hicksville since the tracks were elevated decades ago, and a ready market for the retail being proposed for the `Downtown Masterplan.' "

The property at 230 Duffy offers one of the most effective opportunities for transit oriented development. It is a brisk eight minute walk from the LIRR and is far superior to the e-commerce distribution center in the heart of what will be a downtown on the verge of being reinvented as a compelling destination.

Hercman concluded, "We recognize that Long Island development is a marathon and we will seek to work closely with our neighbors to establish the parameters for such a development. We have asked ourselves, are we prepared to create something that works far better with the tax base, the township, the community, and the neighborhood? The answer is yes."