The Town of Islip has created a special webpage where residents can make comments about the proposed Heartland Town Square, a project that has been in the works for years.
A final vote on the development is due this spring, after a zoning meeting in April or early May. Residents are encouraged to attend with their questions, and if possible, submit them ahead of time via the new webpage.
An informational meeting will be held before any zoning changes are made. Town planners will use a slideshow to illustrate Jerry Wolkoff's plans for the project, which is located in Brentwood between the Sagtikos Parkway and Commack Road. Wolkoff's original proposal called for a mixed-use project, including one million sq. ft. to be used for retail purposes, three million sq. ft. available for offices, and 9,000 apartments.
In August, the planning board recommended that the town be allowed to monitor the impact the first stage of the development had before any additional phases were approved. The board also recommended limiting building heights to five stories, reducing the total size of the project by almost two million square feet.
The property comprises 450 acres, which Wolkoff bought from the state in 2002. He would like to have it rezoned from residential to the Pilgrim State Planned Redevelopment District, a newly created entity.
Projects like this can benefit if developers work with a newsletter printing company to create an informative mailer for residents.
