Riverhead seeks homeownership-focused redevelopment of downtown parking lot; RFP sets Aug. 24 proposal deadline

Riverhead Town Supervisor Jerry Halpin and town staff on Tuesday hosted an informational session for the Long Island Forward Housing Program RFP, describing plans to redevelop a 2.07-acre town-owned parking lot adjacent to the Long Island Rail Road station into a housing-led, mixed-use, transit-oriented development.

Halpin framed the town's preference around ownership models, saying the town's "thrust here is homeownership," while allowing rental or mixed proposals if they proved financially feasible. He described the site as bounded by Osborne, Railroad, Cedar and Court streets and urged designs that align with the town's Railroad Avenue overlay district, pattern book and state Downtown Revitalization Initiative goals.

The procurement calendar was presented by Matt Tester of BJH Advisors. Tester said the RFP process includes a nonmandatory in-person site tour "Tuesday, July 21 at 11AM," a hard deadline for written questions of Monday, July 27 at 3PM, a consolidated set of town responses to be posted Monday, August 3, and a final proposal submission deadline of Monday, August 24 at 3PM. Tester said the review team expects to select approximately three finalists and that public hearings are expected in late September.

Town staff and planning officials described the lot's current use and zoning context. Dawn, the town staff member leading the site presentation, said the parcel was assembled in the early 1990s, serves primarily Southern County Court visitors and employees, and is "most of the time less than half full." She noted the site sits inside a TOD (transit-oriented development) overlay placed over a 1997 urban renewal area that was rezoned to allow greater height and density to attract development.

On affordability and incentives, Dawn said the town is not offering a direct subsidy for the site but that the land sits in an urban renewal area, which gives the town flexibility on land pricing. She also mentioned state programs that could support infrastructure or ownership opportunities. "The town is not offering any subsidy," she said; the town encouraged developers to explore available state and local incentives and to consult directly with the Industrial Development Agency about IDA benefits.

Speakers addressed parking questions from prospective proposers. Dawn said the lot is used primarily by courthouse visitors and staff but is often under capacity; she said the town will consider developer proposals that present functional parking solutions, including shared parking, rather than demanding a rigid one-for-one built replacement. Council member Bob Kern relayed that the town attorney had reviewed the county contract and advised there is no contractual requirement to replace every existing space on a one-for-one basis.

The town framed the project as part of a broader downtown revitalization effort that it said has attracted roughly $100 million in public-private investment. Officials highlighted nearby amenities'from the Long Island Aquarium and Peconic River to the Suffolk Theater and retail nodes'as assets supporting market demand for new housing.

Next procedural steps are the written Q&A posting on Aug. 3 and the Aug. 24 proposal deadline; selection of finalists and public hearings are expected thereafter. The town said it will respond in writing to outstanding questions submitted during the session and encouraged proposers to register for the site tour and to read the RFP packet carefully.

The info session concluded with closing thanks to New York State partners, BJH Advisors and town staff.