Topping-out ceremony marks progress at Long Beach Superblock project

Developers and local officials on Tuesday placed the top beam on a 10-story oceanfront apartment and condo development at the Long Beach Superblock, marking the progress since breaking ground slightly more than a year ago.

Uniondale developer Engel Burman is building 200 condominiums at Isla Blue and 238 apartments at Ocean Breeze on the boardwalk between Long Beach and Riverside boulevards, which is expected to be completed in 2024.

Engel Burman principal Steven Krieger said the project is moving ahead of schedule and is about a year away from opening the first building of apartments. 

“The building we all saw today was a testament of teamwork from the county, the city and labor and the team at Engel Burman,” Krieger said.

Nassau County and the City of Long Beach officials noted how the $369 million three-building complex, built on 6,500-square-feet of boardwalk-level retail has transformed the 6.5-acre parcel that sat vacant for 60 years and could potentially bring an influx of new economic development to Long Beach and Nassau.

“It’s an economic driver to bring new people into Nassau County that will be investing and raising families in the city,” said Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman who attended the ceremony. “As far as I’m concerned, it will enhance the economy of Long Beach and Nassau County. The best way to keep property taxes down is to increase the economic base.”

Construction at the site had been stymied for decades with prior developers as the city opposed tax breaks and previous plans for 522 apartments in a pair of 15-story buildings. The Nassau County Industrial Development Agency previously rejected up to $129 million in tax breaks and the city refused to back the project.

Engel Burman purchased the property last year, marking a sea change after developers agreed to follow zoning codes and held community meetings. A condition of the project also called for between $3 million to $5 million in infrastructure improvements,

The Nassau IDA eventually approved $49 million in tax breaks over 25 years in a PILOT or payment in lieu of taxes deal. IDA Chairman Richard Kessel said the annual PILOT payments would exceed the taxes paid on the vacant property.

“The fact the IDA didn’t charge in and say, ‘this is how we’re going to do it,’ but reached out to local officials and community leaders and worked with a new developer really made a difference,” Kessel said.

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.