Long Beach Superblock project breaks ground after 60-year stalemate

Developers broke ground Tuesday on the Superblock apartment and condo project in Long Beach, ending a 60-year stalemate on building at the vacant oceanfront property.

Uniondale builders with the Engel Burman Group said they plan to start construction in the next three months on 200 condominiums at the Isla Blue and 238 apartments at Ocean Breeze, both facing the boardwalk between Long Beach and Riverside boulevards. The project is expected to take about four years to be fully built.

Engel Burman has a three-year building permit to build three towers, including two nine-story condo buildings and a 10-story apartment building on the 6.5 acre vacant lot.

Construction will include drilling 2,000 concrete piles, laying the foundation and $3 million in off-site sewer and water improvements.

"Welcome to a new chapter in Long Beach history that celebrates the strength, vitality and a future of this community," Engel Burman president Jan Burman said. "It's been a long time coming but today this historic property returns to work. The Superblock is being turned into a super economic generator for the city and Nassau County."

Nassau County and Long Beach officials reached a deal on the property, including $49 million in tax breaks from the Nassau County Industrial Development Agency over the next 25 years.

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said the project will provide much needed housing in Nassau County, retail and parking with a responsible tax incentive.

"On this 6.5 acres of gravel and grass, something’s finally going to happen," Curran said. "For 60 years this site has been a symbol of stagnation. Look where it is, you cannot have a better location."

Plans call for 1,100 parking spaces on the first two levels, 6,500-square-feet of boardwalk-level retail and restaurant space and a boardwalk plaza and pool as part of the complex between the adjacent buildings.

The property has remained vacant following of decades of litigations and disputes between elected officials and developers.

The previous plan by Manhattan developer iStar Financial to build 522 apartments in two 15-story towers was shelved when the IDA turned down $129 million in tax breaks and the city council refused to support the benefits.

The city reached a settlement with iStar to dismiss a $100 million lawsuit this year once Engel Burman purchased the property with plans to build within the city’s zoning code without variances.

Long Beach City Council President John Bendo said he told Engel Burman at the start of the project to listen to residents, follow zoning codes and enhance the neighborhood and the boardwalk.

"When this was in its infancy, Engel Burman came to us and asked what do we need to do to make this happen? What was different this time was they listened to what would make residents happy," Bendo said. "This is a plus for the residents. We’re getting a piece of land that has been idle for decades back into productive use and help expand the tax base for our city."

Former Sen. Alfonse D’Amato, once a fierce critic of iStar’s proposal, praised Engel Burman for building apartments to full taxes and seeking less than half the tax breaks asked before.

"The difference is people came in willing to work with the community and it was an opportunity to do something positive and protect the taxpayers," D’Amato 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.