Huntington Station plan won't reduce LIRR parking, developer says

No parking spaces will be lost through the development of a hotel and apartments on Huntington Station land used by LIRR commuters, the master developer for the hamlet’s revitalization said.

But commuters said they still have concerns about disruptions and limits for those who park on the station’s north side.

Ryan Porter, co-chief executive and president of Plainview-based Renaissance Downtowns, plans to build a hotel with office space on the lot next to the Community First Aid Squad on Railroad Street, and artist lofts on the lot between Railroad and Church streets. Porter said about 239 parking spaces will be relocated as part of the development, but no parking spaces will be lost.

There are about 3,500 parking spaces at the station, including surface lots and parking structures.

The State Legislature last month approved transferring the land now used as parking — 4.16 acres — to the town. The town is expected to sell it to Renaissance Downtowns to develop.

A “very detailed and exhaustive” parking management plan had to be in place before the state signed off on the land transfer, Porter said, adding no parking will be lost according to stipulations by the MTA, Department of Transportation and town officials.

Porter said those agencies required that all parking be replaced and his company is committed to that.

With 54 parking spaces remaining on the hotel office site, a combination of expansion and rearranging of the lots on both the north and south sides will offset those spaces lost to the development, Porter said.

All of the south lots will be reconfigured to be more efficient, he said. Additionally, 50 new parking spaces will be built on the south side. Parking for the artist lofts will be under the building, while a parking structure will be built for the hotel-office space and not compete with commuter parking, Porter said.

“I have an obligation wherever I develop to make sure all 3,500 spaces remain,” Porter said.

Huntington Town Supervisor Chad Lupinacci said the state would not have approved the land transfer until Renaissance had a parking management plan in place.

“Many of the new spots will be considerably closer to the train station after a reconfiguration of the north and south parking lots on the east side of New York Avenue,” Lupinacci said.

He said the reconfiguration would include a portion of the Rotundo site at 1345 New York Ave., if needed. The town obtained that property by eminent domain in 2006, paying $1.65 million to the owner, Port Washington-based Dejana Industries.

Huntington resident and LIRR commuter Rick Gress said the changes may make life a little more difficult for those who use the north side lots.

“We’ll probably have to leave home a little earlier to get here earlier, walk a little further,” Gress said while waiting at the LIRR station last week. “Why can’t they revitalize and keep more parking spots on this side?”

Bill Henderson, executive director of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA , which represents commuters’ interests, said they don’t have details about the parking plan, but are monitoring it.

“Parking is a big issue for commuters and we want to make sure the parking available for commuters is at least maintained or expanded,” he said.