Town holds off on approving Oakdale senior apartments

The Islip Town Board held off on approving proposed senior apartments in Oakdale after hearing public criticism about the building's height.

The Town Council voted to reserve a decision for the proposed four-story, 158-unit building at 4180 Sunrise Hwy. on the grounds of the former Oakdale Golf Center. Greenview Commons West LLC had applied for a zoning change and modifications to allow for increases in the number of stories and units. 

The project was first submitted to the town in 2008 as 48 senior condos and nonrestricted 82 units. The project was altered in 2014 to 109 rental units in multiple, three-story buildings.

“Without question, a four-story request we feel is out of character for the community," Patrick Fife, president of the Bohemia Civic Association, said at the April 18 public meeting. "Nowhere along Sunrise Highway … do you have a four-story building.”

The site is on the south side of Sunrise Highway and west of Oakdale-Bohemia Road.

Kathleen Hahn Cutrone of the Greater Islip Association said she was concerned that other developers would follow suit if the town allowed the height increase.

"The scale and the scope is far too big," she said. 

Larry Gargano, a principal with the developer, said at the meeting that the proposed “hotel-style building” will have common elevators, a common lobby, and amenities such as a pool, fitness center and dog park.

The town planning board recommended the town board approve the proposal.

Islip senior planner Sean Colgan told board members the building won’t tower over Sunrise Highway because the structure will be located farther back from the highway than what the town requires. 

“That should mitigate people’s concerns about how the building is going to look from Sunrise Highway,” Colgan said. “It’s not going to overshadow it. It’s going to be far away. It’s not going to look so tall.”

The town board is expected to discuss the project again at a later date, he said.