Warehouse developer Prologis sues Babylon over denial for East Farmingdale site

A San Francisco developer is suing the Town of Babylon over its decision to deny the company's bid to build a warehouse on a busy street in East Farmingdale.

Prologis Inc. proposed building a 121,931-square-foot warehouse on 6 acres that includes a vacant bowling alley and an indoor soccer facility. The developer would demolish the former bowling alley, Farmingdale Lanes, which closed in 2021. 

Company representatives said the 39-foot-tall, one-story building on Conklin Street would have 21 loading bays. Prologis officials said they don't know which tenants would occupy the warehouse or what types of products would be stored there.

"These are basic questions that any developer should be able to answer," Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer told Newsday. "Local officials, residents and businesses have the right to know exactly what you’re looking to bring into the community."

Long Island municipalities are awash in warehouse proposals, Newsday has reported. A total of 56 proposals have gone before town planning boards over the past two years, and the cost of the proposals is expected to total more than $3 billion, Newsday has reported. The demand on Long Island has been particularly high to accommodate a surge in online shopping, experts told Newsday.

On Oct. 17, the Babylon Town zoning board voted 7-0 to deny Prologis' application. 

Prologis sought several variances for the project, including one to expand the building area by more than 16,000 square feet beyond what the town already allows. The company also asked to have 131 parking spaces at the property rather than the required 242. In addition, the company asked permission to store trailers in a part of the property where that is not allowed.

The board outlined its reasons for the denials in a document. "Without a definite understanding of the employment needs of a potential tenant, or tenants, the requested parking variance presents a concern," town officials wrote.

In its decision, town officials said Prologis "refused" to prohibit hazardous materials from being stored on site. Town officials said they disagreed with the findings of the company's traffic study, which said the warehouse would be a "low traffic generator." The study said the warehouse would generate about 42 truck trips during weekday morning peak hours and 39 during weekday evening peak hours.

The board wrote in its denial that the "detriment to the community clearly outweighs the benefits to the applicant."

Prologis spokeswoman Mattie Sorrentino said the company is disappointed by the zoning board’s decision. The company "develops modern and sustainable distribution centers that support local businesses and the community," she wrote in an email. "These facilities play a key role in communities, helping deliver the goods businesses and residents need, create jobs and contribute to the local economy."

Lawyers for the company said the town "acted arbitrarily and capriciously, and abused its discretion" in denying the variances. Town officials declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Prologis has about 6,700 customers in facilities across 19 countries, according to the company's website.

Prologis purchased the East Farmingdale property in 2022 after the bowling alley, which had been a community fixture since 1959, closed. The U.S. Academy of Soccer opened on the site in 2010 and continues to operate.

When asked what the company would now do with the property, Sorrentino said that Prologis is "committed to developing the property with a modern logistics facility."

Residents who live near the property have opposed the warehouse project. 

Donna Sutherland, 56, who lives on a street across from the site, said she was "ecstatic" when she learned of the board’s decision.

"They did a great job listening to us," she said of town officials.

Farmingdale Village Mayor Ralph Ekstrand had opposed the project. He cited congestion on Conklin Street and concerns of local residents and first responders.

"They bought the property before they did their due diligence on whether this could fly," he said. Now with the lawsuit, "we’re getting bullied by a global company on suburban Long Island."

By Denise M. Bonilla

denise.bonilla@newsday.comdenisebonilla

Denise Bonilla has worked at Newsday since 2003 and covers the Town of Babylon, including the villages of Lindenhurst and Amityville.