Demolition to start to clear land for mixed-use building next to Hicksville LIRR station

Demolition work will begin this week to transform a rundown site near Hicksville’s Long Island Rail Road station, marking the start of the first major project in the revitalization of downtown Hicksville.

The four-week demolition process will knock down a pair of buildings at 99 Newbridge Rd., beside the railroad’s tracks, and make way for a development featuring 7,660 square feet of commercial space, 189 apartment units and 338 parking spaces on two underground levels of the four-story structure, according to Todd Schefler, one of the managing partners with Alpine Residential, the developer of the project.

“To take a very blighted site — the parking lot was in disrepair with potholes everywhere and the office buildings were largely abandoned — to take that from a dark, desolate area at night to a vibrant, active area next to the train is exciting,” Schefler said.

Studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom apartments will be available in the space, including 19 that will serve as affordable housing units. Native plantings, open space courtyards and play areas for children are among the highlights in plans for the project, which received tax breaks. 

Schefler said the construction will create 370 jobs and be completed in about 28 months.

Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino said the Newbridge Road project will not only provide housing and commercial space but also serve as a harbinger of additional projects on the horizon.

“We will be doing something that has not been done before in Hicksville — a real mixed-use project on a major scale, with courtyards, open space and meeting space for the public to gather," he said.

The most recent attempt to make downtown Hicksville a vibrant, walkable community was accompanied by the town rezoning the area in 2021 to allow for mixed-use development.

A New York State grant provided $10 million to help pay for infrastructure improvements and open-space projects around the Hicksville Long Island Rail Road station, including LED lighting on the underside of the tracks, green space for pedestrians and streetscape changes, Newsday previously reported.

Saladino said the initiative is “creating a renaissance of downtown Hicksville.”

Brian Nevin, a town spokesman, said $1 million of the state grant money was given to the Alpine Residential project, and $300,000 was spent on state consultants, leaving $8.7 million for the remaining efforts, which are expected to begin taking form in 2024. 

Eric Alexander, director of Vision Long Island, a nonprofit centered on smart growth on Long Island, commended the developers of the Newbridge Road project for working closely with the community throughout the planning process. “It’s going to aid the train station area," he said. "It’s a major investment in the Hicksville community.”

By Joseph Ostapiuk

joseph.ostapiuk@newsday.com@OstapiukJ