Islip to add rain gardens, boost green space as it expands town hall parking lot

In an effort to bolster downtown Islip, town officials are planning to expand the parking lot near Town Hall West with rain gardens and pavement to reduce stormwater runoff.

The initiative, expected to start in early 2024, will serve as a model for future “green infrastructure” projects, Islip Supervisor Angie Carpenter said.

“We want to use this project as a pilot" for future developers, Carpenter said Monday at a news conference. 

The project will also encompass ADA accessible sidewalks at Town Hall West, pollinating plants, and, depending on funding, an additional 22 parking spaces with permeable pavement, which uses materials such as pervious asphalt or concrete  to improve drainage.

The project will be funded with a $99,400 grant from the Suffolk County Downtown Revitalization Round XXI grant program, which the town will match, for a combined $198,800. Town officials said additional funds may be needed depending on final designs and project costs.

Improvements to the municipal lot, which will ultimately have a total of 77 spaces, will also be funded with $122,000 from a developer adapting the former Islip Cinemas across the street from Town Hall West into a mixed-use building with 23 apartments and a restaurant. 

There is no parking on site, so in addition to the money it will spend for the lot near town hall, the developer is required to improve the Smith Street municipal lot with striping, drainage, lighting and sidewalks, officials said.

Apartment residents will not have exclusive parking rights but may apply for overnight parking permits.

The county grant funds also will go toward improvements for a Vietnam veterans memorial near Town Hall West, including landscaping and lighting, and a bike repair station.

A firm timeline for the project has not yet been established, according to planning staff.

By Brianne Ledda

brianne.ledda@newsday.com@brianne_ledda

Brianne Ledda covers personal finance and affordability for Newsday. She previously covered Southold and Greenport for The Suffolk Times and is a graduate of Stony Brook University.