Town OKs reduced building setbacks for Tritec

The Islip Town Board gave the green light to a minor modification on the approved application TREC Bay Shore LLC that will construct mixed-use apartment units at the site of the former Touro College site in Bay Shore.

Back in September 2020, the town board approved a change of zone from a business district to a downtown development district, which permitted Tritec Bay Shore to pursue the $165 million development project. 

The minor modification that came before town officials on Thursday, May 20, is a modification of covenants and restrictions. The modification is intended to reduce building setbacks where the property is dedicated for the purpose of public roadway improvements. Environmental impacts will also be assessed on the property, according to town documents.

Town attorney John DiCioccio said at the meeting that after the application was approved last fall, it was discovered that there were certain town and county roadways that encroached on the property.

“As a result of those encroachments, the property owners dedicate those portions of the road to either the town or county,” DiCioccio explained, “and that results in a slight change in the setbacks that were specified in the covenants and restrictions.”

The approval did not make any changes to the building dimensions or facade. 

Tritec is expected to construct approximately 418 mixed-use apartment units on the roughly 10-acre property located on the southeast corner of Union Boulevard and 4th Avenue. Of those, 84 of them are designated to be affordable housing.

In March, Suffolk County legislators granted Tritec approximately $2.5 million to offset the cost of the affordable housing units. The funding, through Suffolk County’s Affordable Housing Opportunities Program, will offset the cost of acquisition on the property at 1700 Union Boulevard.

Thursday’s meeting also served as a public hearing. No comments were made by the public.