The Huntington Town Board has signed off 4-1 on Melville Crossing, a $130 million mixed-use redevelopment that would turn roughly 15 acres near the Long Island Expressway into about 400 housing units plus new retail. The vote pushes the proposal into formal review even as nearby residents warn it could heap fresh pressure on schools, water systems and local energy infrastructure. Backers counter that the plan could finally give Melville a walkable town center and funnel new customers to existing businesses.
Board approves special-use permit
The board’s 4-1 decision grants developer Steel Equities a special-use permit, with Supervisor Ed Smyth calling the project “the model for what development should be in Melville.” Councilwoman Brooke Lupinacci cast the only no vote, saying she wanted more clarity before supporting the application. The site was previously floated for an Amazon warehouse before those plans were dropped, and public meetings drew a mix of guarded optimism and unease from residents, according to News 12 Long Island.
Site plans and environmental filings posted
The Town of Huntington has posted Steel Equities’ site plans and Environmental Assessment Form sections on its project webpage, with documents uploaded in mid-April as the proposal shifts into the formal review stage. The filing appears under “Steel 75 Maxess, LLC,” and town officials say the next procedural move is for the developer to submit a detailed site plan for municipal review, according to the Town of Huntington.
What the proposal would build
Developers say Melville Crossing is designed as a mixed-use hub: multi-story residential buildings surrounding a public plaza, with a clubhouse and ground-floor retail aimed at serving new tenants and nearby offices. It is the first major application under the town’s Melville Town Center Overlay District, a zoning framework created to encourage walkable, mixed uses and allow taller, mixed-use buildings in the area, as outlined by Huntington Matters.
Neighbors push back on taxes and services
Opponents are zeroing in on potential fiscal and service impacts, warning the development could bump up student enrollment in local schools and strain volunteer fire and utility services. One local commentary argued the application anticipates a lengthy PILOT (payment-in-lieu-of-taxes) agreement that could total roughly $12 million over about two decades and urged the town to push for more retail and a smaller project before granting any incentives, according to reporting and opinion in Huntington Now.
What comes next
With the special-use permit granted, Steel Equities must now file a detailed site plan and address the town’s environmental review before any building permits are issued or construction begins. Those submissions are part of the public record and will guide upcoming reviews, hearings and any required mitigation, per the Town of Huntington.
Whether Melville Crossing becomes the prototype for future projects south of the Long Island Expressway will hinge on how the town handles tax-incentive requests, infrastructure upgrades and community pushback during the site-plan process. Local officials and residents are expected to scrutinize every new filing and hearing as the proposal moves into detailed design and review, according to News 12 Long Island.
