Rechler Equity Partners presents
future South Bay Village development

Sayville, NY Rechler Equity Partners presented its reimagined South Bay Village development to more than 70 community members at the MacArthur Business Alliance meeting. The presentation and report focused on the stark contrast between the initial proposal and its current version, which was fostered by emphasizing transparency and community engagement leading to the project’s evolution.

“We appreciate the opportunity to present the South Bay Village project for the Greater Sayville community with key stakeholders from the area,” said Gregg Rechler, managing partner of Rechler Equity Partners. “We broke away from our original concept based on the community’s feedback realizing it didn’t fit in Sayville. The new, reimagined concept feels like an extension of the surrounding community, reducing the total unit count by 35 percent and including a mix of rental, homeownership and age-restricted housing options.”

In the years since the original proposal, the Rechler team started from square one to create a new proposal that reimagined the size, scale and configuration of the former Island Hills property. Rechler credits South Bay Village’s transformation to the extensive public outreach, feedback and overall engagement from members of the community. A committee of Islip town residents collaborated with stakeholders to gather feedback, leading to a redesigned concept that more closely aligns with the community’s desires.

Key features of the Revised South Bay Village Plan:

Reduced Density: The total number of homes has been reduced by 35% from the original plan, now totaling 890 residences.

Diverse Housing Options: The development includes 314 for-sale homes, 100% of which are age-restricted for residents aged 55 and older. Additionally, 173 of the 576 rental homes are age-restricted as well, resulting in 55% of all homes catering to this demographic.

Community Integration: The design features single-family “cottages” along the perimeter, smaller structures with a maximum height of three stories, and architectural styles that reflect the surrounding Sayville community.

Environmental Enhancements: Green spaces, buffers, and greenways throughout the site will be incorporated, along with cutting-edge stormwater management techniques, to improve groundwater and surface water quality, particularly benefiting the Great South Bay.

Community Benefits: Plans include providing sewage capacity for downtown Sayville, renovating the Sayville courthouse into a community arts center, and reserving 10-15 affordable rental homes for adults with developmental disabilities in partnership with organizations like Autism Communities (AC).

Rechler Equity Partners, and its development and community outreach team, remains committed to ongoing dialogue with residents and stakeholders as the South Bay Village project concepts advance, ensuring that the development continues to reflect the values and needs of the Greater Sayville community.

“It is well documented that our region is in short supply of housing options based on current demand,” said Rechler. “As developers, our goal is to create solutions to the regional housing needs, but to do so in a way that is reflective and respectful of the host community. We believe that only through collaboration, transparency and flexibility can everyone’s goals be met. We’re grateful for all the participation from the community that helped shape this proposal into what it is today.”