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The village of Lake Grove has granted most of the major building approvals needed for Wegmans to begin construction of its first Long Island supermarket in 2023.

The high-end Rochester-based grocer announced in April that it had entered into a deal to buy 8.5 acres of land in a Lake Grove shopping center from Prestige Properties and Development. Wegmans plans to build a 100,000-square-foot supermarket there.

Wegmans expects construction on the grocery store to start after the property purchase closes this spring, and the supermarket to open in 2024.

“It usually takes about a year from the time construction begins to complete the project, so we will have a better idea of an opening date once construction begins,” Wegmans spokeswoman Mandee Puleo said Monday.

Lake Grove granted planning board, zoning board of appeals and village board approvals to Prestige for the grocery store’s construction on Nov. 2, Village Clerk Kara Haufler said Monday.

The project still awaits subdivision approval from Suffolk County to split the Wegmans land from the rest of the shopping center, said Jerry Welkis, president of Welco Realty Inc., the New Rochelle-based real estate firm that represented Prestige in the Wegmans deal.

The subdivision approval is needed before the property sale can close, he said. Building and demolition permits from the village are still needed too, Haufler said.

Manhattan-based Prestige, which owns the 28-acre DSW Plaza at Lake Grove at the corner of Middle Country and Moriches roads, would continue to own and operate the rest of the shopping center after the sale of a slice of the property to Wegmans.

Neither Prestige nor Wegmans is disclosing the property sale price.

The last supermarket in the DSW Plaza was a Fairway Market, which was 2 years old when it closed in July 2016, months after its Manhattan-based parent company’s bankruptcy filing.

But Wegmans would not be taking Fairway’s former space.

Wegmans plans to demolish buildings in the shopping center to make space for its new supermarket. The new construction would include a site that holds an Ashley Furniture store, which will be relocating to another unit in the shopping center. Also, a vacant Babies R Us/Toys R Us space would be demolished as part of the project.

The space that Ashley would relocate to is under renovation, and should be available for the store in early 2023, Welkis said.

Wegmans is popular with consumers — a chain that is "widely viewed as a high-end grocer" yet that "remains within reach by offering high-quality yet affordable own brands," said Rob Weisberg, senior vice president of Incentives and Loyalty at Inmar Intelligence, a retail industry analytics company in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

"They excel in customer service and are known for their fresh selections," Weisberg said.

Founded in 1916, Wegmans Food Markets Inc. is a private, family-owned company that operates 109 stores in Washington, D.C., and eight states, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Virginia. The company employs 52,000 people and had sales of $11.2 billion in 2021, Wegmans said.

By Tory N. Parrish

[email protected]@ToryParrish1

Tory N. Parrish covers retail and small business for Newsday. She has worked at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and Observer-Dispatch in Utica, N.Y.

This story was reported by John Asbury, Lisa L. Colangelo, Bart Jones, Lorena Mongelli, Ted Phillips, Jean-Paul Salamanca, Joe Werkmeister and John Valenti. It was written by Jones.

Smoke blanketing Long Island eased slightly on Thursday and is forecast to improve again Friday, but air quality remained at "unhealthy levels" canceling activities and irritating throats for a second day.

Dozens of flights bound for LaGuardia Airport were delayed on Thursday, two Long Island universities shut down, and state officials halted all racing, training and workouts for racehorses.

Gov. Kathy Hochul said it was possible the Belmont Stakes — the third and final leg of horse racing's famed Triple Crown — will not be run on Saturday if air quality remains poor from unhealthy haze and smoke billowing down from out-of-control wildfires in Canada.

She called the wildfire smoke “an extraordinary event,” at a news conference. “It's unprecedented in terms of the source of the air contaminants that we're experiencing right now.”

WHAT TO KNOW

She added: “There still remains poor air quality across the state of New York … Every place is unhealthy except for the Adirondacks.”

On Long Island, air quality levels fluctuated throughout Thursday, ranging from "unhealthy for sensitive groups" to "unhealthy" for everyone. Officials were holding out hope that Friday would be better, with possible light, variable winds and rain helping to clear the air.

Still, schools canceled Friday outdoor events and moved school recess inside.

A decision about the Belmont Stakes will be a last minute one based on Saturday’s air quality, Hochul said and would be cancelled if the air quality index exceeded 200 at the facility.

On Wednesday, the average air quality index on Long Island was 185, according to the DEC, in the “unhealthy range.” On Thursday, it had improved slightly and was listed at 160. On Friday it was forecast to be 120, which is designated as “unhealthy for sensitive groups.”

The air quality index topped 200 for parts of the day in certain areas on Wednesday. An air quality index of 0-50 is considered "good."

While an air quality alert was extended through midnight Friday by the state Department of Environmental Conservation, the DEC predicted a gradual improvement of the air on Long Island.

“People who may be especially sensitive to the effects of elevated levels of pollutants include the very young, and those with preexisting respiratory problems such as asthma or heart disease," the DEC said. "Those with symptoms should consider consulting their personal physician.”

The smoke could clear out of the region Saturday or Sunday as the low-pressure system dissipates and redirects the winds southwest, John Cristantello, a lead meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Upton, said. It’s unclear when the smoke may completely leave the area and will depend just as much as the behavior of the fires, he said.

School closures, no big uptick at ERs

On Thursday on Long Island, health officials urged people to stay inside, while schools canceled sports and other outdoor activities. Adelphi and Molloy universities suspended classes, joining at least two public school districts, Freeport and Long Beach.

Departures to LaGuardia were delayed an average of 54 minutes due to low visibility, the FAA said, adding that it would "take steps to manage the flow of traffic safely into New York City, DC, Philadelphia and Charlotte."

FlightAware, a flight tracking service, said there were 58 delays within, into, or out of the United States Thursday morning at LaGuardia, along with 47 at Kennedy Airport and 30 at Newark International Airport.

In parts of New York City, the air quality index numbers on Wednesday that came close to hitting the maximum number of 500 had not been seen since the 1960s, officials said.

Acting New York State Health Commissioner James McDonald said anyone who goes outside should wear a mask such as a KN95 or N95.

Officials at hospital systems around Long Island said there were several cases, but no major uptick, in visits to hospital emergency rooms due to people sickened by exposure to the air.

"We're definitely seeing a couple of cases come into each of our emergency departments," said Dr. Christopher Raio, chief of emergency medicine at Catholic Health, which has six hospitals on Long Island. "A lot of these cases are people who work outside like landscapers, people who work for the electric company, pool workers who have had prolonged exposure.”

Northwell Health officials reported a “mild increase” in patients with respiratory illnesses at their emergency departments. The rise was more significant in its New York City facilities. Lenox Health Greenwich Village, a division of Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan, treated 26 people for asthma on Wednesday, which is more than double its usual number, officials said.

The smoky air could trigger asthma attacks and heart attacks in some vulnerable populations, health experts warned.

“If you have any underlying illnesses, particularly respiratory or cardiac related, you are at higher risk,” Raio said. "Those individuals definitely need to limit exposure.”

Dr. Norman Edelman, a pulmonologist and core member of the Program in Public Health at Stony Brook University, said it's vital to remember that people with coronary artery disease are at an increased risk of having their chest pain get worse or having a heart attack due to the poor air quality.

People without underlying conditions might also experience chest tightness and a cough after breathing in the acrid smoke.

“They will have inflammation of their airways and that will go away as the pollution goes away and it will heal,” he said. But whether or not the exposure can lead to permanent damage is unknown.

400 Canadian fires

In wasn't just the New York region affected. Millions of people across the United States and Canada endured a third day of the thick, hazardous haze. In a Canadian fire season that is just getting started but could well become the worst on record, more than 400 blazes — over a third of them in Quebec — burned Thursday.

The smoke billowing from the fires sent plumes of fine particulate matter as far away as North Carolina and northern Europe.

Hochul said that a team of DEC Forest Rangers is deploying to assist with efforts to contain the wildfires raging in eastern Canada. The New York team will join firefighters from New Hampshire and Maine in Quebec.

At her news conference, Hochul said, "We look to see weather improving over a few days.”

But, she added: “The message is, this is not over. You know we might get a little respite, but I don't want people to let down their guard and to become complacent about this because we have to be prepared for the winds to shift.”

The view of Robert Moses Causeway normally vs. today

Swipe to compare

Smoke from fires in Canada have turned the sky brown

Source: Daniel Goodrich

Interactive content by Flourish

Suspended trash pickup, open ice rinks

Across Long Island on Thursday, towns took steps to address the smoke crisis, from suspending trash pick-up to opening indoor ice skating rinks.

The Town of Oyster Bay opened two rinks to residents to “take a break at indoor, air-conditioned Town facilities,” said Town spokeswoman Marta Kane. The Oyster Bay ice skating center at 1001 Stewart Avenue in Bethpage and the Marjorie Post Park Skate House at 451 Unqua Road in Massapequa were open through 11 p.m. Thursday.

Glen Cove suspended trash and recycling pick up “to protect the health and well-being of our outdoor city workers,” Mayor Pamela Panzenbeck said. The suspension shifts pick-up so that Thursday’s will be done on Friday and regular Friday pick-ups will be moved to Saturday.

The city closed John Maccarone Stadium and Pascucci Field on Thursday, but all city departments remained open, Panzebeck said.

In Smithtown, while the town has not ordered cancellations of events, officials were encouraging people to reschedule weekend events, said Nicole Garguilo, the town's public information officer.

The first inaugural outdoor Summer Stroll event for Saturday on Lake Ave. in St. James, which was designed to promote shopping there, has been canceled, according to the town and organizers on Facebook.

The town's animal shelter sent out advisories for residents with pets, while the town's Senior Center was reaching out to its members to check on them.

East Hampton Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc said the town canceled outdoor recreation programs Wednesday and Thursday. Department heads provided N95 masks to any employees who needed to do essential outdoor work.

The supervisor said they also advised department heads "to curtail any activities that weren't essential that were outdoors."

By Newsday Staff

More on this topic

Choking smoke: What, why, and how Long Islanders can stay safe LI schools monitor air quality in deciding whether to hold classes, relocate activitiesLI air should be better by weekend, but winds, other factors will play role, forecasters sayWildfire smoke and pets: What to do to keep them safe

The Smithtown Town Board has unveiled a draft of its comprehensive plan aimed at setting a town-wide trajectory for decades to come, with an emphasis on the downtown districts.

This is the first comprehensive plan for the town in over 60 years.

The last plan was adopted in 1957. The Town Board is expected to approve a plan this coming spring.

The draft for this master plan comes in collaboration with consultants H2M Engineers, an architectural and engineer firm based in Melville.

Based on public responses thus far, the major component involves replacing the Central Business District with specific downtown districts tailored to particular hamlets, said Jeff Janota of H2M.

Above all, this means making these areas more walkable and pedestrian-friendly for shopping, dining, and other community activities.

“We want to make sure that their concerns are heard,” Janota said of the input from the various communities. “Every hamlet has its own identity.”

In place of the town’s Central Business districts, the following would be created:

All items outlined in the plan were based on a nine-month public survey, which saw 1,259 survey participants and over 77,000 responses. There were also six community workshops conducted from March through April.

Land use, circulation, community facilities, sustainability and capital improvement were all closely examined.

The downtown recommendations include mixed-use buildings, embracement of arts and culture, public space, different types of housing units, high-tech office spaces, and more.

Some concerns brought up by the public included property taxes, access to parks and recreation, traffic and pedestrian bicycle safety.

The land-use concerns brought major issues to the forefront of the process — such as a lack of housing diversity, struggling downtowns, antiquated zoning ordinance, and other community-specific issues.

The key recommendations for land use were to amend zoning regulations, maintain existing single-family neighborhoods, and encourage transit-oriented communities.

Future housing types such as single-family, senior housing, and townhomes were strongly encouraged in the survey. Members of the public also made it clear they’re looking for more restaurants, commercial recreation, high-end retail stores, and offices.

Just a few of the guiding principles for the draft included the town’s ability to offer housing options in appropriate areas, encouraging a variety of employment opportunities, strengthening transportation, and enhancing town aesthetics.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of the plan across the town:

Smithtown

Downtown St. James

Nesconset Core

Downtown Kings Park

Hauppauge Industrial Park

Route 111

Crooked Hill Road

Commack Corners

The meeting going through the comprehensive master plan draft is available here on the Smithtown website and the community workshop reports can be viewed here.

Check back in with GreaterSmithtown for updates on Smithtown and the surrounding areas’ downtown revitalization.

A look at which colleges Long Island high school senior athletes have signed national letters of intent and/or made verbal commitments to play. Use the dropdown menus to explore the various categories. A verbal commitment becomes official when the student signs a letter of intent during or after designated signing periods.

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Sports

Thomas Bove, Port Jefferson high school star shines at national outdoor track and field championships in Greensboro, N.C.

Neighbor

|Updated Mon, Jul 18, 2011 at 1:54 pm ET

Senior Thomas Bove became the first decathlete in school history to be named all-American after an impressive fourth place finish in the National Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Greensboro N.C. held on June 16 and 17.

"Tom is an amazing athlete," said Port Jefferson school Athletic Director Deb Ferry. "His personal best, a 12-foot, 11-inch pole vault helped rally his score, making him the first All-American Decathlete to have come from Port Jefferson High School."

Rod Cawley, who coaches Port Jefferson’s boys’ track and field team, also spoke proudly about the Royals star.

“Tom is an extremely gifted and hardworking young man," said Cawley. "He is admired and respected by all of his teammates and he’s called 'The Ninja' by the members of his team because of his athletic abilities."

He said that Bove was "a varsity track athlete for three years and he is the best overall athlete in the 117 year history of the school district."

Find out what's happening in Port Jeffersonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Bove was all-state in the pentathlon this past spring and set a new school record with 3,199 points. He was also all-county and all-league in both the spring and winter seasons.

In winter track he was second in Suffolk County in the long jump with a school record jump of 22-feet, three-inches. He finished seventh in New York State during the winter in the long jump.

"He was also the most valuable athlete and the team captain during spring track," said Cawley.

Bove is well known and respected by athletes all across Suffolk County and his coach said that Port Jefferson school is losing a great star.

"He will be sorely missed by the coaching staff and the remaining athletes on the team," he said. "Tom is irreplaceable as far as we're concerned."