Feil Org. to redevelop 38,555 s/f for Suffolk County Dept. of Social Services

Riverhead, NY The Feil Organization will redevelop a portion of a former Kmart into a 38,555 s/f turnkey office for the Suffolk County Department of Social Services (DSS) at East End Commons.

Suffolk County legislators authorized the new 20-year lease in the retailer’s former 108,720 s/f space. The DSS office will be relocating from 893 East Main St.,where it had occupied 23,365 s/f. Feil will construct the office space to meet the County’s specifications.

“We are thrilled about getting this deal done, and excited to deliver a best-in-class office space to Suffolk County that will greatly benefit the community and the shopping center,” said Nick Dries, director of leasing of The Feil Organization who, with Randall Briskin, vice president of leasing, represented Feil in house. David Pennetta of Cushman & Wakefield represented the tenant. “Adaptive-reuse conversions of retail space have been highly successful at well-performing mixed-use centers, where there’s demand for a variety of users. The 187,528 s/f East End Commons is fortunate to have an existing robust anchor in BJ’s Wholesale Club, and it is in close proximity to the highway, making this one of the top locations in the Eastern Long Island market.”

Located at 605 Old Country Rd. (Rte. 58), the major east-west thoroughfare that connects Suffolk County with Nassau County and New York City, East End Commons provides an ideal location for the County to conveniently service its employees and the community.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a massive impact on the entire real estate industry, offering landlords the opportunity to invest in properties to adapt to changing environments, Dries observed. In addition, the pandemic has led to significant migration of businesses and residents from New York City to the suburbs of Long Island.

“The continued influx of people relocating to Long Island has been a positive trend for Riverhead and, as a landlord, we’ll continue focusing on meeting the needs of the community. There is a lot of excitement regarding this renovation, and additional sub-divisions and conversions are in consideration for the remaining 70,165 s/f,” Dries said. “We’ve received a high amount of redevelopment interest for this desirable location and have been in discussions with a wide range of users including office, medical, grocers, health clubs, entertainment, food and beverage, logistics centers and municipalities. With the Feil Organization’s vast experience and vision to execute creative lease up strategies at the property, there is a great deal of optimism for the future of East End Commons Shopping Center.”