Rail Realty breaks ground on $20m The Hills at Port Jefferson; Brookhaven IDA provides economic incentives

Ground was broken for The Hills at Port Jefferson, a 74-unit rental apartment complex that is being constructed with assistance from the town of Brookhaven Industrial Development Agency. The project is expected to provide a spark to the revitalization of Upper Port Jefferson Village. The total project cost is $20 million. The IDA provided economic incentives to Port Jefferson-based Rail Realty LLC, which is constructing the two-building, 74-unit rental apartment complex on seven lots at the northeast and southeast corners of Texaco Ave. and Linden Place, just north of the Long Island Railroad yard in Port Jefferson. Each of the three-story buildings will total 54,829 s/f and will contain one and two-bedroom units listed at market rate rents. The apartments will offer full amenities and secure on-site parking. According to Anthony Gitto, principal of Rail Realty, he has a waiting list of tenants for the apartments at Barnham House, an apartment rental complex in downtown Port Jefferson. Leasing has not begun for the new project. The project is expected to create 69 construction jobs and 5 permanent positions. "Our assistance to this project means that the developer will be able to offer our town much-needed rental housing options," said IDA chairman Frederick Braun, III. "Rental projects such as this will help keep young people in the Town of Brookhaven and offer housing alternatives for our residents who work nearby at Stony Brook University, Brookhaven National Laboratory and Mather and St. Charles's Hospitals," said Brookhaven town supervisor Edward Romaine. In the last year, the IDA assisted 15 commercial projects including Meadows at Yaphank Phase 1, a mixed use development in Yaphank; a solar installation on the roof of Clare Rose's facility in Yaphank, and Sayville Browning, an extended stay hotel in Ronkonkoma. Shown (from left) are: Project partner Greg Star and his children; Port Jefferson Village trustee Bruce D'Abramo, Port Jefferson mayor Margot Grant, Rob Gitto of Real Realty and his son, Tony Gitto of Real Realty, Port Jefferson Village trustee Laurence LaPointe, architect Eric Nicosia, Port Jefferson Village trustee Adrianne Kessel and Brookhaven Industrial Development Authority chairman Frederick Braun III.