For years, Long Island's malls have slowly emptied. Store after store ended leases, leaving vast properties devoid of economic activity. Yet, even with vacancies inside and huge stretches of asphalt outside, there has been little effort to thoughtfully reuse and redevelop these properties, especially some of the Island's larger ones. And there's been little attention to using those large plots to address one of Long Island's most pressing needs: housing.

That's especially true when it comes to Sunrise Mall in Massapequa.

Sunrise has one tenant left, Dick's Sporting Goods. Four years ago, a joint venture led by Urban Edge Properties bought the mall with plans to develop it, but nothing happened. Now, Amazon proposes to buy 26.7 acres of the site and build an operations facility, potentially including a last-mile site or fulfillment center. It's a disappointing move, better than a vacant mall but not by much. 

Yet, it still leaves dozens of acres ripe for redevelopment. Engaging and interactive retail, health care, or other uses could complement the site — but developers can't stop there. Urban Edge and its partners previously made clear they have no interest in building housing at Sunrise. But the partnership now has an opportunity to rethink that decision. The Town of Oyster Bay can lead the way, pushing for at least some housing on the land.

That would require a zoning change, which in turn needs community support. That's always been the rub. But there's a cautionary tale happening just a dozen miles away from Sunrise Mall — one that should remind homeowners across Long Island why developing these old malls, and injecting economic activity including housing, is so important. The owners of the South Shore Mall in Bay Shore sued the Town of Islip in 2023, saying its tax assessments were wrong. Last month, a court settlement slashed its property value by an average of $260 million over the last four years. As a result, the mall is now owed at least $25 million in property tax refunds and the tax burden in the Bay Shore school district, the Town of Islip and Suffolk County will shift to other taxpayers, including homeowners.

Perhaps residents should weigh their options and retool their thinking. Adding housing and other development could produce new tax revenue and lower their burden. Leaving properties vacant could lead to falling assessments and increasing tax burdens.

Homeowners who don't want tax hikes should realize that increasing the tax base — including more housing on now-emptying mall parcels — would be a good start. And county and town officials would be wise to start spotlighting what's possible at such spots across Long Island — beginning with Sunrise and South Shore malls.

are experienced journalists who offer reasoned opinions, based on facts, to encourage informed debate about the issues facing our community.