Smithtown Sewer Revitalization Surges Forward: Historic Site Cleared, $1.7M Land Deal Greenlit!

Suffolk County legislators have approved a pivotal $1.7 million land purchase, essential for the construction of a new sewer system on Main Street in Smithtown. This significant step is anticipated to ignite substantial economic growth and development in a town that has experienced limited change since its boom years in the 1950s. Smithtown Supervisor Edward Wehrheim stated that this project would lead to expansions of restaurants and improvements to buildings, making properties much more viable.

The 17-acre parcel, acquired through two 17-1 votes by county legislators, is located approximately three miles from Main Street at the former Kings Park Psychiatric Center. The county’s Public Works Department plans to develop a leaching field on this site. This field will be used to dispose of treated Smithtown wastewater, which will be released from a nearby county sewage treatment plant. Town officials have emphasized that utilizing the existing plant would be considerably more cost-effective than constructing an entirely new facility in Smithtown.

The Smithtown sewer system, which will be operated by the county, is projected to begin construction in about four to five years. It is designed to serve dozens of small commercial properties and large shopping centers off Main Street. There is also a possibility of extending services to some buildings on Route 111, an area that includes office buildings, another shopping center, and an assisted living facility. The estimated cost of the project ranges from $50 million to $60 million, a figure confirmed by Deputy County Executive Peter Scully. New York State has already committed $20 million in funding, matching a similar commitment for sewers in downtown Kings Park. The primary goal in Smithtown is to establish a "shovel-ready project" to attract federal infrastructure dollars, making the construction feasible under the bipartisan infrastructure law, which passed last year with $1.2 trillion in funding.

A critical component of this project involves the demolition of part of an abandoned hospital building, specifically the former Northeast Nassau Building, at the Kings Park Psychiatric Center. Demolition crews began tearing down this structure to make way for the leaching fields. Suffolk County Comptroller John Kennedy, who worked as a custodian in the Northeast Nassau building for a decade starting in 1976, noted that the demolition is a crucial step for the planned Smithtown Main Street sewer project. Dan Levler, assistant director of sewer district activation for the Suffolk County Department of Public Works, indicated that the demolition and subsequent construction of the leaching fields would take roughly one year. Kennedy hailed this development as "very significant and a real measure of progress."

The Northeast Nassau Building, which was in a badly deteriorated state, covered partly by vines and graffiti, with boarded-up windows, was part of dozens of structures at the shuttered hospital complex awaiting demolition or reuse. Among these is the iconic 13-story Building 93, for which state parks officials sought demolition bids last year. The 17-acre site at the former psychiatric center was purchased by the Suffolk County Legislature for $1.7 million in September 2022. Once demolished, the building's footprint will be converted into underground leaching fields designed to safely dispose of treated wastewater from the nearby sewage treatment plant.

Project advocates, including John Kennedy and Smithtown Councilwoman Lynne Nowick, a former Suffolk County legislator, have championed this initiative since 2007. Suffolk County Legis. Leslie Kennedy emphasized that the constructed leaching fields would not only enhance drinking water quality but also boost economic opportunities for Main Street businesses by enabling their expansion through sewer access. While asbestos removal had previously caused delays, the demolition could proceed as planned. Leslie Kennedy also addressed prior community concerns regarding potential odors from the leaching fields, reassuring residents that the fields would be built underground with stringent precautions, ensuring no disruptions or smells, and that the water would be clean. Tony Tanzi, president of the Kings Park Chamber of Commerce, echoed these sentiments, highlighting the significant environmental and economic benefits the project would bring to Smithtown. Most of the former hospital grounds have been transformed into the 521-acre Nissequogue River State Park, featuring natural attractions and recreational facilities, though other planned refurbishments, like York Hall, have faced funding challenges.