Rechler Equity Partners Proposes Homeownership-Focused Vision for South Bay Village

Rechler Equity Partners has submitted a transformed plan for South Bay Village that fundamentally reshapes the proposed redevelopment of an abandoned golf course, transforming it into predominately homeownership while substantially reducing its size in direct response to community priorities.

The revised vision manifests an unprecedented commitment to the community’s preferences. It is consistent with the existing neighborhood’s density with 80% residential B zoning and 20% residential CA multifamily zoning, like the surrounding neighborhood. And with the plan’s traffic improvements, the level of service of traffic at nearby intersections will either be the same as or better than it currently is. In addition to including the residents’ clear home ownership priority, these revisions answer their explicit density and traffic concerns.

Following years of public dialogue, Planning Board review and collaboration with the Town of Islip, the revised proposal now features 455 for-sale homes—representing 80 percent of all residences—and 113 rental units, reflecting a significant shift toward the homeownership opportunities that residents repeatedly requested throughout the public review process. The updated plan preserves more than 22 acres of publicly accessible open space with significant investments in community infrastructure and public safety.

"This proposal reflects years of listening, collaboration and extraordinary compromise," said Gregg Rechler, Managing Partner of Rechler Equity Partners. "Throughout this process, we heard the community's concerns about density, housing mix, neighborhood character and traffic. The plan we are submitting today is substantially different from the one originally proposed."

Among the most significant changes included in the revised proposal are:

• 455 for-sale homes, representing 80 percent of all residences.
• A community comprised primarily of single-family homes and townhomes, representing 89 percent of all residences.
• 113 rental homes, dramatically reducing the rental component.
• A 36 percent reduction in overall density, eliminating 322 homes from the original proposal.
• A broader mix of housing types designed to serve young professionals, first-time home buyers, empty nesters and older adults who want to remain on Long Island.
• More than 22 acres of publicly accessible open space preserved around the property's perimeter.

In addition to new focus on homeownership, the revised proposal maintains several significant community benefits, including affordable housing opportunities, homes designated for adults with developmental disabilities, a new fire department substation, roadway and public safety improvements, the creation of a Sayville Business Improvement District, and land reserved to support future wastewater infrastructure improvements, which could serve Sayville’s downtown.

“This revised plan strikes a thoughtful balance between respecting the character of the surrounding community and addressing Long Island's critical need for attainable homeownership opportunities," Rechler added. “This proposal represents our listening, adapting and delivering a plan that better reflects the priorities expressed by both the Town and the community."

South Bay Village would provide a range of thoughtfully designed housing options, including cottages, townhomes and detached single-family residences that complement the architectural character of Long Island's South Shore communities. The proposal is intended to create new opportunities for first-time homebuyers, young families, empty nesters and longtime Long Islanders who want to remain close to their families, jobs and communities while transforming a long-vacant property into a productive community asset.