Town Square

Riverhead received a $500,000 award for the planned adaptive playground on the riverfront and a $30,000 award to fund a feasibility study for a potential sports complex at the Calverton Enterprise Park.

Riverhead Town sought $24.6 million to help fund a flood resiliency project on the Peconic Riverfront, a parking garage on First Street, the amphitheater and playground elements of the new town square; new streetscape lighting, signage improvements, public Wi-Fi and new security cameras downtown.

The town is seeking federal funding for: a flood resiliency project on the riverfront; an amphitheater & playground in the town square; public Wi-Fi, security cameras, lighting and signage downtown; and about half the cost of a parking garage in the parking lot north of E. Main St.

The downtown Riverhead tree-lighting event has been postponed to Sunday. The schedule of events remains the same.

The presentation outlined the ongoing development of the downtown area, including plans for the riverfront and town square, and also unveiled plans for two parking garages off East Main Street not previously presented to the board.

The Riverhead Town Board designated J. Petrocelli Development Associates as master developer of the new town square last night, authorizing the the start of negotiations to further the project’s development.

J. Petrocelli Development Associates unveiled ambitious plans for the development of the public space, which the group said will “activate the town,” during a town board work session this morning,

The meetings, hosted by Riverhead’s Local Planning Committee — the advisory committee formed jointly by the state and town to guide the town’s spending of its award — are scheduled for March 21 at Town Hall, May 23 at the Suffolk Theater, and July 1 at either Grangebel Park or the Town Square site.

Riverhead Town has been awarded a $10 million grant from New York State’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative program, which will go toward major town-sponsored improvement projects like the town square and transit-oriented development near the railroad station.

Union officials are objecting to Riverhead Town’s award of a $965,000 demolition contract to a company that is not a participant in a qualified apprenticeship program registered, which the union says is mandated by the town’s procurement policy.