The owners of the dual nursing home-rehab facilities at 49 & 63 Oakcrest Avenue want to add a building and improve the parking areas. The proposed building measures 3,350 square feet and would be slotted in behind the existing Surge location. The rear parking lot would be reconfigured, with about the same number of stalls. The northern parking area in front of Surge will also be revamped and expanded a bit. Three new parking spots will be added and some existing spots made more accessible near the Quantum building.
MICA recognizes the incongruous location of this site in a quaint, residential lakeside area. Parking has long been a problem, with staff often needing to park at the small Brookhaven Town lot at Pine Lake, and cars sometimes blocking driveways on Oakcrest Avenue.
It’s very important to us that these proposed changes are effectively communicated to the public.
This happened at the regular monthly meeting of the Middle Island Civic Association on Thursday, March 21, 2024 at 7pm at Longwood Public Library. Members and local residents took advantage of the opportunity to have the project explained to them by professional experts, to make inquiries, and provide recommendations and comments. This has been MICA’s tradition for decades, one that the Town of Brookhaven also values in its decision making process.
MICA always provides our presenters with a list of topics and potential questions. For “Oakcrest” these are:
- What will the new building be used for? It’s not that big, but will it be adding patients and beds?
- How was the current parking number determined? The plan says 110 existing. But if you visit the lots and count the cars, there are more like 130 cars on site (albeit some parked illegally.) The concern here is that the net parking increase, listed at 55, isn’t realistic given how the site is actually being used. The formula is correct and fulfills the “required” needs, but the reality is somewhat different – it’s this reality of the parking that’s the most contentious aspect at the two facilities. This needs careful review at the meeting.
- What variances are needed?
- What sort of construction time line is anticipated?
- Where will people park during construction? (Important. given that parking is already a nightmare…
- What kind of lighting will be in the rear parking lot? A 9/11 rescuer who lives adjacent to the rear lot and suffers from PTSD has complained about the existing lighting infiltrating his home..
- What fencing will be put in place? This is of special concern on the north side where the realigned front parking will come very close to homes.
- What sort of plantings will be added? (Hint: we love native plants here in Middle Island!)
- What’s the status of the sign upgrades? A few years back, MICA and neighbors objected to a ZBA application for larger interior-lighted signs at both buildings; the ZBA only allowed for downward, gooseneck lighting of a certain amperage, but no changes ever occurred.
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