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Riverhead Islamic Center mosque approved for Harrison Avenue

The Riverhead Islamic Center received preliminary site plan approval last Thursday for its proposed mosque on Harrison Avenue. 

The proposal drew mostly support at an August 2018 public hearing, where local Muslims told the Planning Board that Riverhead has a growing Islamic population and needs a mosque. Many Muslims travel as far as Selden to the nearest mosque.

The plans involve renovating an existing vacant house on 1.5 acres, diagonally across from Riverhead High School, for use as the imam’s home and then constructing a separate new building for the mosque itself.

The mosque will be two stories, with a 3,357-square-foot first floor and a 3,200-square-foot second floor. The existing house will get an additional 751 square feet on the first floor and an additional 333 square feet on the second floor.

The project still needs final site plan approval before the applicant can seek building permits. The Planning Board has set a number of conditions previously agreed upon, such as requiring that the call to prayer be done only from inside the building.

Architect Brian Fisher said the town Architectural Review Board has some concerns with the project that resulted in some changes, such as connecting the two buildings.

Officials said the applicant still must submit a stormwater pollution plan.

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