Riverhead receives another $1.5M in state grants for downtown projects
New York State awarded Riverhead Town two sizable grants on Jan. 28 that will aid in its downtown revitalization efforts, including upgrades to The Suffolk theater and construction of the riverfront amphitheater.
Governor Kathy Hochul’s Pro-Housing Communities Initiative aims to recognize and reward local governments committed to building more housing. It allocates up to $650 million each year in discretionary funds for these communities and as of today, 273 municipalities across the state are certified Pro-Housing Communities.
The first capital improvement grant of $1.4 million is for the downtown riverfront amphitheater, which is part of Riverhead’s Town Square project. The proposed performance space and public park will host activities such as movie nights, children’s events and exercise classes. The amphitheater’s conceptual design features tiered seating with a stage and bandshell near the Peconic River. The proposal also leverages the property’s natural slope, while creating a flood barrier to protect Town Square.
At the end of last year, town officials announced that they anticipate a groundbreaking for the Town Square project this summer. Dawn Thomas, director of Riverhead’s Community Development Agency, said the construction of the amphitheater itself would cost between $2 million and $2.8 million; however, this did not factor in the $2 million needed to lift the existing East End Arts buildings and change the property’s grading to protect the campus from flooding.
The conceptual design of the amphitheater was paid for through a previous $200,000 Brownfield Opportunity Area state grant that was awarded in December 2022. At a November 2024 Town Board work session, Ms. Thomas said the amphitheater had received the least funding of all of the six Town Square project components with just $350,000 earmarked at the time. This latest $1.4 million grant helps close the gap in that shortfall.
Additionally, the Suffolk Theater Water Main Extension project received $187,000 to upgrade its water infrastructure to support the theater’s expansion and accompanying apartment development. The Suffolk plans to add a green room, dressing rooms and an orchestra pit to attract a broader range of performers. In addition, 28 market-rate apartments are slated to be built behind the theater.
“On behalf of the Riverhead Town Board and our residents, I want to express our utmost appreciation to Governor Hochul, Empire State Development, as well as New York State Homes and Community Renewal for their continued support of our town’s economic development revitalization efforts,” Mr. Hubbard said in a news release. “Without the state’s strong partnership, downtown Riverhead would not be on the precipice of an economic resurgence.”
