Long Island Science Center spared from eminent domain; moving forward with expansion

Riverhead Town officials announced Monday, May 19, they are no longer pursuing eminent domain proceedings to acquire the Long Island Science Center building as part of the long-running Town Square project — allowing the organization to move forward with expansion plans at its 111 East Main St. storefront.

Town Supervisor Tim Hubbard confirmed at a joint press conference with the LISC on Monday afternoon that, because of the nonprofit’s “satisfactory” expansion plan, the board will vote on a resolution to cancel the eminent domain public hearing that was scheduled for Wednesday, May 21, and end plans to acquire the building.

“Despite having endured periods of uncertainty,” the LISC’s recent efforts to hire a design professional and create a feasible, fundable and phased out plan that addressed the building’s “glaring issues” and flooding concerns were sufficient in swaying the board, Mr. Hubbard said.

“Make no mistake, the location of a Town Square here is no coincidence: It’s located directly across from Suffolk Theater, down the street from the [Long Island] Aquarium, a few miles from Splish Splash, and was originally envisioned to be constructed adjacent to a newly expanded Long Island Science Center — all family friendly attractions,” Mr. Hubbard said. “The Town Square was always focused on creating a regional, family friendly destination that would serve as a logical extension of other area amenities geared towards families, and the Science Center has always been part of that equation.”

LISC president Larry Oxman said support from community members — who previously launched an online petition to “save” the museum — “means everything.” He said as soon as the science center receives its building permits, construction can begin immediately.

“I’m very glad that [the town] has had a change of direction. I think that we’ve shown what we can do here,” Mr. Oxman said. “Very happy that the community stepped forward and really voiced their opinion. I think it made a big difference.”

Jordan Rogove, the architect for the project and president of Manhattan-based architecture firm DXA Studio, outlined the project’s two phases in a previous town board work session. The first would be to conduct minimal restoration on the science center’s storefront, and the second phase would focus on building a planetarium and other renovations in coordination with Riverhead’s Town Square redevelopment, which is set to break ground this summer. 

The goal is to complete the first phase of the project and open the museum’s doors in the fall, Mr. Rogove said.

“Phase one will use the building as it currently exists with new cladding and exhibition space on the ground floor, and then in anticipation of the town square opening, we will move the primary entrance to the museum to be off the plaza,” Mr. Rogove said. “In thinking about activation of the plaza in the sense of vitality that an urban center needs to thrive, I can think of nothing better than the voices of children gathering outside of the museum and coming to the museum for a field trip day.”

The architect further explained the remedial structural work in the first phase will stabilize the building to prepare for the more long-term, foundational work. The Town Board previously put a stop work order on the construction, citing structural concerns, and one of the main issues was water damage caused by the drainage system.

Mr. Hubbard said the current expansion plan will rectify the water damage by hooking the science center up to the drainage system underneath the property that will be used for the Town Square.

The second phase of the project is “quite ambitious,” Mr. Rogove noted, as it includes the installation of a 150-seat planetarium and building as part of a second-story exhibition and event space.

Through the expansion, the LISC wants to provide hands-on exhibits, a ‘makerspace,’ classrooms, and a hall of innovation and technology that showcases all the inventions conceived here on Long Island, Mr. Oxman said.

For the first phase of the expansion, LISC has secured roughly $1.8 million in grants — specifically $1 million from the Suffolk County JumpSMART program and $775,000 from the New York State Empire Development program, Christine Kempner, the LISC’s development and grant writing consultant, confirmed.

A $1.23 million New York State Market NY grant and a $492,000 grant through the New York State Council for the Arts Capital Project Funds have been acquired for Phase 2 of the project. Once the storefront opens, the Science Center plans to launch a capital campaign to kickstart further fundraising. 

“The concept that Lucy [Barnes] had come up with to anchor the science center here as an activity for children and families was very visionary — take something old and make it new again — which really aligns with the history of Riverhead and the way it’s redeveloping,” Mr. Kempner said.

Several community members attended the news conference and applauded the decision to cancel the eminent domaine proceedings. Mark Woolley, who is running for Riverhead Town Board in the fall, called the announcement “a victory” for Riverhead residents.

“I testified before the Town Board encouraging them to reverse their plan. Town residents rose up against their plan for more condos and five-story apartment buildings,” Mr. Woolley said. “They wanted a Science Center of learning for their children, they were tired of seeing their downtown destroyed — the board seems to have had an epiphany in an election year.

“The Science Center has been in the works since 2018 and will continue now that the town board has finally listened to Riverhead residents,” Mr. Woolley continued.

The eminent domain public hearing for 127 East Main St. — home of the cocktail bar Craft’d — is still on the schedule for Wednesday’s Town Board meeting. Mr. Hubbard said it is anticipated the proposed redevelopment of nearly 76 hotel rooms, 12 condominium units, restaurant and retail space on the east side of the Town Square will be presented before the public in a hearing in early July.

“I know we are all excited to see construction begin here in the future Town Square,” Mr. Hubbard said, “and look forward to seeing the science center come to life here.”