Town approves Zenith Group’s bid to expand downtown apartment project

The Zenith Group got the green light to add a connected building to its previously approved four-story apartment project downtown Riverhead.

With the new approval, granted by Town Board on March 17, the overall development would rise to five stories and include 15 apartments, about 3,100 square feet of commercial space and six affordable units on McDermott Avenue.

“This has been worked on very closely since the application first came in, and they have done everything that they’ve been asked to do,” said Councilwoman Joann Waski, before voting yes on the preliminary site approval plan. “It is an as-of-right use, and I have no reason to not support it.”

The construction company, headed by Raymond Castronovo, was granted final site plan approval back in July 2023 to build a four-story, nearly 50-foot tall mixed-used building at a site currently occupied by a residential building. The original plan called for nine market-rate apartments — including three two-bedroom units and six one-bedroom units — on the top three floors.

The previously approved plan also included more than 2,000 square feet of commercial space, an entry lobby, elevators, a building management office, a tenant lounge, laundry space and a trash collection area.

Since then, the Zenith Group acquired an adjacent 0.06-acre property at 301 E. Main Street, next to the Jamaican eatery Shampaige Island Cuisine. With that extra parcel, the builder is looking to add six more apartments on the upper floors, including five two-bedroom units and one three-bedroom unit. A 900-square-foot commercial space on the ground floor is also part of the proposal. 

Parking was a major concern brought up during previous town board work session last June 26, as well as during a public hearing last October on the project’s proposed expansion. The Zenith Group’s site plan does not include on-site parking for residents or commercial customers. However, senior planner Greg Bergman noted in his staff report that the property is within a public parking district, so on-site parking is not required.

Former Riverhead Town supervisor Tim Hubbard expressed concerns over the possibility of tenants not filling the apartments because of the lack of parking. Dawn Thomas, the town’s community development administrator, referenced other developers who have provided their own parking to tenants when they were not required to. 

“To rent an apartment, you don’t want to be walking a long distance,” Ms. Thomas said in June. “It’s just a practical concern.” 

Mr. Castronovo told the Town Board at the time that he would “make arrangements” for the tenants, “some way, somehow.” 

“We cannot hold them bound to anything outside of what the scope of the law requires, so with that, they have met all the necessary agreements,” said Councilman Kenneth Rothwell, before voting yes to the resolution on March 17. “Although I wish they had provided additional parking, so they can get different rates for the rental units themselves that they’re building in there … but we have to stay within the scope of the law.” 

Riverhead’s Downtown Pattern Book, adopted in January 2021 as a guide for future development, recommends building heights be limited to four stories. During the June 26, 2025, work session, project architect Martin Sendlewski explained the site plan would be revised in order to include the necessary setbacks on the upper floors of the new addition. Mr. Bergman wrote the changes would “help break up the canyon effect and massing along East Main Street and McDermott Avenue.” 

However, citing the Pattern Book’s recommendations, Riverhead Town Supervisor Jerry Halpin abstained from voting on the resolution.

“I was not here when the scoping was done,” Mr. Halpin said. “It is something that I did speak about, and said the Pattern Book did ask us not to go to the fifth floor. I know it is set back. With good consciousness, just where I am not having the full scope, I’m actually going to abstain from this vote.”