Suffolk buys Wading River site once slated for shopping center

A wooded stretch of Route 25A in Wading River where a shopping center had won preliminary town approval will stay undeveloped after Suffolk County closed on its purchase of the land, County Executive Ed Romaine announced Oct. 29.

The county paid about $4.4 million for roughly 6.3 acres in the hamlet, which is part of the Town of Riverhead. The parcel lies on the south side of Route 25A, on the west side of Wading River Manor Road.

County legislative records give a more exact picture of the deal. A resolution laid on the table June 23 and later adopted as Resolution No. 635-2026 authorized the purchase of 276,250 square feet, or about 6.342 acres, from Venezia Corp. for $4,420,000, subject to a final survey. That works out to $16 a square foot. The resolution lists five tax map parcels, all zoned Business CR. The measure was introduced by the Legislature's presiding officer at the county executive's request, with Legislators Kennedy and Englebright also sponsoring.

The price was set by appraisal and approved by the county's Environmental Trust Review Board, the resolution says.

The land was slated for Venezia Square, a roughly 37,000-square-foot retail complex. The Planning Board had granted preliminary approval before the deal closed.

Money for the deal came from the Drinking Water Protection Program, funded by a quarter percent county sales tax. The charter sets aside 31.10 percent of that tax revenue for environmental protection, the resolution says.

Romaine's office said the land sits inside a Special Groundwater Protection Area, which the county describes as a key area for protecting the drinking water supply.

"This acquisition is another important step in Suffolk County's ongoing commitment to preserving environmentally sensitive lands and protecting our drinking water resources," Romaine said. "By preserving this wooded property, we are protecting valuable open space and helping to safeguard our groundwater resources for future generations."

The county said the land will be kept as open space for passive recreation and environmental protection.

"This acquisition reinforces our commitment to protecting Suffolk County's natural resources while preserving open space for the benefit of our residents," Romaine said.