Business – RiverheadLOCAL

Proposed cannabis dispensary at former Rt. 58 paint store site nixed by Riverhead Zoning Board

Denise Civiletti — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 21:39:02 +0000

Riverhead Town has rejected a proposal to site a retail cannabis dispensary in a Route 58 commercial building just west of the traffic circle. The holder of a New York State Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary license sought relief from the Riverhead Town Code requirement that dispensaries be located at least 1,000 feet from any school, library, or daycare, measured from property line to…

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Local businesses report downturn due to the climate of fear in Latino community

Maria del Mar Piedrabuena — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 20:00:00 +0000

Small businesses in downtown Riverhead that serve the Latino community report steep drops in foot traffic and revenue as immigrant residents increasingly avoid public spaces in a time of high anxiety locally and across the country. While there is no evidence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions in the local area, fear of stepped-up enforcement to meet the Trump administration’s…

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Crown Recycling fire remains under investigation; facility had no asbestos on site: officials

Denise Civiletti — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 13:53:56 +0000

Investigations into the cause and impacts of a fire that destroyed a Calverton solid waste handling facility last Wednesday remain ongoing, officials say. The facility’s buildings that house incoming solid waste and processing activities —including the 21,500-square-foot main building — were “completely destroyed by the fire” and have been deemed unsafe for use, entry, or occupancy…

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Town Board set to approve scaled-back 2025 BIDMA budget

Alek Lewis — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 11:29:00 +0000

The Town Board is poised to finally approve the 2025 budget for downtown Riverhead’s tax funded business group — now cut by roughly a quarter compared to last year. The Riverhead Business Improvement District Management Association (BIDMA), a nonprofit created to improve the downtown district using tax dollars collected from properties within the district, has been at odds for the past few…

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RiverheadLOCAL wins awards at 2025 Press Club of Long Island journalism contest

RiverheadLOCAL — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 18:30:27 +0000

RiverheadLOCAL took home five awards at the Press Club of Long Island’s 2025 Media Awards held last night at the Inn at Fox Hollow in Woodbury. Reporter Alek Lewis won first place in the Government and Politics category for his reporting of “Busloads of migrants never came, but Riverhead’s emergency order may continue indefinitely” (Aug. 1, 2024). The judge said, “Story didn’t stop with…

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Heatherwood celebrates groundbreaking of downtown Riverhead apartment building

Alek Lewis — Fri, 30 May 2025 21:21:01 +0000

Apartment developer Heatherwood and Riverhead Town officials today celebrated the groundbreaking of a new downtown apartment building on East Main Street, nine years in the making. The five-story mixed-use building, dubbed Heritage on Main, is an $82 million project located on a 1.4-acre vacant lot between East End Arts and the Riverview Lofts apartment building. It will feature 165 market…

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Motocross track proposal is back for River Road site in Calverton

Alek Lewis — Thu, 29 May 2025 22:38:38 +0000

Plans for a new outdoor motocross track on River Road in Calverton, initially proposed in 2023 but stalled by the Calverton industrial moratorium, are back before town officials. Daniel Duffy, owner of Duffy MX Inc, presented the site plan for his proposed motocross track at 2822 River Road. The track would be constructed on a 15-acre property currently occupied by a single-family home and…

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Craft’d owner opposes condemnation plan at public hearing: Riverhead Town Board May 21 meeting wrap-up

Alek Lewis — Wed, 28 May 2025 21:27:28 +0000

The co-owner of downtown Riverhead bar Craft’d decried the town’s plan to acquire the business’s leasehold interest through eminent domain during a public hearing last Wednesday. Sean Kenna, a partner in SNR Bar 25 Corp., the operating entity of Craft’d, urged board members to suspend the condemnation proceedings while he and his business partner, Robert Manolio, seek a new location for the…

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Popular chicken restaurant chain Wingstop coming to Riverhead this summer

Alek Lewis — Tue, 27 May 2025 21:56:30 +0000

Wingstop, the popular chicken wing restaurant chain, is opening a new store in Riverhead this summer. The store will be located between Dunkin’ and Advance Auto Parts, in the strip mall on the southwest corner of the Route 58 traffic circle. The restaurant is targeting a July opening, according to Doug Tedesco of Massapequa, a partner in Brand Management, the franchisee.

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Scott’s Pointe must resolve DEC issues before go-kart track approval, Town Board rules

Alek Lewis — Fri, 23 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The Riverhead Town Board is requiring the operator of Scott’s Pointe amusement park in Calverton to resolve outstanding issues with the state Department of Environmental Conservation before granting final approval for the use of an already-built go-kart track. The Town Board’s preliminary approval of the project’s site plan amendment requires Island Water Park Corp., the operator of Scott’s…

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