Assisted Living Facility Plan Needs Zone Change

By Jano Tantongco

jtantongco@longislandergroup.com

Sunrise Senior Living has proposed an assisted living facility, depicted above in a rendering, for West Hills Road in Huntington Station. The plan requires a zone change from R-7 to R-HS.

The Huntington Town Board is considering a zone change necessary for plans to build an assisted living facility in Huntington Station to move forward.

The proposal would reclassify the property at 300 West Hills Road from R-7 residence district to R-HS residential health services district to accommodate plans for a two-story, 77,000-square-foot building comprised of 90 units.

Philip Kroskin, senior vice president of real estate for developer Sunrise Development, stated in an email Wednesday that Sunrise has held two community meetings with adjacent neighbors and has received “positive support for the project.”

“This community is designed to appear as a manor house, inspired by local architecture, while containing all of the amenities and safety features specifically focused on seniors,” Kroskin stated.

He added that the plans do not currently require variances from the town.

Sunrise also has a similar facility located in Dix Hills. Demand for such facilities is expected to grow in the near future, according to Kroskin, who cited the Alzheimer’s Association, which states that every 66 seconds someone in the U.S. develops the disease.

According to the New York State Adult Care Facility Annual Survey, by the end of 2015, Sunrise of Dix Hills had 77 occupants. Its total capacity is listed at 114.

Kroskin also claimed the project would add to the town’s tax base without burdening town services like the school system.

The public hearing on the zone change is scheduled for March 14, 2 p.m. at Huntington Town Hall.