Mall developer Triple Five has won an incentive package to build an aviation education and research center on the site of the old Dowling College campus in Shirley, NY.
The Town of Brookhaven Industrial Development Agency (IDA) announced that is has closed on a package of economic incentives that will assist the new owner redevelop the 105-acre campus.
The campus, adjacent to the town-owned Brookhaven Calabro Airport, has 70 dormitory rooms, an athletic complex, and an aircraft hangar.
Triple Five’s — the developer of the two largest indoor shopping malls in North America, including the Mall of America in Minneapolis and the under construction New Jersey Meadowlands mall — is partnering with Luminati Aerospace to purchase most of Riverhead Town’s remaining land at the Calverton Enterprise Park.
In its application to the town, Triple Five said it could create at least 50 jobs at the campus over the next two years as it creates a new hub for corporate research and development firms, educational aviation institutions, material science training programs and recreational users.
Stuart Bienstock, director of business development for Triple Five, said the company plans to spend $2 million in upgrades to.
“Our goal for the site is an industry-university research and development center for advanced transportation technology and propel the Long Island eco-system and the William Floyd Corridor to a leadership position in advanced technology, similar to Silicon Valley,” he said,
“We are eager to again have the former Dowling campus contributing to the town’s economy and Triple Five’s ambitious plan to reinvigorate the campus also could benefit the town-owned airport,” said Frederick C. Braun III, chairman of Brookhaven IDA.
Dowling, whose main campus was in Oakdale, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2016.
Triple Five is in contract to buy the campus for $14 million, subject to the approval of the U.S Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of New York, which is overseeing Dowling College’s chapter 11 dissolution.
