Suburban strip malls have been a staple of Long Island’s retail identity – convenient, accessible, and often anchored by big-name national chains. But, as retail trends evolve and those anchor tenants face uncertainty and for some, extinction, these once thriving properties are faced with the looming question of what comes next. For example, Rite Aid has struggled to stay afloat after filing for bankruptcy in 2023 and has left several Long Island landlords with vacant storefronts. However, this story isn’t unique to Rite Aid. Sears, Kmart, Bed Bath & Beyond, Party City – all large household names that at one-point anchored centers across Long Island. Now, these brands have downsized or disappeared entirely.

Rite Aid joins a growing list of retailers that now are either extinct or dramatically reduced in presence but once served as key anchors for many Long Island centers. JCPenny and Lord & Taylor filed for bankruptcy and shut down key Long Island locations. Bed Bath & Beyond left large footprints across Long Island after liquidating in 2023. Toys “R” Us, Office Max and Party City have all closed stores creating large format vacancies. Not only do these closures leave visible gaps in the retail landscape, they highlight a larger trend: many legacy retail chains are no longer reliable long term anchors.Continue Reading Retail Reckoning for Suburban Strip Malls

Due to delays resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as other factors, many municipalities across Long Island are experiencing significant backlogs of processing building permit applications.  In some towns and villages, applicants are waiting several months to obtain a building permit.  Currently, building permits can only be issued by local municipalities and their officials tasked with such duties.  However,
Continue Reading New York State Legislature Considering Bill That Would Allow Licensed Architects or Engineers to Issue Building Permits

In recent years, advances in technology have not only enhanced our ability to connect with one another on a professional and social level but also, advances in technology have allowed the government, at all levels, to peep into our lives at every turn. th[2]

Today, criminal defendants’ cases can easily rise and fall on the nature of a defendant’s Facebook or
Continue Reading FROM PEEPING TOMS TO PEEPING DRONES: Help! Big Brother Government is Peeping in My Backyard

A Southold couple’s dream to build a winery and continue operating a tasting room at their Old North Road residence seems all but lost after a recent ruling of the Southold Town Zoning Board of Appeals. The Town Zoning Board denied their requests for variances that would allow the winery and tasting room to operate on the same parcel they
Continue Reading Couple’s Dream of a Family Winery Crushed by Zoning Board Decision