Suffolk Technology Park in Wyandanch wins key Babylon Town approval

The Babylon Town Board in New York has approved the rezoning of a 100-acre site in Wyandanch for Suffolk Technology Park, a proposed industrial development leased by the San Francisco-based Bristol Group. The project includes nine one-story buildings designed to accommodate up to 40 companies on currently undeveloped land between Little East Neck Road and North 28th Street. The town board’s unanimous 5-0 vote marked the final local approval needed, though site plan approval from the planning board and state cemetery board clearance remain pending. Site plan approval now requires a public hearing, with the planning department awaiting revised proposals from Bristol, expected within weeks. The developer’s attorney, Bram Weber, stated minor adjustments—such as engineering details for a sound wall and landscaping—are under discussion. The project is expected to generate nearly 2,000 permanent jobs and $5.6 million in annual tax revenue, including $3.6 million for the Wyandanch school district. Opposition remains strong in Wheatley Heights, a neighboring community abutting the site, where residents fear increased traffic and environmental harm. The development also sits adjacent to a historic Black and Indigenous cemetery owned by Pinelawn Memorial Park, raising concerns among preservationists. Bristol has pledged over $2 million in community benefits, including scholarships and infrastructure improvements, but critics like resident Elanna Osdoby argue the project prioritizes economic gains over local needs. Wyandanch residents have supported the project as a potential economic lifeline, citing long-standing struggles with low tax revenue. Despite opposition, Bristol’s attorney Weber called the development ‘transformative,’ highlighting job creation and planned roadway upgrades. The planning board will now review the revised site plan before further approvals can proceed.