There will be 175 apartments in the second phase of The Core and pre-leasing for those units begins on Saturday, March 14 during the St. Patrick’s Day event at Station Yards.
Leasing staff from the property management firm Greystar will be on-site from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. to provide information and give prospective residents guided tours of the newest residences in Tritec Real Estate’s Station Yards mixed-use development.
Amenities will include a test kitchen, resident lounge, fitness area, bike repair and storage room, and a basketball court inside, while outside amenities feature a heated saltwater pool with lounge seating, fire pits, barbecue stations, a hammock farm, electric vehicle charging stations, and a rooftop terrace, according to Tritec.
Monthly rents for currently available apartments in The Core’s first phase are priced at $3,762 for a one-bedroom, one-bathroom unit; $3,952 for a two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit; and $5,152 for a three-bedroom, two-bathroom unit, according to the company’s website. The prices include base rent, all mandatory monthly fees and any user-selected optional fees.
The second phase of The Core will include a 1,419-square-foot retail space and a second parking structure for residents. The first phase of The Core has 388 apartments, 70,000 square feet of retail space and 16,500 square feet of office space.
When completed, the $1.2 billion Station Yards development will have 1,450 apartments, 195,000 square feet of retail space, and 360,000 square feet of office space.
Dec. 6 tree lighting kicks off weekly holiday markets through Christmas
Experts urge small businesses to prep inventory, run sales events, and boost customer service
As we approach the holiday season, small businesses are gearing up for what is often their busiest and most lucrative time of year.
ERIC ALEXANDER: ‘This year for Small Business Saturday, over 40 communities will pull together events, promotional campaigns and other public messages to remind Long Islanders to patronize local shops.’
Yet many local small businesses are still recovering from the economic damage of COVID-19 regulations, multi-year inflation and a customer base that has less money for spending, notes Eric Alexander, founder of Long Island Main Street Alliance, an organization advocating for downtown areas and small businesses.
“The good news is that over the last 20 years our downtowns have activated ‘Shop Local’ campaigns that drive foot traffic to our Main Street businesses,” Alexander said. “This year for Small Business Saturday, over 40 communities will pull together events, promotional campaigns and other public messages to remind Long Islanders to patronize local shops.”
The “Shop Local” movement continues to grow, demonstrating patrons’ loyalty to their community based businesses.
“These promotions, combined with downtown revitalization investment and housing development, have kept many of them in business through chaotic economic times,” Alexander said.
A prime example of downtown revitalization is Station Yards, a mixed-use, transit-oriented development that’s just steps away from the Ronkonkoma train station.
In the few years since Tritec Real Estate Company developed Station Yards, the bustling complex has attracted thousands of people, both residents and nonresidents alike.
Tracking data to the area reveals that in the first week of August 2024, 2,000 visitors came to 3 Hawkins Avenue, a residential building that also houses Toast Coffee + Kitchen, Vespa Italian Kitchen, Cornucopia Natural Foods and Artemis Speakeasy. In the last week of July 2025, that address brought in 15,000 people, many from the greater Ronkonkoma area and from neighboring Holbrook and Lake Grove, notes Chris Kelly, senior vice president of Tritec.
CHRIS KELLY: ‘In the last week of July 2025, [3 Hawkins Ave at Station Yards] brought in 15,000 people, many from the greater Ronkonkoma area and from neighboring Holbrook and Lake Grove.’
“It’s really transformed the area,” said Kelly of the 53-acre Station Yards development which, when completed, will include 1,450 residential units, 360,000 square feet of commercial/office space, 190,000 square feet of retail and 60,000 square feet of community space.
In addition to the aforementioned businesses, current tenants also include Great South Bay Brewery, FourLeaf Federal Credit Union, Redefine Meals, Tap Room, The Pink Fin, Catholic Health Urgent Care, Playa Bowls, and Lucharitos. Slated to open soon are Ben & Jerry’s, DIY crafting shop Hammer & Stain, and Hotworx, which is a 24-hour gym.
On Nov. 14, Station Yards will once again partner with the MacArthur Business Alliance, the Ronkonkoma Chamber of Commerce and Sachem High School for their second annual turkey drive. Last year, they donated 117 turkeys and about 2,000 pounds of non-perishables items to Long Island Cares.
“We hope to significantly beat that this year,” Kelly said.
On Dec. 6, Tritec will host its annual tree lighting and the first of its weekly holiday markets on the green at Station Yards, which will include vendors and a mix of live entertainment.
“We do the holiday market every Saturday from 12 Noon to 4 p.m. until Christmas,” said Kelly, noting that they averaged about 2,000 visitors at each of the holiday markets last year. “This year I think the market will be a little better because we’re going to enclose the tents.”
Small businesses looking to capitalize on the peak holiday shopping should check that they have enough inventory to support the surge and also create sales events to ensure they get a return on the investment of that inventory, notes Ree Wackett, advanced certified senior business advisor for the New York State Small Business Development Center at Stony Brook University, which helps provide assistance to small businesses and entrepreneurs.
REE WACKETT: ‘Oftentimes small businesses can’t beat the big-box stores on price, but they can beat them on customer service, and that’s how Main Street can beat Wall Street with their customer service and individualized attention.’
Many brick-and-mortar businesses will run special events, and online businesses will run specials during the official start of the holiday shopping season: The weekend following Thanksgiving—which includes Black Friday—Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday.
“But they want to make sure that they let their marketplace know they’re open during the holidays, and they’re going to be running specials, so that traffic gets driven to either their site or their shop,” Wackett said.
If businesses use social media, they should verify that their accounts are completely up to date with hours, sales and special events for the holidays, advises Wackett.
“Just basically making sure that their customers, their clients, their market is aware that they’re very much open and in business and they want the business,” Wackett said.
They should also make every effort to be responsive to their clients, whether that’s by phone or email.
“Customer service for small business is huge,” Wackett said.” Oftentimes small businesses can’t beat the big-box stores on price, but they can beat them on customer service, and that’s how Main Street can beat Wall Street with their customer service and individualized attention.”
She added that businesses should get contact information for their new customers, so that they send them email blasts and newsletters and turn them into repeat customers.
Lucharitos, a popular Tex-Mex chain with North Fork roots, will be opening a new restaurant in the Station Yards mixed-use development in Ronkonkoma.
The company leased 1,500 square feet of restaurant space at Station Yards where it will join a growing mix of commercial tenants at the sprawling Tritec Real Estate project, according to a statement from the developer.
Lucharitos, which features a Tex-Mex menu and margaritas, began with a 750-square-foot eatery in Greenport in 2012. It has since opened additional locations in Mattituck, Center Moriches and Melville.
“When we started this journey, we wanted to create a space that people could come to and feel like they stepped into vacation mode, even if it is for half an hour,” Marc LaMaina, owner of Lucharitos, said in the statement. “Creating that vibe has been the cornerstone of the Lucharitos brand since day one. The combination of tacos, margaritas, nostalgic pro wrestling, and a big hit of genuine hospitality really caught on.”
The new Ronkonkoma restaurant is expected to open in late spring or early summer.
The tenant was self-represented, while Steven D’Orazio, Maria Valanzano and Jake Horowitz of Colliers represented the landlord, Tritec Real Estate, in the lease transaction.
“Bringing Lucharitos into Tritec’s Station Yards project marks a significant milestone for our team. As a vibrant and beloved local brand, Lucharitos perfectly encapsulates the spirit of community and innovation we’re fostering at Station Yards,” D’Orazio said in the statement. “Their commitment to leasing the first pad site of 1,500 square feet sets a dynamic tone for the development. Our team is thrilled to have played a pivotal role in this partnership, reflecting our dedication to enhancing the local business landscape and offering unique culinary experiences to the community.”
The new retail and restaurant tenants at Station Yards will be located in the project’s current development phase, which includes 388 apartments, 70,000 square feet of retail space, 16,500 square feet of office space and a public plaza.
“The inclusion of Lucharitos at Station Yards signifies a major milestone in our development as we continue to fill spaces with dynamic tenants,” Jimmy Coughlan, vice president of development at Tritec, said in the statement. “Lucharito’s lively atmosphere and flavorful dishes are the perfect complement to make Station Yards a culinary and community destination.”
Bethpage Federal Credit Union is the latest tenant to lease space at Tritec Real Estate’s sprawling Station Yards mixed-use development in Ronkonkoma.
The largest credit union in the Northeast will be taking 1,705 square feet of retail space at the under-construction complex.
Bethpage is the third major tenant to lease space at Station Yards. Vespa Italian Kitchen & Bar, which has a location on Main Street in Farmingdale, leased 5,940 square feet and Bay Shore-based Great South Bay Brewery leased 8,428 square feet at the mixed-use development.
Ranked as the 14th largest credit union in the country, Bethpage Federal Credit Union opened in 1941 as Grumman Hangar 2 Credit Union, changing its name in 1994 when its headquarters relocated to Bethpage.
“Tritec has created a winning real estate model, providing a true sense of community for its residents,” Linda Armyn, chief strategy and marketing officer for Bethpage FCU, said in a written statement. “We are thrilled to be a part of this modern, transformative project, and look forward to becoming an active member of the Station Yards community for many years to come.”
Maria Valanzano, Steve D’Orazio, and Jake Horowitz of Colliers represented Bethpage, as well as the landlord, Tritec, in the Station Yards lease transaction.
“Bethpage is a banking and financial services stalwart for Long Islanders. They’ve been faithfully serving our local community for over 80 years, and that is exactly the sort of made-on-Long Island mantra we’ve focused on for our tenant roster,” Valanzano said in the statement. “Bethpage is going to bring tremendous value to the area’s residents and local businesses, and we couldn’t be happier to welcome them as the newest tenant in Tritec’s Station Yards development. Their addition brings premier banking solutions and community involvement to the Ronkonkoma area.”
Station Yards is transforming about 50 acres around the Ronkonkoma Long Island Rail Road station into a vibrant walkable mixed-use community. When completed, the development will have 1,450 apartments, 195,000 square feet of retail space, and 360,000 square feet of office space. Tritec completed the first phase of 489 apartment homes, Alston Station Yards, in 2021 and the $265 million second phase of the project includes 388 apartments, 70,000 square feet of retail space,16,500 square feet of office space and a public plaza, which is expected to be completed next year.
“Bethpage’s commitment to excellence and community empowerment perfectly aligns with our vision for this development,” Jimmy Coughlan, vice president for Ttitec Development Group, said in the statement. “Together, we are creating a space where businesses thrive and individuals find a sense of belonging. Bethpage’s lease signing marks another milestone in our journey toward building a destination that enriches the lives of residents, commuters, and visitors.”
