Massapequa Turns a Corner
The waterside community, Massapequa on Long Island is finally bouncing back from superstorm Sandy.
Source: Wall Street Journal By: DEREK KRAVITZ Dec. 11, 2015 6:00 a.m. ET
Massapequa, a Long Island bedroom community known for its peninsulas, lakes, shopping malls and scenic waterfront views, has been in recovery mode for nearly three years. But with new businesses cropping up and residents moving in, locals say one of the communities hardest hit by superstorm Sandy is finally turning a corner.
Collectively, the Massapequas along Nassau County’s south shore cover a little more than 9 square miles and have roughly 58,000 residents. Massapequa Park is an incorporated village, while Massapequa and East Massapequa are unincorporated hamlets within the larger Town of Oyster Bay.
Superstorm Sandy hit this area hard, damaging about 4,000 homes, flooding several major roads and upending trees, power lines and utility poles. Coastal parks were especially hard hit, due to erosion and heavy debris. Roughly $26 million in federal aid has been used for repairs and 124 businesses in the Massapequas applied for disaster assistance, according to state statistics.
“For the first few years after the storm, it was awful. Business was down about 30%,” said Patty Orzano, who co-owns the East Massapequa 7-Eleven. “But people are coming back and we’re seeing signs of life.”
In the aftermath, several new businesses have opened, including George Martin’s Burger Bar, Lobster Shack, a seafood restaurant on Merrick Road; and Bar Harbor Web Design, which is searching for office space. But empty storefronts still dot Massapequa’s commercial corridors.
“If you were to drive down Broadway, you’ll see a lot of storefronts that are open and available,” said Susan Martin, president of the 350-member Massapequa Chamber of Commerce. “We still have quite a few people recovering from Sandy, most of the people along Merrick Road.”
Massapequa is also “a bit extended,” with the swath of storefronts and restaurants north of the Long Island Rail Road station, including Broadway and Central Avenue, stretching for about 30 blocks, compared with the smaller, denser Massapequa Park, said Ms. Martin.
Chief among the community’s to-do list is revitalizing Merrick Road and drawing first-time home buyers to the area, said Salvatore Polito, a Massapequa Realtor for three decades, now with Exit Realty Gateway. Single-family homes are selling at a brisk pace, Realtors say, with two- and three-bedroom houses in gated communities starting at $500,000. “We’re getting buyers near the water now, too, which is a great sign,” he said.
The only obstacle to home sales: higher premiums for flood insurance. “When you have to pay $15,000 for taxes and $3,000 for homeowner’s insurance, the extra $3,800 for flood insurance can kill a deal,” said Mr. Polito.
Parks: The Marjorie R. Post Community Park, at Merrick and Unqua roads, has an outdoor ice rink and community pool. In neighboring Massapequa Park, the 52-acre John J. BurnsTown Park has lighted tennis courts and baseball fields along with concerts sponsored by the Town of Oyster Bay and the summertime Music Under the Stars series. The county-run Massapequa Preserve has wetlands, hiking trails and the Massapequa Lake, a favorite among local fishermen.
Schools: The Massapequa Union Free School District has roughly 8,000 students spread over six elementary schools, a middle school and a two-campus high school in Massapequa and neighboring Massapequa Park.
According to state data, 48% of students in grades three through eight met or exceeded state standards for proficiency in both English Language Arts in 2015, compared with 45% a year earlier. In math, 62% of students scored at least a 3 or 4 on the state exams, compared with 61% in 2014. Local private schools include the Grace Episcopal Day School, with students in prekindergarten through eighth grade.
Food: A local mainstay, the roadside All American Hamburger Drive-In serves burgers, fries and milk shakes. Salumi Tapas & Wine Bar, on Merrick Road, serves Spanish-influenced small plates. Sandwiches and burger joints are aplenty, from specialty burger chain GM Burger Bar to the English pub-style The Good Life.
Shopping and Entertainment: Of course, there’s the Westfield Sunrise Mall, on Sunrise Highway in East Massapequa, made famous by comedian Jerry Seinfeld, who was raised here. (The joke goes: “What does Massapequa mean in English? By the mall.”) There’s also several mom-and-pop stores in downtown Massapequa, including ice-cream parlors, a comic-book store and even a police-supply shop.
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