Dear Huntington Town Council:

The Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce (the “Chamber”) wishes by this letter to express its support for Avalon Bay’s proposed Huntington Station project, and to compliment Supervisor Petrone and the entire Town Board for your vision and leadership in working to realize economic revitalization in Huntington Station.

Our Chamber’s mission is to promote business, economic development, and job creation through the coordinated efforts of our membership. As such, the Chamber seeks to represent the interests of business, industry, financial services, not-for-profit, and other professionals within the greater Huntington area, and to assess the impact of various initiatives on local business, employment, and the economy.

A major challenge facing the Town of Huntington, and Long Island in general, is the retention of our young adult residents, and a major obstacle to that is the shortage of economic housing opportunities. In addition, the high cost of housing has made it difficult for our empty nesters to continue their residence within Huntington. Avalon Bay has presented its proposed Huntington Station project to us, and we believe that it provides a solution to these obstacles with its combination of market rate and affordable rental units and townhomes to be made available by Avalon Bay in Huntington Station.

The Chamber is also very aware of the positive impact this type of economic development project will have on our local economy. Avalon Bay at Huntington Station will bring over $80 million in investment into our Town and specifically Huntington Station. Further, Avalon Bay has demonstrated its commitment to local small businesses through its preferred vendor program. This project development, along with the relocation of new residents with significant disposable incomes into Huntington Station, will provide a tremendous and immediate increase in dollars spent in Huntington Station with the construction and a significant long-term infusion of dollars for spending in its business district and retail community with these new residents.

We have witnessed Avalon Bay’s success in (and the positive benefits it helps provide for) other communities across Long Island, including with its Avalon Court in Melville. Avalon Bay has served as a boost to these local economies; in Glen Cove, the location of an Avalon Bay community helped to increase economic activity in its downtown by nearly 20 percent. Avalon Bay also offers its reputation as a high quality developer that maintains its properties and the quality of its developments. Avalon Bay has shown here its willingness to work with our community by reducing the number of proposed units to lessen the impact caused by increased children matriculating into the Huntington Union Free School District.

As such, the Chamber supports Avalon Bay’s proposed project, and we urge the Town Board to approve Avalon Bay’s application for a zone change and to work diligently with Avalon Bay to make possible the proposed Avalon Bay in Huntington Station community.

Sincerely,


HUNTINGTON TOWNSHIP CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
           
By:     
_____________________________
    Name:  Robert Bontempi
    Title:    Chairman of the Board

Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce kicked off its annual golf outing fundraiser this week with a cocktail reception for players and sponsors at Huntington’s Porto Vivo restaurant. The golf outing will be held on June 27 at the Indian Hills Country Club. Thank you to David Costa from Porto Vivo for donating the reception.  Pictured at the kickoff event, from left, are: golf outing honorees John J. Molloy, President and CEO of H2M Group President, and Bob Scheiner, Senior Vice President, H2M Group, Chamber Chairman Bob Bontempi, and Golf Committee Chair Bill Bohn.

BETHPAGE, NY – (April 1, 2011) Dr. George Santiago, Jr., president of Briarcliffe College, will be honored for “his outstanding leadership” by the Long Island Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender (GLBT) Services Network at the 2011 Equality Awards Gala on April 29, 2011. 

“The programs that comprise the LIGLBT Services Network are vital to building communication and understanding in our schools, communities, and workplaces,” said Santiago.  “I commend their efforts and am proud to be recognized for my support.”

In 2004, Dr. Santiago served as Provost and Chief Academic Officer of Briarcliffe College until being unanimously appointed by the Board of Trustees to serve as the College’s fourth President in 2006.   In his years at Briarcliffe, he has overseen the introduction of new academic degree programs, an increase in student enrollment, the re-organization for a successful athletic program, a commitment to the communities of Long Island, and an outreach to previously underserved populations – from Hispanics to Long Island’s gay and lesbian youth.

Under his leadership, Briarcliffe College introduced a Hispanic Scholarship program to encourage high school Latinos to continue their education by entering college.  After the attack and stabbing death of Marcelo Lucero, the College’s Patchogue campus took an active role in hosting public hearings on bias crime, receiving a Governor’s Citation.  The Briarcliffe family of students, faculty and administrators organizes to support blood drives, cancer awareness, and charity drives.

Dr. Santiago has been recognized for his many efforts, earning recognitions and awards from, among others: The American Cancer Society, March of Dimes, La Fuerza Unida, Adelante of Suffolk County, and the Nassau County Youth Board.  In 2008, he received the Suffolk County Hispanic Role Model Award and in 2009, the Nassau County Executive Hispanic Heritage Award and the Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Educator of the Year.

For more information on the LIGLBT Equality Awards Gala on April 29th featuring a performance by Nikki Blonsky, host Loni Love, and special guests Wilson Cruz, Carolyn Hennesy and Gbenga Akinnagbe, visit www.liglbtnetwork.org or call the LIGLBT office at: 631-665-2300.

About Briarcliffe College

A proprietary institution with locations in Bethpage, Patchogue and Queens NY., Briarcliffe College is a four-year career education college offering degree programs in accounting, business administration, criminal justice, graphic design, information technology, management and paralegal studies.  Programs vary by location.  The Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, (267) 284-5000 accredits Briarcliffe College. Briarcliffe College does not guarantee employment or salary.  Briarcliffe College is also a member of the Career Education Corporation (NASDAQ:CECO) network of colleges, universities and schools.  For more information, visit www.briarcliffe.edu or www.bcl.edu.