Redevelopment Underway For 'The Shops At Sun Vet Mall' In Suffolk

HOLBROOK, NY — The former Sun Vet Mall in Holbrook is being redeveloped as The Shops at SunVet, making way for the latest Whole Foods as an anchor outlet, developers say.

National mall operator Regency Centers has begun redevelopment after receiving approval from the Town of Islip for an updated design focused on adaptive reuse of the existing structure, according to a news release.

The plan to revitalize the 50-year-old shopping center includes the adaptive reuse of the existing 280,000-square-foot structure into a 168,000-square-foot, open-air shopping center anchored by a Whole Foods Market and two junior anchors, and will include 53,000-square-feet of shops and six out-parcels, the developers said.

The building's demolition, which began in the summer, is to continue through the winter with new construction beginning in the spring of next year, according to the developers.

The site's Citibank will remain open during construction until its new location opens in late 2024, the developers said.

The site, which is on the north side of Sunrise Highway, was first named as a possible location for Whole Foods and Starbucks late last year.

It was once bustling with activity with a bevy of varied stores and restaurants that included a diner, a pizzeria, a discount store, several women's clothing stores, some medical offices, and an area with amusements for children.

The 18-acre mall, which was built in 1973, has been losing tenants for years, including its anchors, a roughly 10,000-square-foot Toys R Us store, and a 60,000-square-foot Pathmark supermarket which both closed after filing bankruptcy years ago, Newsday previously reported.

Plans for Whole Foods and Starbucks took more shape in May, the outlet reported.

The site will be home to the 6th Whole Foods Market on the island and will expand Regency's footprint in the market to 11 properties, which includes the national four-property, $130 million acquisition from Serota Properties in the 4ht quarter of 2021 and the $30 million purchase of East Meadow Plaza in fall 2022, the news release stated.

Rebecca Wing, vice president of investments for Regency, said the mall will "bring back to life" the "once-vibrant shopping hub and make it once again an amenity that serves the needs of Holbrook and the surrounding community."

“We are particularly excited about the opportunity to re-use the existing structure to minimize waste while providing all of the new design features and amenities demanded by today’s top retailers," she said. "Our planned lineup includes many stores new to the area. As we have seen at our Glenwood Green development opening this spring in New Jersey, and previous development projects, when we create best-in-class design and amenities, our retailers succeed, shoppers are more engaged and communities benefit.”

Regency's approach to merchandising at the location "is keyed to the local, unmet needs for fresh and compelling retail options in Holbrook and the surrounding region," its news release stated.

Its leasing agent, Sean Mirkov, said that after years of vacancy, staffers know" there is much anticipation."

“The design, the merchant mix, and the experience are all attuned to the Holbrook community to create something new and unique that hasn’t existed in this market before," he said.

The plan is to have dedicated areas that are "inviting, authentic, and true to the surrounding community," while "blurring the lines between a place to gather and a place to shop, dedicated spaces with comfortable furnishings will promote pedestrian activity and community gatherings," the developers said.

The architectural renderings presented to the Suffolk County Planning Commission incorporate a design influenced by a mix of textures and patterns in color schemes of wood tones and grays, according to the developers.