Town board approves $40M, 1,600-acre Calverton land sale

The Riverhead Town Board voted 3-2 Wednesday night to approve the $40 million sale of 1,643 acres in Calverton.
Buyer Calverton Aviation & Technology and its partner, Triple Five Worldwide Group, plan to redevelop the former Grumman site into a massive industrial park. Known as the EPCAL project, it is slated to focus on education, research and the aerospace industry.
Approval of the sale came after heated debate. Those who oppose the project questioned the developer's qualifications and vision for the project.
Stuart Bienenstock, of Triple Five, says they're qualified and they'll prove it.
The town says the sale will take several months to complete and that construction could begin by late next year.