Western Suffolk County is a vibrant and diverse region located on the western end of Long Island, New York. The county boasts miles of pristine beaches, perfect for swimming, sunbathing, surfing, and fishing. Within Western Suffolk County is the hamlet known as Central Islip. Central Islip is primarily residential with a mix of single-family homes and apartment complexes. One such apartment complex has been around for over 100 years. Once a former psychiatric hospital, it was converted into the New York Institute of Technology before closing completely in 1996. It sat abandoned for over 25 years.
Reopened in 2023, and now known as The Belmont at Eastview, this luxury apartment complex represents a changing trend in Central Islip. As the demand shifts to luxury apartments, Steel Equities and The Marcus Organization recognized population shifts and changing preferences for amenities. As a result, they poured $100 million into this project to revitalize 8 of the 11 existing buildings. An additional 158 apartments and an 18,000 sq. ft. clubhouse are expected to be completed by June 2024.
Now open and operational, the 62-acre complex offers studio and 1- & 2-bedroom apartments with spacious and refined interiors. Many of these apartments utilize smart technology for enhanced convenience and control. Additionally, the complex features a variety of amenities, including a clubhouse, resort-style pool, bark parks, pet spas, tennis courts, pickleball courts, picnic areas with BBQs, sports courts, community gardens, walking trails, and children's playgrounds. All-in-all, the complex boasts extensive recreational facilities.
Construction personnel who work on new and renovated buildings in New York must follow New York building codes. As these buildings were renovated, the 2020 Mechanical Code of New York State had to be accounted for by the design team. Chapter 4, Ventilation, tells designers they have the option to either use natural or mechanical ventilation. However, according to section 401.2,
“if there are less than 5 air changes per hour when tested with a blower door at a pressure of 0.2-inch water column (50 pa), the dwelling unit shall be ventilated by mechanical means.”
Most of these luxury spaces required mechanical ventilation. As a result, the HVAC contractor, Jen Air Inc., was hired to install fresh air appliances for balanced ventilation (ERVs). These products with energy recovery were chosen due to the hot-summer humid continental climate of Long Island and their ability to transfer moisture from the outgoing exhaust air to the incoming fresh air streams.
Kenneth Eller, Project Manager at Jen Air, told Fantech all about the installation,
“The buildings were built in the 1890s and had been abandoned for over 20 years. When we showed up, the exterior was in great condition and still is, but the entire interior of the building was gutted.”
Eller went on to say,
“The construction team did a great job sealing up buildings 1–8. All attics were spray foamed. It became a very tight envelope needing a way to breathe.”
The design team chose to implement Fantech’s FIT Fresh Air Appliances into the 206 apartments. Due to its compact size and side-port connection, the FIT appliances “fit” perfectly in each apartment’s mechanical closet. Most importantly, the now tightly insulated space had a way to breathe. And not only do these appliances successfully create a healthy breathing environment for residents, but they also satisfy New York’s mechanical code.
After the installation process, Eller told us,
“Other ERV products that are wall-mounted create excessive vibration causing noise to creep into the living space. These [FIT Fresh Air] appliances have much less vibration than other ERVs that I’ve been around. Leading to a quieter experience for the user.”
What’s next? Phase 2 of the project will see the full renovation of the final 3 buildings. An additional 281 apartments and 81 for-sale condominiums for people aged 55 and over will be created. The location will also see 55,000 sq. ft. of new retail space with an 18,000 sq. ft. grocery store, and a new 40,000 sq. ft. medical office building. At the end of construction, the developers anticipate more than 1,000 construction jobs and many permanent jobs will have been created.
