As part of a larger effort to transform communities along major traffic and industrial corridors and provide entertainment and community resources for residents and visitors, a new premiere entertainment destination is nearing construction completion. Topgolf’s Holtsville location in the Town of Brookhaven is slated to open in late summer 2021 and will be the first-of-its-kind in Long Island. Understanding the complex regulations and multiple stakeholders across the municipalities on Long Island was vital to advancing this project. VHB partnered closely with Topgolf to navigate the regulatory and public review processes while working with design-build partner ARCO Murray to bring the project through construction.
“Our first step was to work with the Town of Brookhaven to understand the design parameters and constraints,” said David Buttacavoli, VHB Senior Project Manager. “This is Topgolf’s first venture into Long Island and we partnered with their real estate team to understand the complexities of building in the area, as well as gathering the right data so we can help mitigate questions and concerns from both the Town and public.”
Bringing a complex project like Topgolf Holtsville to completion took a coordinated, strategic consultancy between multiple VHB teams, the land use attorney, the Town of Brookhaven, and Suffolk County authorities, as well as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). VHB assisted with securing the Change of Zone and Special Permit, coordinating with the New York State Department of Transportation and Suffolk County Department of Health Services. VHB also completed an Environmental Impact Statement in compliance with the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA).
Together with the client, VHB took an individualized approach to address concerns at local town meetings and helped advance dialogue in larger civic meetings with the client and legal teams. Large hurdles like drainage restrictions, clearances with Power Service Energy Group, Long Island’s high-tension lines, and approval from the Fire Marshall required innovative solutions and creative thinking.
Since the site was within the flight path of nearby MacArthur Airport, VHB’s Aviation team helped the local team on Long Island through the process of working with the FAA, getting appropriate approvals, forms, maps, and building connections in what would have otherwise been a much more complicated process.
“We worked together to map the height of the poles that hold the net around Topgolf’s driving range so that the FAA can take the appropriate mapping approach for their navigation systems,” said David. “We mapped latitude and longitude, factoring in the finished height of the poles, as well as the full crane and construction height while they’re going up—each stage had to be coordinated and communicated to satisfy the FAA.”
Getting the local community on board also required teamwork. As the project is the first-of-its-kind in the area, VHB worked closely with ARCO Murray and the project’s land use attorney to present visual representations that show the finished project in context with its neighbors, using imagery with existing vegetation to present a photo-realistic visualization.
The Topgolf Holtsville project leveraged the knowledge and strength of VHB. Through our resources, and ingenuity in complex markets like Long Island, we deliver unique, transformational projects that open future opportunities for economic growth.
For more information, contact David Buttacavoli.