New York State has secured a conservation easement worth nearly $11 million at Broad Cove Preserve in Aquebogue, effectively ending the possibility of future development on the site. The 100-acre waterfront property had previously been considered for a large resort complex, including proposals for a 500-room hotel and spa.
The Department of Environmental Conservation paid $10.95 million for the easement, ensuring that construction is permanently prohibited on the land. The Peconic Land Trust acquired the property in 2021 using private donations and short-term credit, with the expectation that state intervention would provide lasting protection.
Development interest in Broad Cove dates back to at least 2016, when one developer proposed a significant resort project before withdrawing. At the time of acquisition by the land trust, Walo LLC still owned the site and was considering other offers from developers.
The recorded easement not only blocks any future building but also guarantees public access to approximately 8,000 feet of shoreline along Terry Creek and Broad Cove. This move secures recreational use for visitors while preserving an area adjacent to Indian Island County Park that has been listed as a priority in New York’s Open Space Conservation Plan since the early 1990s.
Peconic Land Trust representatives described development as an “imminent threat” prior to their purchase of the property. Riverhead Town Supervisor Tim Hubbard stated: “What was once slated for a major waterfront development project has now been preserved and transformed into a beautiful public recreational space in perpetuity.”
