Thursday, October 1, 2026
Plans for a new hotel on the former La-Z-Boy Furniture property in Rockville Centre continue to advance through village and Town of Hempstead review processes, though multiple approvals are still required before construction can begin.
The proposal calls for a three-story, 63-suite Tru by Hilton hotel on the vacant triangular parcel between Sunrise Highway and North Centre Avenue. The property has remained undeveloped since a tanker truck crashed into the furniture store on Feb. 16, 2022, sparking a fire that destroyed the building.
According to plans submitted to the village, the hotel would stand 38 feet tall, slightly exceeding the village’s 36-foot height limit, and have 44 street-level parking spaces, fewer than the 63 spaces required under village code.
The project recently cleared an initial hurdle when the Town of Hempstead Industrial Development Agency granted preliminary approval for economic development benefits at its May 19 meeting. The agency stressed that the proposal still requires a public hearing and final approval before any incentives are awarded.
Freeport developer Ellis Abramson, who owns the Hampton Inn & Suites, diagonally across Sunrise Highway from the site, is leading the project. According to the IDA, the development represents an $18.6 million investment that is expected to create 80 construction jobs and 25 permanent positions.
Project attorney Peter Curry told the IDA that the hotel would generate an average of about $202,000 annually in payments in lieu of taxes under a proposed 20-year agreement. The project, Curry said, is expected to produce roughly $8.4 million in annual business activity and about $2.5 million in earnings, while generating an estimated $3.7 million in economic benefits during construction. The developer is also seeking sales and mortgage tax abatements.
Abramson told IDA members that the Hampton Inn operates at roughly 94 percent occupancy year-round and is frequently sold out, noting that demand for hotel rooms on Long Island’s South Shore remains strong.
“We feel that this is very much needed in the South Shore of Long Island, where there is no more real room to build anything and the demand is very, very high,” Abramson told the agency.
Tru by Hilton is a midscale, limited-service brand that typically offers amenities including complimentary breakfast and a fitness center. The new hotel, Abramson said, would complement rather than compete with the Hampton Inn, allowing the two properties to serve different segments of the market.
He explained that the Hampton Inn attracts business travelers, airline crews and visitors attending local events. Airline crews, he added, often choose Rockville Centre because of its proximity to the Long Island Rail Road and local restaurants.
The proposed site is within walking distance of the Rockville Centre LIRR station and about a half-mile from the downtown business district. If approved, the hotel would join others in the area such as the Best Western Mill River Manor, Ramada by Wyndham and the Rockville Centre Inn.
Curry told the IDA that Abramson submitted letters of support from local businesses, and village officials were aware of the proposal, though local approvals remain pending.
“This proposed hotel will bring new jobs and taxes to the town and other jurisdictions, while providing hotel rooms on the South Shore, where demand is strong but supply is insufficient,” Fred Parola, chief executive officer of the IDA, said in a statement announcing the preliminary approval.
According to the IDA, the project does not require a zoning change and is already zoned for business use.
The proposal is also before the Rockville Centre Board of Zoning Appeals. A May 6 legal notice indicates that Abramson is seeking variances for parking, height, setbacks and other dimensional requirements.
The unusual shape of the property and traffic impacts have become central issues. During last month’s IDA meeting, Abramson said that a traffic study had determined that a hotel would generate less traffic than retail, office or medical uses. “It’s the least impact,” he said.
According to John Matthews Jr., counsel to the Board of Zoning Appeals, the public hearing opened April 8 and is continuing. It was adjourned, he said, to allow the board to obtain an independent review of Abramson’s parking analysis.
The application was scheduled to return to the BZA on June 10, but the hearing was adjourned until June 24. Matthews said that testimony from residents and other interested parties will continue when the hearing resumes, with a vote likely coming in a later work session.
Rockville Centre Chamber of Commerce President Ed Asip said that another hotel could help local businesses.
“The Hampton Inn has excellent management and is a great member of the chamber, and always promotes Rockville Centre businesses to its guests,” Asip said. “In my personal opinion, I think the new hotel will benefit our downtown businesses, and if they are approved, I look forward to welcoming them to Rockville Centre.”
Village officials have declined to comment while the matter remains before the zoning board.
“Providing any statement could be perceived as an attempt to influence the Board’s review and decision-making process,” village spokeswoman Julie Grilli wrote in an email. “We remain committed to respecting the integrity and independence of that process.”
Curry and Abramson did not return multiple calls seeking additional comment beyond their statements at the IDA meeting.
