The completion of Airport Plaza, a strip mall adjacent to Republic Airport, Farmingdale, is expected by June, and will bring a host of new retail establishments to the Route 110 corridor, the leasing agent for the property disclosed this week.

At least 15 new establishments will open by June 1, ranging from restaurants to clothing shops, according to Bill Guthrie, senior vice president for New Jersey-based Levcom. They include the following: Home Depot, which will move from its current Farmingdale location, Petland Discounts, Rockaway Bedding, Hallmark Creations, Radio Shack, GNC (General Nutrition Centers) Livewell, Joyce Leslie clothing store, Lady Rose Shops, Payless Shoes, The Olive Tree Gourmet Supermarket, China Grand Buffet Restaurant, Dan's Delicatessan, Brick Oven Pizza, Chee Burger-Chee Burger, a retro, 1950s-themed specialty cafe, and Jillian's, an entertainment center/eatery/bar. They will join Airport Plaza's first tenants, Modell's and Staples, which opened in November.

In addition, Applebee's is set to open in March. Leases for both a 25,000 square foot fitness center, and various additional apparel retailers are pending. Some office space will also be featured. At completion, the 90 acre site, which is owned by Fairchild Corporation and worth over $100 million, will feature 800,000 square feet of development, according to Guthrie. An idea for a sports expo, which had been discussed at earlier planning stages, is on hold, he noted, until a suitable operator is found. Levcom may also develop another 20 acres of vacant property located on the opposite side of Rte. 110, he added.

"I feel personally that this is going to be the most successful project we've ever developed," said Guthrie, whose company has completed several similar strip malls around the country. He cited the corporate boom on the Melville/110 corridor and a lack of retail outlets in the surrounding area as one reason for his optimism. For example, commenting on the draw expected for the entertainment center, he said, "That site is starving for that, because, mainly within two-and-a-half miles you have the Melville Corporate Corridor, with 9 million square feet of office space, with about 65,000 people going in and out of there daily." He added, "And, I know that Staples and Modell's are drawing a lot of business from that area."

According to Aaron Fleishaker, senior vice president and director of real estate for Modell's, the store had 500 people waiting on line to enter its grand opening.

Guthrie added that the growth of high-tech businesses in the Town of Babylon and development of new homes has also increased the plaza's consumer market.

National Amusements pioneered the development of Fairchild's former aviation defense manufacturing site in Farmingdale when it built a movie theater adjacent to the Airport Plaza site a few years ago.

Since the earliest news of the plans for Airport Plaza, it has been anticipated by many in Farmingdale as a development which will significantly impact the surrounding community. While some see it as an opportunity for Farmingdale Village's struggling downtown to attract more visitors, others see it as a source of added competition which could hurt businesses.

Mary Ann Paras, president of the Farmingdale Chamber of Commerce, is one who seeks to harness the retail draw of the new Route 110 development as part of downtown revitalization efforts. "The chamber is working with Operation Downtown and the [government of Farmingdale] Village to see how we can capitalize on this for downtown Farmingdale," she said, adding that the new Farmingdale establishments are welcome to join the 210-member trade organization. "We're looking forward to it, to see what's coming in there and how we can work in rapport with them." For example, she hopes to initiate cross-marketing between downtown merchants and the plaza's tenants. Operation Downtown is a program sponsored by Nassau County in which downtown Farmingdale receives free marketing consulting services.

Fred Bollinger, of the family-owned Bollinger's Delicatessan and Bollinger's Restaurant, both on Main Street, Farmingdale, has concerns about the development. He opened the restaurant at the site of the former Von Leesen's last year after the owner of that legendary eatery and ice-cream shop, citing a lack of customers, closed up shop. Upon news of Bollinger's endeavor, many local merchants, who had been dismayed at Von Leesen's closing, offered words of support for Bollinger, a respected businessman. He said he believes the shoppers who are headed to Airport Plaza will pass by Main Street without stopping. "Our shopping hub is Main Street, they don't have to go through Main Street. They'll go right through Conklin." However, he applauded the efforts of Farmingdale community members who are working to revitalize the downtown. "I know the town is working very hard," he said.

Although Guthrie said the strip mall will attract customers from at least a 15 to 20 mile radius, Bollinger believes the site will take customers away from downtown Farmingdale. "We'll just have to be on our toes that much more," he said.

Jo Orobello of family-owned Two Brothers II Pizza Restaurant on Main Street welcomes the plaza. "It'll bring people into Farmingdale at least," he said, adding that he believes most Farmingdale residents currently travel to Sunrise Mall or Roosevelt Field to shop. "There's really no draw to Farmingdale."

Farmingdale resident Dan Looney, who was recently installed deputy historian for the Village of Farmingdale, commented that the downtown shopping district in Farmingdale could complement Airport Plaza, particularly because it is rich in history. He added that the development is yet another reason to preserve the heritage and historical structures of the village, a community which is over 300 years old. "You can go anywhere in the country. You'll see airport plazas all over the place," he said. "There's only one Farmingdale."