Suffolk County is another step closer to acquiring 200 acres of open space from the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Lloyd Harbor.

 

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Suffolk County, the State of New York, the Town of Huntington and the Open Space Institute Land Trust was drafted to bring these partners together in their effort to acquire a substantial portion of land in Lloyd Harbor.

 

“This is a rare opportunity to preserve a stellar piece of real estate in the name of the people,” said Suffolk County Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey (R).  “We are looking forward to the next steps that will create a new oasis in Suffolk County.” 

 

The MOU outlines the County’s partnership with New York State, the Town of Huntington and the Open Space Institute Land Trust. The subject land has many amenities both natural and human made, such as open fields, a wide variety of flora and fauna, and a spectacular amphitheater designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr.

 

An historic site, the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception has been a center for the theological education and priestly formation of candidates for the Dioceses of Brooklyn and Rockville Centre. The Diocese of Brooklyn purchased 200 acres in the Village of Lloyd Harbor in 1924 to build the Seminary. The Seminary of the Immaculate Conception ended its seminarian program in 2012. It is currently used as a retreat venue and the Seminary plans to continue that function for the foreseeable future.

 

The land is currently owned by the Dioceses of Rockville Centre and Brooklyn and the Archdiocese of New York.

 

“This land will not be sold to developers or neglected,” said Legislator Stephanie Bontempi (R). “It will become a crown jewel in the parks system. I thank all of my colleagues in the legislature for their support.”