July 1st, 2011, By Dana Haugh
Professionals and supporters alike gathered at yesterday’s grand opening of the new Motor Parkway Plaza in Hauppauge. David Abel, president of United Realty, emotionally expressed his thanks and gratitude to all those who believed in his project, enabling his vision come to life. He said when he first started the project “I did not even understand what I was doing . . . We started from scratch.” The repeated rejection from lenders forced Abel to take manners in his own hands, and wallet, when he decided to fund the project completely on his own dime. He took an incredible risk (one banks were extremely wary of entering into during the rough economic time) and it paid off. As his construction partners reiterated, Abel “didn’t wait for the government to bail him out.”
Among the many supporters at the unveiling, was Islip Town Supervisor Phil Nolan, who was deeply impressed by Abel’s dedication to the project, calling the extent of attention to energy conservation “off the charts.” Nolan went on to say that the Motor Parkway Plaza is the embodiment of the phrase ‘think globally, act locally’ and he hopes that this project is just the first of many sites aimed at changing the
direction of the country.
LIPA representative Michael Hervey commended Abel for his bravery and perseverance during a time when developing was the last venture anyone wanted to partake in, viewing the plaza as a beacon of hope that has brought jobs and people together. Hervey proudly went on to praise Abel for taking advantage of the cool roof efficiency program LIPA offers, saying it was one of the first building on Long Island to utilize it. He hopes, like others, that this building will serve as an example of how sites should be constructed.
The plaza is almost completed rented.
Picture and Video Credit- Sara Walsh
All information gathered from the Hauppauge Patch