The following piece by Rachel Weiss and Celia Young was published in the July 24, 2026 edition of Newsday, and featured on Newsday TV. You can watch and read the original here. Embedded video of the interview giving you trouble? Click here to watch!
“Historically, healthcare on Long Island has been a strong sector, and will only continue to grow as Long Island’s population ages, said Richard Murdocco, an adjunct professor of environmental policy and planning at Stony Brook University. New healthcare roles, as well as union construction jobs to see the project through, could be born out of this campus.
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Murdocco agrees, noting that satellite offices could move in “to leverage the cache of being close to the hospital.”
“Even outside of the realm of healthcare, which is to be expected, you’ll see more services that arise, to service … everyone who works at the hospital,” Murdocco said. “They’re going to need places to eat and places to shop.”
…Murdocco foresees Melville’s NYU Langone employees migrating to the surrounding areas, much like Stony Brook University’s professors and healthcare professionals have done around their own school and hospital in communities like Setauket, Old Field and Poquott.
…Roadways could certainly be busy with the addition of the Melville campus, but experts are not too concerned. The hospital’s proximity to the Long Island Expressway should ensure a smooth flow of traffic for emergency services, Murdocco said.
“110 is not a small, winding country lane,” he said. “Aside from the stoplights and stop signs, it is layered like an arterial highway, so it’s a main thoroughfare. I’m not too concerned about traffic impacts from the hospital.”
An area that is lacking transit-wise is direct train access. The closest Long Island Rail Road stations to the proposed location are Pinelawn and Farmingdale. Pinelawn does not offer regular service, while Farmingdale (approximately four miles away) would require a second mode of transportation (such as a bus or car) to access the hospital campus.
