Walmart is taking significant steps toward transforming two of its Long Island locations in Islandia and East Meadow into supercenters, which will offer comprehensive grocery services alongside their usual merchandise. This exciting development is set to bring enhanced shopping options to the community.
The plans for the Islandia store, located at 1850 Veterans Memorial Hwy., are moving forward, with the village board granting unanimous approval for the expansion on Tuesday. The company aims to complete this transformation by the end of 2027, which would represent a substantial growth in floor space—expanding by approximately 36%, or 46,598 square feet, bringing the total size to around 175,353 square feet. Additionally, a new drive-thru pharmacy will be introduced as part of this project, according to the village’s resolution.
However, there are still several steps to take before construction can begin. Jon Cohen, vice president of Blumenfeld Development Group, which co-owns the shopping center, noted that they must first secure building permits and approvals for the construction drawings. He expressed optimism about starting construction by this summer but refrained from providing a specific timeline, stating, "It’s too premature to give a precise schedule as to the completion and/or opening of Walmart. We anticipate both to be able to occur in 2027."
The journey towards this expansion started as early as February 2025 when incomplete project plans were submitted, causing delays in the process, as explained by Gerald Peters, the village manager and building inspector.
On the other hand, Walmart's East Meadow location at 2465 Hempstead Tpke. has also been included in these ambitious plans. Opened in January 2002, the East Meadow store is expected to expand by incorporating a neighboring space previously occupied by a Stop & Shop supermarket, which closed its doors in October 2024. This expansion will increase the store’s footprint by an impressive 54%, or 63,300 square feet, resulting in a total area of 180,526 square feet.
The retailer is requesting a reduction in the number of parking spaces required from 1,066 to 765, accounting for the introduction of electric vehicle charging stations and additional shopping cart corrals. This was brought up during the Hempstead Board of Zoning Appeals public hearing by attorney William F. Bonesso, who represents Walmart.
Moreover, Walmart plans to install a digital sign for pricing related to the electric vehicle charging stations and larger directional signs outside the store, exceeding current height restrictions.
Despite the potential benefits, some residents of East Meadow have voiced their concerns regarding the expansion. They reported disturbances caused by delivery trucks operating outside of town-approved hours and noise from employees playing loud music behind the store. One resident, Susan Bandong, expressed her worries: "If the small Walmart is creating all this noise, there will be more noise coming from the bigger Walmart."
In response to these concerns, Walmart’s leadership team is set to meet with local residents to address their issues and determine if any of the disturbances were related to the previous operations of the Stop & Shop. The Board of Zoning Appeals has yet to make a decision on the variance requests, and further site planning approvals from the town are necessary before the project can proceed.
As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how these changes will affect the local community. Will the benefits of a larger Walmart outweigh the concerns of residents? Engage with us in the comments below—do you agree or disagree with the expansion plans?
