Demolition at Jefferson Plaza in Port Jefferson Station has resumed in recent weeks as Staller Associates moves forward with its plans to replace the aging shopping center with a $190 million mixed-use development.

The 10.4-acre property sits at a prominent location along Route 112, near the Long Island Rail Road and at the crossroads of several communities. The existing shopping center, one of Long Island’s older commercial properties, has seen numerous storefronts, including Zorba the Greek, Station Coffee, and a post office close or sit vacant over the years.

The demolition comes after the property began showing signs of decline and nearly three years after residents rallied against Staller Associates’ original proposal for 280 apartments. The company’s zoning change was approved in 2024 after years of community meetings and project revisions.

Valentin Staller, vice president of Staller Associates, said demolition began because of safety concerns at the vacant buildings.

“We found people living in some of the basements, just terribly unsafe vacant buildings, so we demolished them for liability reasons,” Staller said, when speaking with TBR News Media. “If we could have started construction sooner, we certainly would have.”

Staller said the project remains under review by the Town of Brookhaven and other agencies before site plan approval, which he hopes to receive later this year. Once construction begins, Staller said, it is expected to take a little more than two years.