Thanks to a $250,000 grant from National Grid, a 58-unit apartment complex to help homeless veterans will rise in Island Park, Long Island. A project of The Tunnel to Towers Foundation, the award will help put a long-vacant site back into commercial use while providing housing and support services for those who served.
The Veterans Village is going up at 3915 Austin Boulevard, the site of the former Long Beach Motor Inn, which had been closed since Superstorm Sandy in 2012. The property had fallen into disrepair and become a blight on the community. Nassau County transferred it to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation in November 2025, and the foundation demolished the existing structure in December. A ceremonial groundbreaking was held on April 17, 2026.
The new complex is designed to offer more than housing. The first floor will be dedicated to commercial space, while upper floors will provide veterans with a stable foundation as they transition to independent living. Wraparound services and national case managers will support residents on site—and veterans across the country. The project is expected to be completed in late 2027, with a grand opening in 2028.
Tunnel to Towers was founded after the September 11 attacks to honor firefighter Stephen Siller, who gave up his life saving others at the Twin Towers after running through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to reach the World Trade Center. The foundation originally focused on scholarships for children who lost parents in the attacks, but its mission expanded to include mortgage-free homes for injured veterans, Gold Star families, and first responders. The Island Park project brings that mission to Long Island.
“We are honored to support this important initiative,” said Imran Ansari, Downstate New York Economic Development Manager at National Grid. “Together, we can support economic development in a vibrant community and help ensure our veterans have access to safe housing, critical support services, and the resources they need to thrive.”
National Grid is one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the United States, serving more than 20 million people throughout New York and Massachusetts.
For more, see here: Partnering with Tunnel to Towers to Create Homes for Veterans | National Grid
