Elected officials joined the developers for a groundbreaking ceremony at a Yaphank hotel last week.

The 146-key Home2 Suites by Hilton grand opening event, which opened last spring, was delayed by the pandemic.

The hotel is one of the latest developments in the 322-acre mixed-use community called The Boulevard, built on the site of the former Parr Meadows Racecourse on the northwest corner of the Long Island Expressway and the William Floyd Parkway.

Home2 Suites offers pet-friendly studios and one-bedroom suites with kitchens equipped with refrigerator, microwave, sink and dishwasher. Dimension Development, based in Natchitoches, La manages the hotel, which has 2,000 square feet of meeting space, two outdoor patios with gas grills, a laundry room and a fitness area. and an indoor saltwater swimming pool.

Boulevard developer Rose-Breslin Associates began construction on the mixed-use community in June 2015 with a plan to bring 850 housing units, a shopping mall, 118-bed assisted living facility, and hotel to the sprawling Yaphank property. .

“This hotel is a critical part of our overall Boulevard project as it serves business and leisure travelers, as well as the local community,” said Allan V. Rose, Managing Partner of Rose-Breslin Associates, in a written statement .

The developers recently opened a rental complex called The Brio consisting of 295 units in four-story buildings with a mix of one- to three-bedroom apartments. The Brio followed a 240-unit boulevard rental complex called The Reserve that opened in 2016.

A 400-unit component for sale at The Boulevard called Country Pointe Meadows is still under development by The Beechwood Organization, with over 300 of the condos being built for buyers aged 55 or older.

A 300,000 square foot mall called The Shoppes at The Boulevard, which will also be under construction, will be a 197,000 square foot Walmart mall.

The development of Yaphank received economic incentives from the Brookhaven Industrial Development Agency and the Empire State Development Corp.