A controversial plan to build luxury waterfront apartments in Island Park has moved a step closer to reality.

Ten years ago, the Town of Hempstead approved the project that overlooks the Reynolds Channel. The Town of Hempstead later tried to add conditions to the approved deal, so the developer sued and eventually won a long battle. On Tuesday, the Town Board approved the project's site plan.    

For neighbors who are against the project due to increased traffic, there is a silver lining: the property will be cleaned up.

For years, it was a petroleum storage site. As part of the project, the developer has to spend millions of dollars cleaning up any underground pollution. 

The project calls for 172 units. Cleanup work and construction are expected to take about 2 ½ years.