Editing Stony Brook, New York (section)

==Geography==
[[Image:Stony Brook Harbor.jpg|thumb|right|Stony Brook Harbor]]

Stony Brook is on the [[North Shore (Long Island)|North Shore]] of [[Long Island]], approximately {{Convert|55|mi|km}} east of the New York City borough of [[Manhattan]]. The census-designated place occupies an irregular shape measuring roughly {{Convert|5|mi|km|0}} north to south and {{Convert|1|mi|km}} east to west.

The historic core of Stony Brook was developed from the 17th century onward at the mouth of Stony Brook Harbor, a narrow inlet of the [[Long Island Sound]]. This section of town includes the [[Stony Brook Village Center]], a planned commercial center in the style of New England clapboard architecture that opened in 1941. Nearby are the [[Long Island Museum]], the [[Three Village Inn]], and [[William Sidney Mount House]]. A [[peninsula]] in this vicinity known as the [[West Meadow Beach Historic District|West Meadow]] includes a beach and wetlands reserve.

Stony Brook University is within and adjacent to the census-designated place, with its main campus less than {{Convert|2|mi|km}} from Stony Brook's historic center. It is primarily on the eastern side of the census-designated place, with a pedestrian entrance on [[New York State Route 25a|Route 25a]] at the [[Stony Brook (LIRR station)|Stony Brook station]] of the [[Long Island Rail Road]] and a vehicular entrance on [[Nicolls Road]]. The local stretch of Route 25A contains shops and other commercial properties that cater to the university's student body.

The southern (inland) portion of Stony Brook primarily consists of post-war residential development. The [[Stony Brook University Research and Development Park]] (in Stony Brook and adjacent St. James) occupies a buffer between this section and the university's central campus. Forming Stony Brook's official southern boundary is [[New York State Route 347|Route 347]], a corridor with commercial development including an [[AMC Loews|AMC Loews cinema]] within the CDP boundaries and the [[Smith Haven Mall]] nearby.