By Stephanie Mariel Petrellese

Garden City residents attending the July 17th Board of Trustees meeting at Village Hall scooped up copies of the report issued by the Mayor's Committee on St. Paul's quicker than employees at the ice cream shop a few blocks away were scooping out ice cream to heat wave-weary customers.

However, unlike a hot fudge sundae, the majority of residents who perused the report at the meeting found it difficult to swallow.

"I think if you use tonight's comments as a gauge of how the Village residents feel about this, it is a bad deal," said Peter Negri, president of the Committee to Save St. Paul's, a community group which advocates public use of the building. "I have nothing against AvalonBay. It's just a bad deal for the Village of Garden City."

There have been very few, if any, supporters of the plan who have publicly shared their views at a Board meeting. Last Thursday, residents' comments were once again overwhelmingly negative. In general, people are upset that the building will not have a public use. Other comments focus on the cost to taxpayers, which some feel is too high to save a building.

In a move that surprised many residents at the meeting, as well as Mayor Peter A. Bee, Trustee Donald Brudie became the first Village official to join those opposed to the plan and publicly state his position. According to the proposal, AvalonBay will be permitted to give the Village payments in lieu of taxes, known as PILOTs, for 20 years, for a total of $3.6 million. If the Village was to collect full taxes on the property during that 20-year period, the total would be $30.7 million. Brudie argued that residents will have to make up the $27.1 million difference. He also said it was "ludicrous" that residents won't see the full tax value for such a long period of time.

After the ground lease expires in 99 years and the Village can have the building back, he asked half-jokingly who will be around to pick up the key.

"How are we benefiting from this?" asked Brudie. "We're giving up seven acres of land...God just isn't making any more land in Garden City. He's not doing it. We have to work with what we have...I see nothing positive for Garden City."

Brudie also took issue with an appraisal which puts a negative value on the property due to the parkland designation. One of the biggest and initial obstacles AvalonBay, or any developer, will face is obtaining the necessary Home Rule legislation and relief from Parkland designation from state legislators. Senator Kemp Hannon has emphasized that he will only go forward in Albany to secure the necessary Home Rule legislation and relief from Parkland designation if he sees widespread public support for one proposal. Without the legislation, the land can strictly be used for public purposes only. Brudie said that if the designation is lifted, then the value of the land will increase dramatically.

Brudie also called attention to the fact that apartments would bring more traffic to an already dangerous and crowded intersection, Rockaway Avenue and Stewart Avenue, which will therefore pose an even worse hazard to children walking to the nearby Middle School.

He said he does not want to see the building demolished, but if that is the ultimate decision, he said the Village will benefit from having seven acres of land with relatively little demand placed upon it.

Mayor Bee explained that if the property remains in Village hands, no revenue will be generated. If the Village turns it over to the private sector and receives full tax value, a considerably larger amount of money will be received than if the Village goes forward with the AvalonBay deal and receives PILOTs.

Negri drew attention to the fact that in the tenth year, the PILOTs increase substantially from $31,155 to $264,000. Trustee Thomas Lamberti, who chairs the Mayor's Committee, could not explain how the payments were determined but said they were proposed by the committee's financial consultant, Greenwich Group International, Inc.

Negri hinted that AvalonBay might be planning to exit the project at that time. Deputy Mayor John Mauk said if they do choose to sell the property, the Village will share in the profit. He added that this issue needs to be renegotiated to be more favorable to the Village.

What has been emphasized several times, most pointedly by Mauk, is that although many different plans have been explored over many years, no other viable solution has been found for the building. The project is too risky for most private sector entities.

"Based on the financial analysis that has been done on this, it's very clear that nobody is going to be able to undertake this development, I don't care who it is, unless they have that sort of financial assistance that's going to enable them to do anything," he said. "Do I like it? Absolutely not. Should any of us like it? No we shouldn't."

Although not revealing how he personally feels on the issue, Trustee Robert Rothschild did say that, "People don't want to spend money on fixing a white elephant. That has been the overall preponderance of comments to me."

Approximately 100 residents crowded into the boardroom; however, there are more than 21,000 people living in the Village, so the majority of voices are yet to be heard. Mayor Bee encouraged residents to read the report and submit comments by e-mailing stpaulscomments@gardencityny.net. A direct link to the e-mail address can be found on the Administration page on the Village's Web site.

Bee said the trustees will give "great weight" to residents' comments and concerns, although the final vote is reserved by state law for the Board. A non-binding vote organized by the property owners' associations will be held in the fall.

"I suspect that in the report each of us will find things that encourage us that this might be a way to save the building and find other things about the report that discourage us...the price may be too high," said Mayor Bee. "We're going to have to reflect on that, and think about that and ultimately make a decision."

The report is available at the reference desk at the Garden City Public Library, in the business office located in Village Hall and online at the Village's Web site, www.gardencityny.net. Residents can also request a copy be mailed to them by calling Village Clerk Brian Ridgway at 465-4053.