Trustee Blasts Winston Project
By Stephanie Mariel Petrellese

The Village of Garden City is now researching what legal remedy, if any, is available now that the Mineola Village Board has approved a $165 million, nine-story, luxury condominium project.

"We believe that this project represents an urbanization of the area which we do not like," Trustee Nicholas Episcopia said at the February 19th meeting of the Garden City Board of Trustees. "We think this project is just too large."

Polimeni International is seeking to build the complex, known as "The Winston," on the north side of Old Country Road between Willis Avenue and Main Street. The proposed 285 units, or 141 units per acre, is unprecedented and a substantial departure from the norm. The Garden City building code, for example, allows 36 units per acre.

The nearest complex closest to the size of the Winston is in Glen Cove and is 85 units per acre with a floor-area-ratio of 2.14. The Winston has a floor-area-ratio of 5.13. Locally, in Garden City, Hilton Hall has 49 units per acre and an FAR of 1.54, and the Wyndham has 19 units per acre and 312 units. The local projects also have a much larger setback than the proposed development in Mineola.

Once the project is ready to be subdivided, the developer must seek approval from Garden City's Planning Commission since the Village's border is less than 300 feet away from the proposed building.

Trustee Episcopia, Village Counsel Gerard Fishberg, former Garden City mayor Hal Hecken and Barbara Ruggiero of the Eastern Property Owners' Association attended the Feb. 13th public hearing of the Mineola Village Board to voice Garden City's opposition. Thomas Yardley, a senior associate with the Village planning consultant Buckhurst, Fish & Jacquemart, Inc., presented the results of a report BF&J prepared studying the possible effects of the project on the Village of Garden City.

Even though Garden City is against the project, Episcopia said many Mineola residents support it as a way to revitalize the downtown shopping area and for the favorable impact it will have on taxes. Hecken reported that the Mineola Board expects the development to generate $19 million in local business, some of which would go to Franklin Avenue and Seventh Street in Garden City. Hecken said approximately 25 to 30 speakers at the hearing supported the project, calling it "God's gift to Mineola."

Hecken is concerned with the size of the building and the impact it will have on traffic. He said the developers provided a parking study, which included several intersections in Garden City including Franklin Avenue/Stewart Avenue, Franklin Avenue/Eleventh Street and Eleventh Street/Washington Avenue. They argued that Old Country Road will not be substantially affected during the day because the development is residential. However, Hecken said the former mayor of Mineola called him and said the traffic will be heaviest between 5 and 9 p.m., when traffic is already at a high level.

"We just think this is too big and we will do whatever we can to stop it," Episcopia said.

In other news, Trustee Episcopia thanked Captain Gil Frank, commanding officer, Headquarters Company, for providing a spreadsheet comparing Garden City with other locations, including Long Beach, Hartsdale and Scarsdale, where both a paid and volunteer company of firefighters are used. "This is going to be very helpful in going forward with our budget process," Episcopia said.

The Board granted Adelphi University's application for final site plan approval for their proposed new four-story residence hall. Mayor Peter Bee recused himself from the vote and Trustee Thomas Lamberti was absent.

Adelphi University President Dr. Robert A. Scott explained at a Board meeting a few months ago that the building, to be located on the west side of the campus near the other residential halls, is needed to accommodate current enrollment. There are 120 students now living in a triple room which were originally designed to be double rooms. Dr. Scott said an additional 70 students decided not to enroll because of the lack of housing. The new 60,000-square-foot hall will provide 171 beds. Dr. Scott had said it will take 15 months to complete the residence hall. University officials would like to have it completed by late July, 2009.