By Stephanie Petrellese

The impact of the proposed Lighthouse project on the Village is a significant concern of trustees and residents, as both groups commented on the issue at the July 16th meeting of the Garden City Board of Trustees.

The Lighthouse project, which is estimated to cost $3.74 billion, will redevelop the current Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum site in Uniondale and include a new multi-purpose athletic complex, conference and exhibition facilities, a minor league ballpark, luxury five-star hotel, 500,000 square feet of new retail space and one million square feet of new office space.

The Hempstead Town Board has scheduled a public hearing for August 4th to focus on the project's environmental issues. The hearing will be held at 9:30 a.m. at the John Cranford Adams Playhouse, which is located on the south campus of Hofstra University.

Those wishing to have their views or comments considered by the town board and included in the official record can provide them in person at the Aug. 4 hearing or by mailing them to the Town of Hempstead, Lighthouse Project Public Comment, One Washington Street, Hempstead, NY 11550. Comments can also be e-mailed to Lighthousecomment@tohmail.org. All e-mails and written correspondence must be received by Aug. 17. For more information, visit www.lighthouseli.com.

The Garden City Board of Trustees voted unanimously on July 16th to enter into a contract with Greenman-Pedersen, Inc., an engineering and construction services firm, to review the project's Draft Environmental Impact Statement. The firm will charge an hourly rate, but the entire amount paid out cannot exceed $40,000.

A discussion ensued after Trustee Andrew Cavanaugh questioned whether hiring the firm would be sufficient enough preparation in order for the Village to submit a comment to the Town. He is concerned, for example, how Garden City retailers will be affected by the addition of 500,000 square feet of new retail space just a few miles away.

"There may be other elements of concern to the Village that really are not being addressed here [in DEIS]," he said. "The emphasis that is being addressed may be of secondary or tertiary value to us because of where we sit in relation to the actual physical construction of the project. I think we should determine if this is the kind of assistance we need."

Trustee Dennis Donnelly suggested the Garden City Chamber of Commerce make sure their voice is heard during the project's public comment period. He said the proposed new retail space has the potential to do "irreparable harm" to local businesses.

Trustee Nicholas Episcopia is concerned about the amount of proposed retail space, saying it will be the size of a "substantial mall." "What kind of long-range effect is that going to have on us?" he asked. The DEIS does not mention how Garden City businesses might be affected by the project.

Deputy Mayor Donald Brudie recommended that Greenman-Pedersen "play down" the effect the project will have on traffic. He believes that doing so would add support to Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi's Hub plan, which includes possible mode of public transportation running through the Village.

The Hub plan calls for a transportation link in the center of Nassau County connecting Long Island Rail Road train stations with activity centers. The technology being considered for the transportation link includes a Bus Rapid Transit system, Light Rail Transit system or an Automated Guideway Transit system similar to the Airtrain JFK at John F. Kennedy Airport.

The Hub includes the EAB Plaza, Nassau Coliseum and Eisenhower Park on the southeast side, and the Source Mall to the north. It encompasses Nassau Community College, Hofstra University and Roosevelt Field, and extends west to the Nassau County Government offices in Mineola. Hempstead Village and Mineola are also included because of their Long Island Rail Road lines.

Donnelly added that Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy has been a big supporter of the Hub plan.

Mayor Robert Rothschild reminded the public that the Hub plan is being formulated by Nassau County and the Lighthouse Project developers, Charles Wang and Scott Rechler, have distanced themselves from the proposal. The mayor is senior vice president of commercial real estate lending for Signature Bank, and presented a very grim picture of the current state of retail. "There aren't any banks that are doing construction loans right now," Mayor Rothschild said. He does not foresee developers building retail space at this time given the state of the economy. The first phase will involve the redevelopment of the coliseum.

Trustee Donnelly said the Lighthouse traffic study was done in 2003. Village Counsel Gerard Fishberg said the developers should update the study. Trustee Episcopia said the study does not consider certain streets, such as Meadow Street.

Garden City resident Sonja Slattery voiced her opposition to a possible light rail or trolley system running through the Village. She is concerned about the number of dangerous at-grade crossings the public will have to contend with if a possible transportation system is installed.

Another resident, Maribeth McNelis, is concerned about the speed in which the project is moving forward. "I think that we need to mobilize as a community at this point because this is going to happen," she said. "There's an inevitability to it, and I think we need to exploit it and capitalize on it somehow. If we are going to wind up with a rail system in our backyard, I will fight, tooth and nail, I will be there every step of the way, but if we are, where's our money? Garden City has been absolutely massacred in terms of the tax structure. Nothing has changed throughout Nassau County, although they have doubled all of our taxes. I think that we need to strive in standing up for ourselves as a community. We have put St. Paul's behind us. Let's all get together. I think we need to speak openly, understanding that I think that 99.9 percent of the community would be against this project for obvious reasons. The quality of life issues are insurmountable....I will mobilize the girls, or whoever else I need to get. It's time for us to talk and start looking at the real issues that we're about to face. I can tell you that the Rechlers who are building the project along with Wang, they could give a damn about Garden City. I know that they are looking to get as much public money as they can out of this project. They will take what they can and walk away."

Mayor Rothschild disagreed with McNelis. He said that although many have qualms with the size of the project, there are a lot of residents who want to see it move forward.

Thomas Pinou, president of the Western Property Owners' Association, said he has seen New Jersey Transit's light rail system, and the light rail vehicles are usually half occupied.