Downtown project proposal 'very promising'

Nearly a year after announcing that the Basser Kaufman and Engel Burman Group had dropped plans to undertake a massive urban renewal project in downtown Baldwin, Hempstead Town Councilman Anthony Santino told members of the Baldwin Chamber of Commerce on Dec. 15 that he was very confident of a new retail and residential mix development proposed by Albanese Development.

"We in the town believe [the proposal] it is very, very promising and we are now negotiating with that potential developer to come to an agreement," Santino said.

The proposal, known as a "Smart Growth" development, calls for four stories of apartment housing on top of one story of retail establishments. Santino explained that though a five-story building may sound out of the ordinary, the developer has already submitted "shadow tests," to determine the building's effect on the amount of sunlight reaching the street, and he does not expect that it would have any negative repercussions.

The apartments, mostly one-bedroom units, are specifically geared toward young professionals. For the retail portion, the developer is reportedly seeking to attract a coffee shop, a couple of nice restaurants and a gourmet food-style store, but all plans are still in the negotiation phase at this point.

Santino said that the Albanese Development proposal would develop the area as a "walkable" downtown, as the five-story building would be set back from Grand Avenue, allowing for more sidewalk space. Santino added that he does not expect a significant impact on traffic because parking for building tenants will be situated below ground and retail parking will be in the rear of the building, but he acknowledged that town officials would likely discuss the situation with Nassau County.

Combined with the streetscaping project slated for Merrick Road east of Grand Avenue, Santino said he expects that downtown Baldwin can be transformed into a vibrant area, particularly for young professionals to live, walk to the train station to commute, and return home to a variety of retail shops and nightlife.