County completes sale of Grossmann's Farm

The sale of the Grossman's Farm in Malverne, which has long been a controversial and sensitive issue, was finally completed Monday after months of discussions and rumors.

The Nassau County Legislature's finalization of the $6.5 million sale put at ease some Malverne residents who feared that the recent change in the Legislature's leadership would negatively affect plans for the farm. But County Executive Edward Mangano said he was glad to see the sale -- which is part of the county's land preservation efforts, made possible under the 2006 Environmental Bond Act -- go through.

"Grossmann's Farm has been an important part of the Malverne community for generations, and this purchase means that it will remain a working farm forever," Mangano said in a statement. "By preserving our remaining open spaces, such as Grossmann's Farm, we are investing in our quality of life here in Nassau County and ensuring that future generations can enjoy them."

According to the terms of the deal in which the county is acquiring the farm, the land has been subdivided into three sections: approximately five acres will belong to the county, the Grossmann family will keep some 10,530 square feet of land and a 25,561-square-foot parcel will be deeded to the village. While the village has not yet begun discussing the potential use of its parcel, plans are being set in motion for the remaining land, which, to the relief of many village residents, will be preserved as a farm.

Since it closed in 2007, the farm's future has been a pressing and emotional issue, both for the Grossmann family and for the village, where it has been a fixture for more than a century. When discussions about the farm's sale began in the spring of 2009, residents were worried about what might become of the property, but their concerns were allayed last September, when then County Executive Tom Suozzi announced that the county was partnering with the nonprofit Nassau Land Trust to manage the historic property, which sits between Ocean and Hempstead avenues, as an organic farming operation.

According to county officials, Grossmann's will be primarily a community-supported agriculture system, offering a range of educational programs for children, students and families about farming and the incorporation of agricultural practices into daily life.

As news of the sale brings peace of mind to some, others remain concerned about details that are still to be worked out, particularly those concerning the potential use of the village's parcel. According to Mayor Patricia McDonald, the village has not yet begun discussing the future of its half-acre of land -- a topic that in recent weeks created some friction.

During the village Board of Trustees' Jan. 6 meeting, it was announced that the parcel, which sits on Arlington Road, could not be used for police, ambulance or fire services. The restriction -- which, according to village trustees, was added by the county as part of the deal -- came as a disappointment to members of the Malverne Volunteer Ambulance Corps, who were hoping to build a headquarters there.

Members of the corps believed they had a good chance of doing so after the Malverne Planning Board ruled in October that the parcel could be used only for municipal services, meaning that neither houses nor businesses could be built there. John Hasset, senior chairman of the corps' board of directors, had requested at a public hearing in October that the Grossmann's parcel be considered as a location for its headquarters, because it would fall in the category of municipal purposes.

The sudden restriction announced at last month's meeting sparked rumors and speculation about who had added the new clause to the deal. Retired attorney and Malverne resident Bill Breuer suggested that the village board asked for the restriction to be added so that it could eventually build a community center on the land.

McDonald has repeatedly said the sale of the farm was a private matter between the Grossmann family and the county, and that the board had absolutely nothing to do with it. She did admit that she was glad the deal worked out the way it did because she wanted to see the land remain open space.

At the board's meeting on Feb. 3, Trustee Joseph Hennessy responded to implications -- made by Breuer in a letter published in the Jan. 14-20 issue of the Herald -- that the contract to operate the farm was given to friends of the board. The entire board took offense to the claim, Hennessy said, reiterating that the board had no input in the terms of the sale.

McDonald said she is, and residents of Malverne will be, very happy to hear that the sale is final, but she added that it is too early to tell what the next step is -- and that next step will be addressed at public meetings to ensure community feedback. "We just want what's best for the community," the mayor said.

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