Town designates developer for Argo Theater site

Elmont residents have long sought revitalization of the old Argo Theater, a 2.9-acre property on Hempstead Turnpike and Elmont Road. Thanks to a vote yesterday by the Hempstead Town Board — including Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray, Councilman Ed Ambrosino and Councilman James Darcy — it looks like that plan is finally coming to fruition.

The town voted yesterday to designate New York-based developer RD Management LLC for the revitalization of the Argo Theater site. RD Management has developed more than 200 community shopping centers, including various locations on Long Island.

The town is planning to construct a neighborhood supermarket and parking lot at the site — in accordance with the Community Vision Plan, which was established by the Elmont Coalition for Sustainable Development and accepted by the town in 2008.

The town's preliminary plans include building a 35,000-square-foot supermarket and other types of retail, in keeping with the Vision Plan. A vast majority of Elmont residents agreed that the supermarket plan was best for the Argo site, through a blight study that was conducted several years ago by the Coalition for Sustainable Development.

“Designating a developer for the former Argo Theater property brings the Elmont community one step closer to making its vision a reality,” Murray said. “The property is in the heart of Elmont’s downtown, and development there will be an important symbol of neighborhood renewal.”

Darcy added that he believes Elmont residents "deserve a development that will create jobs and stimulate the local economy."

Murray told the Herald in June that although the town has wanted to revitalize the Argo site for several years, its plans were halted in 2008 by a lawsuit filed by the owners of the property, who claimed that they were not informed of the town’s plans.