King Kullen coming to I.P.?

A new King Kullen supermarket and retail shopping center may soon occupy a mostly vacant parcel of land in Island Park. The site's owner, John Vitale of Barnum Land Development LLC, has filed an application with the Hempstead town board requesting that the area be rezoned as a business district.

"I'm excited about it," Vitale said. "I think King Kullen is a first-class organization, and I think they're going to be a great asset to Island Park."

Vitale's attorney, Arthur Nastre, presented details of the development plan to the town board on April 13. Town Supervisor Kate Murray stressed that no decision on the project would be made at the meeting, and that the public record would remain open. Last Tuesday's meeting was intended to be informational, and to provide residents an opportunity to share their concerns about the project.

The 5.22-acre parcel is bounded on the north by Baker Court, on the south by Waterfront Boulevard, on the east by Pettit Place and on the west by Austin Boulevard. It now has four different zoning designations — residential, light manufacturing, business and Golden Age. Golden Age zoning was created by the town to encourage the development of affordable senior housing, but Murray and Senior Town Councilman Anthony Santino noted that there have been no proposals to develop the land for that purpose in more than a decade.

King Kullen signed a lease with Vitale in 2008. The store would occupy approximately 39,800 square feet, and the adjacent retail space would occupy 22,875. The retail space has not been leased. Nastre said the space could accommodate anywhere from one to nine stores, but he stressed that it would not be leased to businesses that would draw large crowds, like nightclubs, catering halls or bars. He added that no tattoo parlors, gas stations or auto body shops would be built on the site.