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Mostly Cloudy Town board approves first-of-its-kind development in downtown Baldwin
Coming soon: revitalized business district
A derelict building, sitting beside two of Baldwin’s busiest commercial corridors –– Grand Avenue and Merrick Road –– is getting a new life after more than a decade of abandonment.
Baldwin Medical Realty is planning a two-story, mixed-use project at 800 Merrick Road (the corner of Merrick Road and Foxhurst Avenue), in Baldwin, according to Uniondale-based attorney Christian Browne, who brought the project before the Town of Hempstead for approval.
The project calls for two retail stores on the first floor, as well as four apartments (two two-bedroom and two one-bedroom) on the second floor. This commercial and residential space –– commingled in one structure — will be the first new development of its kind in downtown Baldwin.
This comes weeks after a resiliency study was conducted at Baldwin High School to gauge public opinion about additions and improvements that need to be made.
“The hamlet of Baldwin has been the focus of study for many years, and it almost seems like it’s been going at a snail’s pace … but we feel that it’s starting to pick up now,” said Nassau County Legislator Laura Curran during the resiliency study. “Between what we have going on with the Complete Streets project and the Town of Hempstead mixed-use project downtown,” she continued, “I feel like it’s really kicking into high gear.”
The property was used by a printing company before closing in 2003, and as a retail space/office (with seven offices on the second floor) before that. “The building has been on the market for 13 years with no interested buyers,” Browne said.
He submitted the proposed retail/residential project to the town, which referred it to the Board of Appeals because town code requires special permission for mixed-use project. The board approved the plan on Oct. 5.
In addition, Browne obtained parking variances for five parking spaces on the property. As part of the project, the building will undergo major exterior renovations, and the upstairs offices will be converted into apartments.
Browne said that his client sought to place a medical practice in the building, but for various reasons, the plan never came to fruition. “Our client was stuck with this building and spent the better part of the last 10-plus years trying to sell it,” he said.
“This area of Baldwin has been the site of a promising renaissance and renewal, and our client is a pioneer in that revitalization,” Browne said. “This will be the first new building of this type to be located in the heart of downtown Baldwin. We are taking a vacant structure and restoring it to good use.”
