Town of Hempstead cleans up vacant Oceanside lot

As Town of Hempstead officials broke open the lock to the entrance on Nov. 30, dozens of workers stood at the ready to begin the massive undertaking of cleaning up the vacant lot at 425 Atlantic Ave.

According to Chief Deputy Town Attorney Charles Kovit, the 2½-acre, privately owned lot has been drawing complaints from neighboring residents for at least 25 years. State town law, according to Kovit, gives the town the ability to take the matter of cleaning up the lot into its own hands if the owner has been given proper notification and ample time to comply.

“We do have all legal authority,” said Kovit. “Otherwise people would be free to turn their properties into dumping grounds.”

Kovit said that Irvin Grossman, who also owns Grossman’s Nursery, at 400 Atlantic Ave., owns the lot. Grossman denies the claim, instead saying that he simply manages the lot, though he declined to say who did own it.

A tax lien will be imposed on the owner for the cost of the cleanup, which includes picking up litter, debris and mulch.

“That piece of property has been allowed to fall into a complete state of disrepair,” said Town Councilman Anthony Santino. “After repeated efforts to get the landowner to begin a cleanup voluntarily, the town moved forward to effectuate the cleanup, and of course the cost of the cleanup will be taken on by the property owner.”

Grossman said he had not received any complaints about the land or any letters of notification about cleaning up the property. He also implied that his property is being singled out among a number of surrounding properties that are not operating legally.

“Who greases whose palm, that’s how it works,” he said.

Kovit reiterated that Grossman had been sent three letters of notification over a period of a year and a half, stating that if he did not clean up the property, the town would take action.

Grossman also disputed the legality of the forced cleanup, claiming it was harassment. “You can’t break in and destroy the property,” he said. “The whole thing that they’re doing is completely illegal.”

On Dec. 1, the second day of the cleanup, Grossman contacted the Herald to say that the workers were going back on their promises to him and that his property was being destroyed.