The eyesore of Gibson

At this time last year, residents of Gibson Boulevard and the surrounding neighborhood expected construction to begin soon on a 39-unit apartment building behind the Gibson train station. But 12 months later, the property, with two rows of stores, continues to sit vacant, much to the ire of neighbors.

The two buildings, with a combined dozen storefronts, are mostly boarded up. Some signs of the businesses that vacated them remain. There is at least one broken window, and the buildings have been repeatedly defaced by graffiti.

“It’s just a disaster,” said James Giordano, who lives a block away. “I think it’s just a shame what’s been allowed to happen.”

The buildings, owned by Dr. Leonard Bleicher, were supposed to make way for a housing project that was initially approved in 2005 as a condominium complex. It was fought fiercely by neighbors but survived several court challenges. In 2009, Bleicher unsuccessfully sought to change the project from condos to apartments and to increase the number of units. Finally, in January 2010, another revised plan was approved by the village’s zoning board when Bleicher proposed a scaled-down version.

Residents and village officials alike believe that the project is dead, though Bleicher has not made any announcement. Dominick Minerva, his attorney throughout the planning process, said he does not know the status of the project and has not spoken to Bleicher in at least six months.

A call to Bleicher’s Hewlett Harbor home was not returned.

Giordano says he thinks the buildings are in violation of several village codes. One section of the code prohibits buildings from being boarded expect in the event of an emergency or ongoing construction.

Nick Cassano, a Valley Stream code enforcement supervisor, said that when properties are empty, the village does lighten up on that regulation. For safety purposes, Cassano said, it is better to have the windows boarded up and secured.

Another section of code requires that owners of all buildings remove graffiti and restore the surface finish. Graffiti on the back walls of the two buildings, which face the Gibson train station platform, has been covered by black paint.