Coffee Lobby, a new business opening in the lobby of the Langdon building — previously the Feather Factory in Lynbrook — aims to expand the connection between community members, while offering quality coffee and a homely ambiance.
The Langdon, a six-story apartment building at the corner of Broadway and Langdon Place, has 201 rental units now open for leasing, which village businesses hope will stimulate the local economy.
The Langdon features 55 studio apartments, 111 one-bedroom units and 35 two-bedroom units. It includes onsite parking for 205 vehicles. Monthly rents begin at $3,030 for studios, $3,545 for one-bedroom units, and $4,900 for two-bedroom units.
The 278,014-square-foot development is a joint project by Garden City-based Breslin Realty Development Corporation and Fields Grade Development of Hoboken, New Jersey.
With the start of Coffee Lobby, Justin Breslin, vice president of Breslin Realty Development Corporation and manager of leasing for the Langdon project, said he thinks other businesses will be inspired to join the small business hub that the street will gain.
“It’s in the heart of a walkable village, train-side for commuters,” Breslin said. “It’s a different feel from more corporate types of coffee shops, like Starbucks or Dunkin. It will be a hub for Lynbrook residents to be alone while immersed in the community. It’s a main lobby for all of Lynbrook.”
The development’s proximity to the Long Island Rail Road station has raised concern among some Lynbrook residents. Complaints include concerns about train noise, though Breslin said the train-side location offers a significant advantage for residents.
The Langdon is part of a broader push to increase housing options on Long Island, particularly near transit hubs, as demand for rental housing continues to grow.
While increasing housing options, in what is now an under-utilized location but was once a center of economic and social life in Lynbrook, the village hopes for this opening to reconstruct the location to benefit the community in the same way.
Peter Kambaitsis, owner Sugarberry, Pappa Gallo, and Mojo in RVC, is also the owner of Coffee Lobby.
“We were attracted to the Langdon building because it’s an upscale luxury building, and it fits our profile of looking into shopping centers or community hubs,” Kambaitsis said.
Located beside the lobby in the Langdon building, Coffee Lobby will have street entrances on Broadway, and an indoor lobby entrance for Langdon residents.
As a new independent concept, the shop is more locally based with their ingredients. They use local providers, including roasters, earning high quality coffee and delicacies.
Kambaitsis considers it a European café that will serve breakfast pastries, croissants, muffins, cupcakes, lunch sandwiches, and homemade gelato. The shop will have 40 indoor seats and 40 outdoor seats, with sofas and lounge seating for comfort.
Michela Argento-Serra, president of the Lynbrook Chamber of Commerce, noted the importance of new businesses coming to the village.
“I think it’s a fabulous idea,” she said, “not only good for the building, but for the community. The Atlantic Avenue and Broadway location brings more to that downtown area, and allows for the Langdon residents and broader community to come together.”
Argento-Serra added that having this new shop in the downtown area could attract more businesses to the community.
Breslin says the Coffee Lobby opening should hopefully happen late this spring.
