by LAURALYN AVALLONE
West Enders say 'no' to local business expansion
The battle between neighbors in the West End and a local business owner continues as plans for a two-story expansion are being considered. Neighbors say John Marsala, landlord of the Beach Service Center on 927 West Beech Street, has had a history of overstepping bounds by stepping into their backyards.
Mr. Marsala said he's trying to "keep the peace" with his neighbors, but talk of expanding his business by extending the building 25 feet and adding a second story has the already-cramped West Enders up in arms.
"The neighbors got involved with the expansion and are very against it," West Ender Denise Ford said. "People are willing to put together a legal defense to fight this."
Mr. Marsala, owner of 3 Karat Realty and several other properties in Long Beach such as the new Taco Bell and Kentucky Fried Chicken, says he's just a businessman trying to have a little fun with his hobby and make his town "pretty."
"The bottom line is I'm trying to be a good landlord and make everything pretty and nice," he said.
Mr. Marsala's property line extends four feet into his neighbors backyards. Denise Ford, who lives on Virginia Street, directly behind the auto body shop, said that she understands that half of her yard belongs to Mr. Marsala. What she doesn't understand is the way he went about re-claiming his property.
Mr. Marsala tore out her deck and left her backyard in shambles, she said.
"The previous homeowners never told us it wasn't our property," Ms. Ford said. "We were going to renovate the yard. After the deck was ripped out, it looked so embarrassing. I had to apologize to my neighbors for its appearance. They were very upset with him."
Mr. Marsala said his insurance company has compensated his neighbors for any damage to the property and he has offered to buy them outdoor furniture, barbecues and flowers. Ms. Ford admitted she received a settlement, but for a lesser amount than what Mr. Marsala quoted.
"I have an adversary right to my property," Mr. Marsala said. "I have to ask permission to use my own backyard."
Mr. Marsala has been cited in the past with summonses for illegally parked cars, discharging polluted water into the sewer and building a roof without a permit, but he said he was not aware he was breaking any laws.
"I have no violations," Mr. Marsala said. "Violations is when you do something that's wrong and you keep doing it."
On Thursday, September 28, the Zoning Board is expected to make a decision based on past hearings from Mr. Marsala and his neighbors, according to Long Beach Zoning Board member, Donald Press.
Complaints about Mr. Marsala's cars blocking traffic, including taxi cabs from his Long Beach Independent Taxi business based at Park Avenue and the Long Island Railroad station, is only one of the concerns brewing over the expansion.
There is also the fear that Mr. Marsala's new company will turn 927 West Beech into a warehouse with trucks coming and going for shipments, and that sparse parking spots will be utilized by incoming employees.
"If you have movement, you need transportation," said John White, President of Project Challenge on West Beech. "It's a question of what he's putting there, how he's storing it, how he's moving it in and out and how he's transporting it. Residents want to know because they are going to be directly affected by it."
"Kids coming home from school [on West Beech], the elderly and people in wheelchairs can't get through [because of the double parked cars]," Ms. Ford said. "He'll probably tell you he's trying to be a good neighbor and beautify his property."
"But what is he really doing?" Mr. White said.
What Mr. Marsala is trying to do is make a profit off of his hobby of collecting memorabilia, such as vintage Woodstock tickets, photographs, posters, theatrical programs, crystals and a Civil War letter collection. The collector's items have been stored at his residence and at a storage place in Island Park, but he said he is running out of space and would prefer to consolidate the collection when starting his business.
Mr. Marsala explained that the approximate 3,000 square feet of new space is to be occupied with small-sized merchandise, his desk and computer. His inventory will be listed on a web site where consumers can purchase their desired product online. When a purchase is made, Mr. Marsala said he personally walks the merchandise to Ship To Shore on West Beech where it will be weighed and sent out. No trucks will be used for shipping, he said, and no additional employees will be hired.
"Why would I hire new people if I can do it myself?" Mr. Marsala said.
As for the concern over limited parking, Mr. Marsala said he will no longer park his cars outside the building, and that after renovations there will be seven car spaces available on the lower level, where his son John Jr. runs the auto body shop.
"This [expansion] is not my life," Mr. Marsala said. "I'm ready to relax and enjoy myself. I mean what I say and I say what I mean. I don't try to fight with nobody; I don't want to upset anybody. If the city says I can't do it, I won't do it. This is not the Russians against the Americans. It's not the end of the world. There's no reason to panic."
But neighbor Joseph Sardo, born and raised in the West End, feels when protecting his neighborhood from big business, there is a reason to panic. "This business does not belong in the West End on West Beech Street in Long Beach," said the longtime resident of Wyoming Avenue. "It belongs in Island Park in a commercial area. It belongs on Sunrise Highway. It does not belong in the West End."
Referring to an artist's rendition of 927 West Beech after construction, Mr. Sardo said, "To look at that picture it shows a thousand words. You cannot see one home from that corner. It is totally out of place.
Mr. Sardo went on to say, "This is going to create a dysfunctional community. People are getting tired of the overcrowding, the nonsense. The businesses that are operating in the West End and throughout the community are forcing them to actually want to leave their homes."
