By Marley Seaman
After the Courtesy, the Capri Motor Inn on Hempstead Turnpike is the site that has drawn the most scrutiny. A 5th Precinct spokesman referred to the 84-room motel as a "hotbed" of criminal activity, and members of the West Hempstead Chamber of Commerce said that the motel has been the site of numerous crimes involving drugs, prostitution and violence.
"This has been a problem that's going back easily five years, seven years," said West Hempstead Civic Association President Rosalie Norton, who has previously said that the Capri was "next on the list." "[The Capri] is the type of business that we don't need in our community if it's attracting the wrong type of clientele," Norton added.
The Capri is owned by the L and F Motel Company. Calls to the motel seeking comment were not returned.
Both Norton and former WHCA President Seth Bykofsky said that over the years, many residents and local businesses had complained to them about the Capri. The most common complaint was that people appeared to be soliciting prostitutes in front of the hotel. However, 5th Precinct reports show that there have been no arrests for prostitution at the Capri since 2004.
Since January 2005, police have received 42 calls regarding the Capri. The largest number were for disturbances, with other complaints including trespassing, injured people in need of aid, fraud and larceny. However, Ambrosino said, in contrast to the "mountain" of complaints he received about the Courtesy, there have been very few made about the Capri. The Town of Hempstead Building Department has no complaints about the hotel on record, and no violations have been reported to the town.
Civic leaders consider action
The future of the Capri was discussed at the West Hempstead Chamber of Commerce's annual meeting June 28. There, chamber leadership wondered if the hotel's situation could change without the Town of Hempstead getting involved, as happened with the Courtesy. "I look forward to moving the town's resources toward the Capri, but my efforts right now are focused on taking down the Courtesy," Councilman Edward Ambrosino said.
On May 23, the town adopted a blight study that included the location of the Courtesy, on Hempstead Avenue. That area will be redeveloped in the coming years, and members of the chamber are hopeful that property values will increase, leading the Capri's owners to sell without any legal proceedings. "I don't believe we're at a point where we're even considering using the town's resources to condemn the Capri," said Ambrosino.
Chamber President Greg Yuknek noted that the Stop & Shop Supermarket Company, which is building a new location on Cherry Valley Avenue, has expressed some interest in the Capri site.
In addition, Norton said, the redevelopment will draw increased attention to the area. "They're going to have a very difficult time conducting those [unlawful] activities under everybody's watchful eye," she said.
