By Angela Marshall
Developer Marty Schackner plans to build single-family homes. He has engineers working on plans but does not know how many homes will be built or if any will need variances. The contract is not subject to any variance approvals by the Rockville Centre Zoning Board of Appeals.
I think everybody is going to be pleased, said Schackner, who also called it a high-class project.
At least until the contract is signed, the Childhood Center plans to continue fighting the appeal filed by neighbors of the property saying that it is not a school. The hearing was supposed to be continued on July 1, but the Zoning Board canceled the meeting and all further dates until the sale is completed.
Looking to meet the growing demands for its services, the Childhood Center purchased the property in July 2001 to build a state-of-the-art facility. Even before the deal was signed, neighbors spoke out against the plan, saying it would lower their property values, increase traffic and cause safety problems.
After the village board instituted new laws allowing non-public schools to open in residential zones and the Childhood Center was deemed to meet the new school definition, the neighbors appealed. They raised $30,000 to hire a lawyer and said they would appeal the Zoning Board's decision if it went against them.
The financial strain these delays put on the Childhood Center, which is currently located on North Village Avenue, began to show earlier this year when the bank holding the property's mortgage began foreclosure proceedings.
Attorney Thom Levin said the center still plans to pursue expansion, either at the Woods Avenue site, if the deal falls through, or at another location.
