By Brian Zanzonico
The West Hempstead School Board, which must sign off on major decisions reached by the West Hempstead Library Board, immediately initiated a condemnation proceeding and eviction hearing to take ownership of the property and terminate the tenants still operating businesses on the site as of press time.
In May 2003, voters overwhelmingly approved a $9.975 million bond referendum for a new library building around the block from the current location. In February, the library closed on one parcel of land for the new building - a gas station on the corner of Locust Street and Hempstead Avenue in West Hempstead - that was acquired through the state's eminent domain process. Library officials are also acquiring the second parcel of land, the Encore Plaza strip mall on Hempstead Avenue, through eminent domain. New York state has the authority to assume control of a property for new infrastructure, the building of a school or, in this case, a library, by paying the owner fair market value.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Carol Eisenberg said the biggest hurdle was getting the green light from the Education Department. "Now we're happy to move forward," she said.
The estimated 23,500-square-foot library will offer twice the usable space for quiet reading, community meetings, computers with Internet access and book collections.
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