By Matthew McGevna
The letters, numbering over 1,400 in total, are the results of a campaign that was started back in late February.
The Civic Association is specifically endorsing the sale of the Courtesy property to Trammell Crow Residential (TCR), a development firm that contacted the Civic Association and laid out its plans for the site. Ever since TCR entered into negotiations with the owners of the hotel, and submitted its plans to the Town of Hempstead, civic leaders say the town has been dragging its heels on the issue and muddying the waters with other firms and alternative options. The civic association released a statement last week, expressing the frustration of not seeing the property sold in a timely fashion. ³Residents are asking the WHCA why isn¹t the town moving faster so that TCR can complete the sale this year and, is the town opposed to having TCR purchase the property?² the statement read.
Town officials have stated in the past that they are weighing proposals from three other firms in addition to TCR, and are in the process of conducting an Environmental Impact Study on the area to determine which plan has the best chance of getting the green light.
But Rosalie Norton, president of the West Hempstead Civic Association, insisted that the TCR proposal is the best option. ³There are three other developers, but Trammell Crow is the only one that has come to our community to discuss and show us their plans,² Norton said. ³The TCR proposal offers the best opportunity to transform the area, provide the catalyst to revitalize our retail businesses and help relieve the tax burden of our property owners.²
Norton added that she believes the town is in favor of taking possession of the land through the eminent domain process, a move her group opposes, stating that residents don¹t want to go down that road when there¹s a legitimate buyer waiting in the wings. The civic association wanted to make the will of the residents clear to the town, by showing up at the board meeting with the boxes of letters in tow. ³The West Hempstead Civic Association has taken the position that closing the Courtesy and the private sale is what is in the best interest of the community,² the group added in its public statement.
For more detailed information about the Trammell Crow Residential proposal, the civic association said, residents can visit its Web site at www.westhempsteadcivic.org.
Comments about this story? Mal-wheditor@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 205.
