By Mike Schnitzel
While no formal proposal has been made to the Lynbrook Village Board of Trustees, developer Lee Browning has his eye on building a Courtyard by Marriott in Lynbrook.
The proposed site is Municipal Lot 8 in the downtown business district, bordered by Earle Avenue to the east, the Long Island Rail Road tracks to the south, Forest and Stauderman avenues to the west and St. James Place to the north. Controversy has surrounded the project since it was originally proposed, and it continues to be a topic of concern at village board meetings.
According to Browning, some features of the current proposal include:
n A 152-room Courtyard by Marriott Hotel. According to Browning, there would be a restaurant serving breakfast only, because it is required by the hotel chain. "There will no lunch, there will be no dinner," said Browning.
n A three-tier parking lot with a top deck, which will house 175 vehicles.
Browning said that the location was chosen because it is affluent and close to both the railroad and a major thoroughfare, Sunrise Highway. "I had Realtors bring me sites that would be suitable for a hotel, and I felt that there was a need for it [here]," he said.
A few weeks ago, a flier was sent out to Lynbrook residents announcing the launch of a Web site with information about the proposal, www.lynbrookmarriott.com. Browning said that the site was created for informational purposes only. "The intent of the Web site was simply to let the people of Lynbrook know about the proposal," he said. "No final decision has been made yet."
Mayor Eugene Scarpato called the proposal a "win-win situation."
"This would be an economic engine for the village," Scarpato said. "It would yield $300,000 for the schools, $125,000 for the village, and $75,000 [per year] towards the Town [of Hempstead] general tax."
Scarpato said that guests at the hotel would patronize businesses and restaurants downtown, and that the only negative would be construction work during the building phase of the project.
Chamber of Commerce President Harry Levitt said that while the chamber had not yet adopted an official position about the project, he believed that it had the potential to benefit the village. "As an individual business owner, I think this project, if done right, could make us a smaller version of the Hub" -- the term for the area around Nassau Coliseum -- "on the South Shore," said Levitt. "One of my concerns is the parking situation during construction, but if traffic concerns are met, it could bring foot traffic to the area that could help our businesses, especially our restaurants."
Another concern for residents has been the lease agreement with Browning. At board meetings, several residents have raised a figure of $1 per year, which Scarpato dismisses as "ridiculous."
"[Marriott] will be building the parking garage at their expense, and they are committed to giving the village double the parking we have now," said Scarpato. While 175 spaces would not double the current Lot 8 capacity of 145, according to Scarpato, the village would receive $15,000 per spot for the difference between the two numbers -- or about $1.7 million -- from Browning.
Scarpato said that the parking garage would belong to the village, and that parking for the hotel would be in an underground facility.
Not everyone believes that the current proposal would be a good thing for the village. Trustee David Penso has been vocal in his opposition to it, and feels that other options need to be looked at. "I like options, I like alternatives," said Penso. "All we have heard from is one builder regarding one project on one lot. If there is such a burning desire to develop, let's look at other alternatives, such as condominiums."
Penso said that Rockville Centre has many condominium complexes that have been good for the village, and at one board meeting he said he thought it was important for Lynbrook to invest in ownership. Penso added that he felt that Browning’s proposal has been overly secretive. "This board has spent no time discussing this project at any time," he said. "We have never discussed this project as a board in the last 12 months."
While dissension over the issue continues at village meetings, there is no timetable for a formal proposal, according to Browning. He said that before Marriott allows a formal proposal to be made, traffic and environmental studies and logistics of utilities need to be completed.
"I'd like to think [a proposal would be made] in the next couple of months, but I just don't know if that's possible," said Browning. "If it was up to me, it would be made next week, but there's a lot that has to be done before you make an application."
Comments about this story? MSchnitzel@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 265.
