By:Jenn Abelson
Damage more than 50 percent of property's value
One month after an electrical fire swept through the Five Corners building in downtown Lynbrook, the owners have decided to raze the two-story structure.
Edward Kurtz of Lynbrook-Broadway Associates has applied for a demolition permit, which the Village and Board of Trustees approved last week, according to Lou Bello, Lynbrook's superintendent of buildings.
Bello expects the demolition to take place in early August, as soon as the contractor disconnects the building from all public utilities and ensures the structure is free from asbestos and rodent problems.
Although the owner's engineer, Sheldon Pulaski of Woodmere, determined earlier this month that the building was not in imminent danger of collapsing, upon further inspection, he figured out that repairs would cost more than 50 percent of the building's value.
Bello, who recommended Pulaski to the owners, said the village code prohibits reconstruction to "nonconforming buildings" if the alterations are more than 50 percent of the structure's value.
The Five Corners property was built in the early 1900s, and according to Bello, fails to meet many of today's standards. For example, the building lacks a sprinkler system, elevators and adequate parking.
"The building is in bad shape. As far as I'm concerned, the damage is greater than 50 percent," Bello said. "In accordance with the village code, I can't approve any reconstruction to it."
Bello said Pulaski's July 2 report detailed that the building would need a new roof, walls, columns and floors to make the property structurally sound.
"At the time of the fire, I was on the cusp about whether or not it should be torn down. It was very difficult," Bello said. "A fine engineer made an evaluation that it should come down. Why should I disagree?"
Bello met Tuesday with Kurtz, his architect and insurance company representatives to discuss the demolition. Bello said Kurtz's insurance company, Kemper Insurance, had hired its own engineer consultant who had not completed his inspection. According to Bello, a Kemper representative said the building may still be salvageable.
Kurtz, Pulaski and Kemper agents failed to return calls to the Herald.
"At first we thought the building could be saved," said Lynbrook Mayor Gene Scarpato. "But looking at it closer, the beams were so scarred and the building would need a lot of replacements to make it safe, so it seems less risky and less costly to rebuild."
Village trustee Morrey Forman, who acts as the Five Corners property manager according to Scarpato, said "the building is going to be torn down."
No one was injured in the early-morning June 18 blaze, which destroyed the second-floor law offices of Darryl Chason and the late attorney, Norman L. Dreyer, former deputy mayor and village trustee. The building's first level housed Mike's Dry Cleaners, Rubie's Health Food and Vitamins, Wireless Hut, Color Nails, the Broadway Beanery and Lynbrook Luxury Blinds and Shades.
Most of the store owners contacted had not yet heard from the owners about plans to demolish the building.
"I haven't heard a definite answer from the landlord," said Oded Hazan, owner of Lynbrook Luxury Blinds and Shades. "We relocated to 20 Atlantic Ave. two weeks after the fire. At this point, we're just trying to rebuild our business."
"I spoke with the landlord the other day, but he didn't say anything for certain," said Patricia Robinson, proprietor of the Broadway Beanery. "I kind of thought it was coming because it's in really bad shape."
Robinson said she would like to wait until the building is erected and move her business back in.
"If we have a place to go back to, we'll go back," she said. "It could be nine months, it could be a year."
