By Danny Teigman
"When you look at the scope of the project, it brings up the assessed valuation of the property, which helps the village and benefits the school district," said Chamber of Commerce President Harry Levitt.
"I saw the building [and] I see a vision," said Shlomo Fellus, the company's CEO. "It could be a trophy to the village."
While voicing general approval over plans to rehabilitate the long blighted intersection, village trustees said they were concerned about parking requirements and increased traffic congestion, and wanted a guarantee from the landlord that the building's use and occupant density would remain unchanged after the purchase.
The 1910s-era building, currently owned by Barry Singer and located just north of the Long Island Rail Road station, has 12 on-site parking spaces and until recently was a fully filled manufacturing office with 80 employees. At one point, a tenant in the building sold feathers for costumes, giving rise to its nickname.
According to Fellus, the cost to purchase the building is $3 million, plus another $1 million-$1.2 million for his group to make renovations.
For a commercial building of its size and original use, village code stipulates that roughly 120 total parking spaces are required. In the first of two meetings with the board, Fellus developers Adam Rubin, Daniel Fellus and Matthew Probkevitz claimed that their proposal would be less space-intensive, requiring fewer spots.
By the second meeting on June 20, Mayor Brian Curran and the board, relying on village codes from neighboring communities that have similar buildings, had agreed to reduce the 120-spot requirement to 60 parking spaces.
Yet significant stumbling blocks remain. Since the property has 12 on-site spaces, the developers must find 48 additional off-site spots. The reduced parking requirements still leave the Fellus Group eight spots shy of estimated requirements of 68 parking spots. As required by the village's flexible parking fund law, the developer may have to pay up to $10,000 for each space that he is short.
"I think this looks like a good project," said Trustee David Penso. "[But] I don't know any village that has such an onerous [parking] impact fee. People are shying away from Lynbrook and my sense is that we may be pushing this [project] away. ...This project is not going to happen."
Trustee Alan Beach agreed, especially after continued discussion raised the possibility of converting the lower floor of the building into a deli.
"My concern is definitely the parking," Beach said. "...A deli could be a disaster."
Curran explained that the parking fund is designed as a protection to shoppers and commuters, delicately balancing the need to attract businesses, yet preventing the village's downtown and other commercial areas from becoming overly clogged with traffic. He added that the money raised from the fund will ultimately go toward a long-term solution for the village's parking.
The board also wanted guarantees that the site would remain a loft-style complex, and to achieve this Curran suggested periodic inspections of the property. But Fellus members called any such measure an attempt at deed restriction and an unfair encumbrance on the property, possibly reducing its long-term property value.
Trustee Bill Hendrick, who was absent for the second meeting, added, "saying it's so is not making it so."
Village Administrator John Giordano stressed that the Fellus Group has not filed any official paperwork with the village, and negotiations regarding any specific parking requirements are still in progress.
"As of now we have not received a floor plan to enable us to make an opinion as to how much parking is required for the property," Giordano said. "The mayor and board have extended the utmost courtesy to the prospective buyer as good faith to encourage him to improve this eyesore."
A third meeting between the board and Fellus Group representatives had been scheduled for June 28, but was canceled and no new meeting date has been announced publicly.
Fellus said that as of Monday, unless an extension is granted, his party is contractually bound to pay Singer $300,000 as a down payment on the property. As the Herald went to press on Tuesday, continued negotiations were underway.
Regardless of who ultimately develops 47 Broadway, Levitt said that the parking concerns raised in this particular instance highlight the need that something must be done.
"The village has to come to terms with the parking issue," he said. "Development in Lynbrook has come to a halt."
Comments about this story? DTeigman@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 246.
