Proposed Pearsall Project in Cedarhurst angers Five Towns residents

More than 150 Five Towns residents gathered at an Aug. 4 meeting of the Cedarhurst village board in the Lawrence High School cafeteria to voice their opposition to a proposed development that would bring three large residential buildings to an area off Rockaway Turnpike and Pearsall Avenue, in Cedarhurst, where there are currently several vacant lots, an abandoned warehouse, retail and smaller residential buildings.

The meeting was originally scheduled for Cedarhurst Village Hall, but was moved to accommodate a larger crowd as word spread about the proposed construction.

“The Pearsall project proposal intends to build three individual buildings with a total of 112 residential co-op and rental units,” said Daniel Hyman, one of the development’s engineering architects. “The buildings will be four stories high and have a modern design by using eco-friendly materials.”

The buildings’ amenities would include a pool, a gym, a spa, office space and a coffee shop, as well as barbecue areas, a water feature and gardens. Most of the parking would be in an underground garage.

“Anyone who has been down Pearsall Avenue of late, I think would agree it’s unsightly and somewhat neglected,” said William Vaneso, the head engineer for the project, proposed by Pearsall Rock, a Uniondale developer. “I think we can all agree it is an area that needs to have a redevelopment.”

The board al-lowed residents to address the proposed project. One, Arthur Lavitt, said he had lived in Cedarhurst for nearly 30 years, and that he believed traffic in the area would worsen if the project were approved. “The firemen and emergency vehicles that need to get up and down Cedarhurst Avenue and Rockaway Turnpike will be blocked,” Lavitt said. “My street is barely passable now.”

Another Cedarhurst resident, Rena Saffra, said she was also angered by the potential negative impact the project could have on the area. “This is ridiculous that there is a proposal of this behemoth of a structure on one of the most congested streets in the neighborhood,” Saffra said. “Rockaway Turnpike is a major artery in and out of town, and the area specifically around Pearsall, Washington Avenue and Rockaway Turnpike is frequently plagued with traffic all day every day.”

“This does not make housing more affordable for me; it makes it more expensive,” said Ramon Lyons, also of Cedarhurst. “This will not rectify the issue of traffic and congestion — it will compound it.”

“Traffic is one of the biggest concerns, and if this is approved there will be more traffic,” said Lawrence village Mayor Alex Edelman, who attended the meeting, and offered an alternative proposal. “However, I think single-family homes will be welcomed by everybody. I think the developers can come to a point and realize that single-family homes will do very well in this area.”

The Cedarhurst village board has not yet announced when it will decide on the proposed project. “This is not an us vs. you,” Deputy Mayor Ari Brown told the attendees. “We’re all hearing this together for the first time, and we are in this together.”

Cedarhurst Mayor Benjamin Weinstock noted that the revenue the project would generate would benefit the village. “The benefit payment that the village would receive is $6 million in three separate increments,” Weinstock explained. “The money has to go to a restrictive capital fund, to be used only for capital improvements. We intend to use it for parking lot No. 1, on Washington Avenue, and change the configuration completely to improve the traffic flow of the parking lot, and provide better light and drainage. The money will also be used to repave roads, provide LED street lighting and to make improvements in the parks and sidewalks throughout the entire village.”

Have an opinion on the proposed Pearsall Project? Send a letter to jbessen@liherald.com.