By: Mike Caputo
Sands condo project nixed
D'Amato pulls application from Town of Hempstead
The development group led by former Sen. Al D'Amato has decided to end its pursuit to build luxury condos on the Sands Beach Club property in Atlantic Beach Estates, a spokesman said this week.
D'Amato's spokesman Gary Lewi explained that the Atlantic Beach community's fervent opposition to the plans was what led to the development group's decision.
"There gets a point where you ask the question: 'Can you reach a consensus with the community?'" Lewi said. "The answer is no.
"It's clear the answer is no and it was no yesterday, it is no today and it will be no tomorrow," he added. "So at what point do you say 'OK without a consensus this cant go forward.' It becomes obvious."
The D'Amato-led company is withdrawing an application, filed in May 2007, to rezone the property from marine recreation to multiple-dwelling. It proposed to build about 100 high-end condos on the Sands property.
The Marine Recreation Zone was established about 20 years ago to protect the beachfront from such developments, town and local officials have said.
Lewi said the recent revisions to Nassau County's flood maps were not the deciding factor in the company's decision.
Read the August 7 edition of the Herald for more on this story.
