By Liz McBreen
Two years ago, a bond to build a new library on Hempstead Turnpike failed because many residents felt that the location wasn't ideal, as it would have been near a major thoroughfare and in close proximity to the controversial Courtesy Hotel. The new bond planned for a building at Locust and Hempstead avenues. Unlike the first bond, the location of the proposed building is in the center of town, close to several West Hempstead schools.
Mascia has been a resident of West Hempstead for 30 years, and has worked at the West Hempstead Library since she was in high school. She was disappointed when the first bond failed, and feels that the new library will be a boost for the community. "It is time for a new building," she said. "I was here when we moved into this building 20 years ago, and it became very frustrating as a director when we started to run out of space. We cannot always offer the programs that we would like to in this building."
The next steps on the road to a new library, according to Mascia, are to have a phase two environmental study done on the property and to negotiate a sale price with the businesses that now occupy the space where the new library would stand.
Before the bond passed, a phase one environmental study was conducted, and the results "showed no significant impact or danger on the property," according to library board President Ralph Riessman. If any pollutants should be found on the property during the phase two study, they will be cleaned up at the expense of the land's owner, or the amount will be taken out of the purchase price of the land.
By state law, the school district cannot offer more than 10 percent over fair market value for the property. If the owners of the land refuse the offer, the district would exercise the power of eminent domain, which allows districts to acquire property at a fair market price in order to construct facilities that are needed in the community. The district would be given the title to the land, and real estate appraisers would go to court to decide on a price for the land if the owners continue to contest the valuation. Once the land was sold, the leases of the businesses currently located on the property would cease.
Mascia said that over the next few weeks, the library board would iron out a more definite time line leading up to the ground-breaking, which is scheduled for about a year from now. The new building will measure 25,000 square feet, be energy efficient and Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant. The library should be complete by January 2006.
