By Andrew Hackmack
The three-story structure is planned for the corner of Sunrise and Astor Place, and will house a local software company.
Village code requires that the office have a minimum of 74 parking spaces. The plan calls for only 40 - 27 regular spaces plus an additional 13 "stacked" spaces that would be accessible by a hydraulic lift. But the zoning board unanimously approved the variance at its Aug. 26 meeting. Because of the limited parking, a stipulation was included that the building cannot house more than 50 employees.
Astor Place is four blocks west of Horton Avenue.
The software company, Optimum Solutions, is currently based in Lynbrook and has 33 employees. Dominick Minerva, the attorney for owner Michael Kerr, said that 10 of those people regularly take public transportation to work. "Here we have 40 potential parking spaces with only 23 that are going to be used every day," Minerva said.
He added that the company rarely gets any visitors, and that the only truck traffic would be Federal Express or UPS package deliveries. Minerva also explained that the company's hours would be 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, so it would not disturb neighbors on nights and weekends. "You couldn't ask for a better operation than this one," he said.
During a public hearing on the project on Aug. 12, some residents expressed concerns about the parking. Astor Place homeowner John McDonough said that although the parking might be adequate for Optimum Solutions, he is concerned about what might happen down the line if the building were sold. "If we ignore this," McDonough said, "then other owners will divide the office space, and then more spaces will be needed."
Minerva agreed that this was a valid point, and said that his client was willing to agree to the 50-employee limit. If the building ever did change hands, the new owners would be held to that requirement and would need BZA approval to change it. Minerva said that wouldn't be an issue for a long time. "They envision a long-term occupancy of this structure," he said of his client.
It was also noted that cars using in the stacked spots would be valet parked, so employees would not operate the hydraulic lift themselves. A special-use permit was approved for this, and it includes a stipulation that the lift must be maintained and in good working order at all times.
BZA attorney Michael McKenna said that parking variances are needed for almost every commercial development in Valley Stream because of the village code's strict requirements. He said that with the approval of the variance, the project can now move ahead. The next step will be the submission of detailed construction plans to the village building department.
Kerr, of Woodmere, said his current office measures about 10,000 square feet and occupies the third floor of a Lynbrook office building. But an elevator shaft and public area divide it into two spaces, which he said is not an ideal working environment.
"This new space will give us the opportunity to lay out our space much more efficiently," Kerr said. He added that the Valley Stream building would be about 50 percent larger and would provide much-needed storage space.
Kerr said he had been looking for a place to build a new office for the past six to eight months, evaluating sites in both Lynbrook and Valley Stream. Parking was an issue at most of the locations, he said, but the Sunrise Highway site meets his needs. A vacant storefront and attached apartment house will have to be demolished before construction of the new office building can start. Kerr said he would apply for a demolition permit soon after filing his building plans with the village.
Optimum Solutions, founded in the early 1990s, developed and markets an automated scan and data capturing application. With its software, a blank form can be scanned and used as a template. Similar, filled-out forms can be scanned and compared with the template, and information can be converted into an electronic file. Kerr said the application is very useful when a company has large volumes of forms such as surveys, questionnaires and warranty cards.
Kerr's company was a subcontractor for the 2000 U.S. Census and will be used again in 2010. "The government has decided that our technology is that good," he said.
He added that the government also uses the Optimum Solutions technology for off-year population surveys.
Kerr said his goal is to have the new building open by January 2010. He said he would keep area residents abreast of the demolition and construction schedule, and that it is important for his business to be a good neighbor. "I'm looking forward to moving here," he said of Valley Stream. "I think it's a great town."
Anne Marie Allocca contributed to this story. Comments about it? AHackmack@ liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 265.
