By Jeff Lipton
The dilapidated AJ's and Friends building was scheduled to be demolished this week, making room for six townhouses and a single-family home.
A construction crew was slated to take apart the abandoned building on Bermuda Street, Acapulco Street and Bay Boulevard starting Wednesday morning.
Once started, it should take a week to 10 days to completely take down the building, said Jimmy Mazzitelli, president of Mazzitelli Construction Corp. in Cedarhurst. Since the building is close to the water, workers must carefully dismantle the structure, preventing any debris from falling into the water. As a result, containers will be set up along the building to catch any debris.
About 10 workers will be on site during the demolition and after that is done, 50-foot boat slips for each of the townhouses will be constructed and then the new homes will be constructed. The entire project costs about $5 million and the demolition was given the go-ahead by the Town of Hempstead last week. One neighbor, Nancy Fisher, who was opposed to the construction project, was holding it up by challenging the town's decision to issue a variance. She had filed an Article 78 action, but withdrew it in February.
Officials said the developer of the townhouses purchased Fisher's home for more than $400,000 and she has six to eight months to move out. "She stopped litigation and now we can go forward," Mazzitelli said. "There's no more delays. Time is money."
The old building, which started out housing a small business in the 1940s and later became a full blown restaurant and bar, had become an eyesore and a safety hazard, according to Village of Atlantic Beach Mayor Stephen Mahler.
"At last, at last," Mahler said of the building's plans for demolition. "I'm so delighted. It's a big plus for the environment."
For seven years, the village fought plans to re-open and expand the restaurant-bar, which was a nuisance for neighbors when it was in operation. After several years of litigation, the village worked out a deal with the developer to build the townhouses.
"It will be very upscale housing, which is sure to raise property values," the mayor said. "I don't see a downside."
The townhouses will be sold for between $700,000 and $900,000.
James Gary Connors, one of the main opponents of AJ's, who lives near the site, said he will throw a party now that AJ's is being demolished. "It's been an eyesore for years and a danger," he said. He added that the building was inviting to curious kids. One youth playing on it fell into the water and had to be pulled to safety by a diver a few years ago.
"We're going to have a celebration down here, a block party in June," Connors said. The building has been closed since about 1994 and had been deteriorating while village officials and developers were fighting in the courts over what to do with it.
"We fought for the townhouses and I'm looking forward to the townhouses," he said. "The village got a great deal."
"It's hated," Mazzitelli said of AJ's. "Everyone is happy that we're demolishing it. They're begging me to take it down."
Even though AJ's is a part of the history of the village, officials said they are not sad to see it go.
"I've heard people say that they enjoyed sitting out there at AJ's on a beautiful day," the mayor said. "But after they went home, the problems were still there for people in the neighborhood." Problems included rowdy behavior by its patrons, resulting in a downturn in the neighborhood's quality of life.
Each of the townhouses will measure about 3,000 square feet and will be three levels, have a garage and second and third floor wood decks.
