Thursday, October 1, 2026
Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray announced on July 12 that an “alternate zone” created for the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum property is half the density of the original Lighthouse proposal.
Murray’s announcement came during a press conference at Town Hall, where she unveiled the long-awaited zoning blueprint that could make way for a scaled-down version of the Lighthouse.
Murray pointed out to reporters that while the alternate zone seemingly cuts the original proposal in half, the maximum density for the site would be the greatest anywhere in the Town of Hempstead — more concentrated than the neighboring Omni building, the Marriott Hotel and RXR Plaza. The “density proposed in the Mitchel Field mixed-used development district is more dense than has ever been proposed in the Town of Hempstead,” Murray said.
A glaring example of the new zone’s limits is its building height requirement. The tallest structures in the Lighthouse proposal were two 36-story towers that would have included a five-star hotel and luxury residences. In the new alternate zone, the maximum permissible building height is 100 feet, or nine stories — comparable to the Marriott Hotel that stands on the property.
The town’s alternate zone also includes roadway improvements to enhance traffic flow and safety, as well as a renovated Coliseum, additional open space and areas for residential units, retail businesses, restaurants, a hotel, conference space and a cinema.
In a joint statement, Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano and the Lighthouse Development Group said it appears that the town’s plan is not economically sound for the developer, New York Islanders owner Charles Wang, and the property owner, Nassau County. “While we have not yet had the time to review the ‘new vision’ just released by Supervisor Murray and the Town of Hempstead for the redevelopment of the Coliseum site, it does not appear to achieve the goals of the County and the developer,” the statement said. “Without this, the Town of Hempstead’s ‘new vision’ looks to be economically unviable for both the developer and owner of the site.”
According to the statement, the Lighthouse group’s original proposal incorporated additional development necessary to fund the construction of a new Coliseum. The proposed $3.8 billion project included a renovated Coliseum, a convention center, a sports complex, a hotel, a residential community, space for offices, retail businesses and restaurants, a movie theater, open space and a canal.
The county is continuing to hold discussions with the Shinnecock Nation about the possibility of building a resort casino on the property. The Shinnecocks recently attained long-awaited federal recognition, which permits them to explore sites for a casino.
The county also continues to face a growing deficit, and officials have pointed to the importance of developing the Coliseum property to generate jobs and revenue for the area.
According to Murray, an agreement on a casino between the Shinnecocks and the federal, state and county governments would supersede the town’s zoning authority over the property. “Then the zoning regulations mean nothing,” she said.
What’s next?
According to Murray, a Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement is expected to be completed within two months. Then public hearings must be conducted before a decision is made on the new zone.
At last Monday’s press conference, Murray emphasized that the zone is “flexible.” “This is not a take-it-or-leave-it,” she said. “We wanted to create as flexible a zone as we possibly could.”
The supervisor told reporters that Wang had not returned several of her calls, and that he had not been informed about the proposal before Monday’s announcement. The ball is now in Wang’s and the county’s court, Town Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby said.
“We met our challenge,” Goosby said. “Now it’s time for them to honor their commitment.”
Murray said that the town’s alternate zone incorporates “smart growth” principles while including a refurbished Coliseum. Vision Long Island, a nonprofit that advocates for local smart-growth projects, describes such projects as “mixed-use, mixed-income communities that are convenient, attractive, pedestrian-friendly and make affordable housing and public transportation desirable and realistic."
Eric Alexander, VLI’s executive director, called Murray’s plan a “starting point,” but explained that a successful town center in the area known as the Hub would require more density. Alexander said he was especially alarmed at the reduction in housing in the town plan — from 2,400 units in the Lighthouse proposal to 500. “Overall, the project needs to be more dense to function properly as a true town center,” he said.
Alexander noted that disagreements over infrastructure funding, traffic and density statistics and an overall lack of communication have led to this crossroads. “This is what happens when you don’t come to a consensus on a preferred plan at this point,” he said. “Hopefully cooler heads will prevail and folks will work together.”
Some critics blamed the town for waiting too long to come out with what they claim is a weaker plan rather than saying no from the onset. “They took a proposal to build a world-class development and substituted it with a second-rate plan,” said William Biamonte, the town’s Democratic chairman. “This could be a model for elegant density and smart growth that preserves the suburban quality of life.”
Murray emphasized that coming up with an alternative vision rather than rejecting the Lighthouse project outright means that the process will not have to start again from square one. “This way we get to the end zone faster,” she said.
Councilman Gary Hudes, who represents East Meadow and Salisbury, explained that the town plan is the product of countless conversations with residents on how to develop the Coliseum property without affecting the character of the community. “I am out in the neighborhood every day, talking to the residents in our community,” Hudes said. “From delis to donut shops, residents have told me time and time again: ‘We want it developed, we want it improved, we want the Islanders, we want construction jobs and other jobs associated with the development. But ... it’s too big ... scale it down.’
“We have done just that to preserve the suburban character of the area,” Hudes added. “This zone provides for a community, not a city with skyscrapers.”
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