It was very disturbing to read the opinion of one the residents saying that we are “narrow-minded people who practice not in my back yard (NIMBY) philosophy who are attempting to prevent 7-Eleven from opening a 24-hour convenience store along Middle Neck Road.”
Yes, we do not want a 7-Eleven in our backyard! We have these strong feelings because it would be located In our backyard, and the person so vehemently voicing his opinion, would not be impacted. It will not be in his backyard, He is not a resident of the Old Village. He will have nothing to worry about, but we will. You will not have the loud noise, music playing and people hanging out in front of the 7-Eleven at all hours of the night. This could potentially attract more traffic to this side of town and it will impact the people who live here.
I have lived in Great Neck for over 40 years and what makes the town special is that we have not had stores like 7-Eleven, McDonalds, Burger King, and other chains that draw people from other areas. The town has remained intimate and quiet.
Some of the residents that were at the Zoning meeting in reference to the 7-Eleven make a six-figure income and are not in favor of this type of store coming on the corner of Middle Neck Road, and Steamboat Road, and they are residents of the Old Village and not Kings Point Village. They came with a petition of 100 plus residents, and the others packed the Village Hall in protest against the 7-Eleven.
The several thousands of house workers and visiting health-care providers for the most part eat in. All of the health care providers that work at 325 and 700 Middle Neck Road eat with those they are caring for. I know this for a fact, because my aunt, and other members of my church live at the 700 building with heath care providers. The other worker’s eat at (the landscapers, painters, roofers and construction workers) mostly at Willie’s and the dinner down the street. They want a hot meal, and a place to sit; not sit outside as they would if there was a 7-Eleven. These two business owners would most likely lose business, and would have to close.
They have been in this area for many, many years and we hate to see them go.
A 7-Eleven doesn’t make sense for the mere fact that it would be at the end of town, and nowhere near the unincorporated villages. We have a 24-hour Rite Aide in the Plaza, and Lime Lite in Great Neck Estates. Those that live in the Terrace Circle are close to the city line, and those in the Spinney Hill section shop in Manhasset mostly. Also, I am sure that the mothers that live in Kings Point don’t run out of formula at night; I’m sure they are well stocked, and if they did we still Rite Aide and Lime Lite.
It would be nice to make the area into a nice planting ground with beautiful plants, a waterfall, and a nice bench for those that take the bus.
A 7-Eleven would case much more traffic, more accidents, and a lot of noise, I said at the meeting; this Village is known for shutting down at eleven o’clock. We should stay that way.
If a 7-Eleven is on Northern Boulevard which is a very busy street, it would make more sense. It doesn’t make sense at the end of Middle Neck Road in the Old Village, we don’t have a need for that type of store.
Julia Shields
Great Neck
