The owner of a Middle Neck Road jewelry store seeking to convert office space above his shop addressed concerns Wednesday over the removal of power lines in front of the building previously expressed by Village of Great Neck Plaza trustees.
Danny Arbusman, president of Jewels By Viggi, said he could remove the power lines between two poles in front of his building, located at 65 Middle Neck Road. Arbusman applied for a conditional-use permit in June to convert the second floor of his building into two apartments and add a third floor, which would house two more apartments.
“As of this morning I spoke with PSEG and they said they could definitely do it,” Arbusman said.
He said there were concerns that firefighters could be hindered by the lines in the event of a fire.
Arbusman has said power to the building is provided by underground lines — not from the wires in front of the building.
At a July 1 trustees meeting, Arbusman said he would opt to pay the $25,000 required by the village rather than provide a parking spot for the residential part of his property.
Under current zoning laws, Arbusman would be required to provide six parking spots for the four apartment units he is proposing.
But Village of Great Neck Plaza Commissioner of Public Services Michael Sweeney had said at a previous meeting that Arbusman doesn’t have the space for the parking required.
Arbusman said he would want to stretch the $25,000 charge over 10 years, with payments of $2,500 per year. The $25,000 would be used to enhance Plaza parking facilities, village officials said.
Also at Wednesday’s meeting, Arbusman said he did not know how much rent he would charged for the 750-square-foot apartments. He said in response to a question from Mark Wolf of Camp and Campus, which located at 42 Middle Neck Road, the apartments were not going to by luxury apartments.
“It helps fill the downtown,” Celender said of the proposed apartments.
Arbusman has said he has been unsuccessful in efforts to rent out his second floor for commercial use.
Wolf said he asked about the rent to see if it was going to pay for the cost of making the apartments.
“His project is a very low intensity use on the site, as opposed to what could be there,” Celender said.
Trustee Gerry Schneiderman said village officials want to keep more young people in the community who walk or use bicycles to get around, and who will shop at stores downtown.
Trustees said they would resume their review on the application for a conditional use permit at their Aug. 5 meeting.
