A proposal for a four-story apartment complex on Middle Neck Road prompted residents to voice strong concerns to the Village of Great Neck Board of Trustees on Tuesday night.
“I swear if anything like that got built there, my family and I will lay in front of that driveway every single day. I promise you,” said Great Neck resident Ken Lee.
The building would be built at 777 Middle Neck Road, which has been targeted for property development for the past several years, according to the board. The layout, designed by Newman Design, was presented for the first time in front of the board and public and was met by resentment and frustration from several village residents.
The complex would feature 44 units, with a mixture of one and two bedrooms. It would have a gym, pool and a penthouse room on top, which would require a variance, according to village code. The parking area on the ground floor would have 37 spaces.
The presentation was made by the director of architectural services for Newman Design, Brian Newman. Newman said the structure would be located on the corner of Middle Neck Road and Gutheil Lane adjacent to the old Department of Public Works facility.
“If we think something is wrong with this. We have to talk about it right now, the next time we meet it will be too late,” Lee said n response to Deputy Mayor Barton Sobel informing him there would be time to express concerns at a public hearing scheduled for late October.
“Nothing is set in stone,” Mayor Pedram Bral said. “This is merely a presentation of a concept. This will not be built right now; there will not even be a vote on this tonight.”
Other concerns such as environmental impact, traffic studies and “zoning favoritism,” according to one citizen, were brought to the board’s attention, with no action being taken, due to the meeting being a presentation of the concept.
“Go down to the corner of Gutheil and Middle Neck,” said one citizen. “The traffic coming out of there is already too congested, how are we supposed to approve this with no studies presented to us?”
The board said again that there would be no decision on any matter Tuesday night and that the building design was a presentation.
“All those things need to be done, and all those studies and findings need to go to Nassau Planning Commission,” Bral said. “If anything goes to the commission as part of that application, they must have traffic studies, parking studies, environmental impacts, everything.”
After the last of the concerns had been raised, Bral urged everyone to come to the next village meeting and said, “If there is something you or anyone else would like to see built here, then present that to us. We want ideas to help improve our village in any way possible.”
The next village meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 22, at 7:30 p.m.
