A plan to expand the Lord & Taylor store in Manhasset that was approved by the North Hempstead town council in 2011 but later abandoned by the company is being reconsidered, a Manhasset civic leader said in an e-mail Saturday.
Rich Bentley, the president of the Council for Greater Manhasset Civic Associations said he received notification from Howard Avrutine, Lord & Taylor’s attorney for the project, that the company is ready to proceed on the project.
The initial plan was to expand the 125,600 square-foot building to 162,750 square feet and relocate 72 parking spaces throughout the property, as well as to construct a retaining wall, sidewalks and landscaping. It was approved during a Jan. 25, 2011 North Hempstead town council meeting.
Bentley said the Greater Council supported the plan at the time, but the project was “placed on the back burner” as Lord & Taylor officials sought to alleviate issues with the borders of its parking lot, causing the town’s approval to expire.
“Lord & Taylor has always been a good community member for Manhasset, a good neighbor, and we’re glad to see their business thriving,” he said.
Avrutine deferred comment to Lord & Taylor’s public relations office, which did not return calls seeking comment.
Lord & Taylor would now have to go through the public approval process through the town’s Board of Zoning Appeals and Town Council.
North Hempstead officials said the company will go before the zoning board on April 22 to expand the building and seek a parking variance.
Bentley said Avrutine told him the company would revise its plans for the retaining wall and the size of its signage, but did not have specific details about the modifications.
“The Greater Council was supportive then. I’m assuming the same thing would happen now,” Bentley said.
