Recently, a former Mineola elected official has risen up again using the housing-keep Mineola suburban as a ploy for re-election.
Others are also using the same argument.
The present mayor was for a time using the off-colored snide remark “Little Manhattan” for the purpose of only small development.
It does not matter that much who is in the village government. It is still the same stuff.
None of them back up their statements so I am presenting a profile of the situation.
The ‘Old Mineola’ before the Raines building was redone (with its relatively small number of apartments) as opposed to how it is today and the added plans for the future:
The ‘Old Mineola’ had-has two apartment houses at Main Street and Harrison Avenue. Seven on First Street, three on Mineola Boulevard, nine off of Willis to the LIRR tracks.
This adds up to 21.
Birchwood Court has six buildings, each one larger than the new Hudson House.
There is Richlee Gardens on the west end of First Street: four blocks long extending all the way to the tracks.
There are quite a number of buildings there.
Adding it all up and ‘Old Mineola’ had-has the approximate equivalent of thirty five apartment houses and also a large number of tenements above stores and businesses.
Beginning with the Raines project, Mineola has added only four, all of which are south of the tracks.
The ‘Village Green’ has been approved and two more are probable on the former church property.
One is considered where the L.I. Taxi stand is.
None of these new works has any effect on Suburban Mineola.
The future might see two or three more south of the tracks, west of Roslyn Road.
Those living in Greater Mineola Suburbanland don’t have to go ‘downtown’ if they don’t want to and those living ‘downtown’ would see little need not to just stay in that area.
Maybe just to go to the park.
So, what’s the beef?
The school district would survive too.
Manhattan has its Village in The City so Mineola can have its little City in The Village.
Apartment houses add little to the traffic as it exists.
So be it!
Charles Samek
Mineola
