Plaza board leery of Grace Ave. variances

Dan Glaun

Developer and Great Neck Chamber of Commerce President Hooshang Nematzadeh’s plans to build a mixed-use apartment building in Great Neck Plaza have hit another road block, as negotiations continue with the village board over the scope and specifications of the project.

Nematzadeh first put the proposed Grace Avenue building, to be built according to commercial-residential zoning designed to attract commuters and young professionals, before the board in August 2012. 

He has returned repeatedly to the board’s biweekly meetings since then with revisions as the board seeks to bring the project closer in line with village code. The plan now calls for four stories instead of five, and a design revamp smoothed out the buildings edges to address board members’ aesthetic concerns.

But board members are still concerned about the project, citing skepticism about the project’s height, the presence of residential units on the first floor and whether the construction of a large new development fits the spirit of the zoning, which trustees say was written to encourage the building of apartments on top of existing retail space.

“You’re like a whole new proposal in the downtown,” Village of Great Neck Plaza Mayor Jean Celender said at Wednesday’s board meeting. “It doesn’t really fit how we thought the zoning would work.”

Celender said that she supported the idea of the project and that it would add “livelihood” to the village’s center. 

But she and other board members listed specific sticking points in the design, which Nematzadeh said he would work with his architect to address.

The presence of first-floor apartments in the plan was of particular concern. Such apartments are prohibited by village code, and Nematzadeh is seeking a variance from the board.

“It’s going to be kind of dark, cavernous – we have some concerns about that,” Celender said.

Nematzadeh said that using that space for shops would not work, as retail would not be economically viable set so far back from the street.

“I don’t know if you’d be able to rent there,” Nematzadeh said.

The planned building was reduced from 45 to 37 units when the fifth floor was axed. Nematzadeh said eliminating the first floor apartments would leave the building with 30 residences.

The proposal also still exceeds the height allowed by village code. Nematzadeh told the board he had already cut the fifth floor of the building to reduce the variance, but Celender said the board had never been comfortable with that aspect of the plan.

“We didn’t see eye to eye from the beginning,” Celender said.

Nematzadeh said he would work to conform with the board’s requirements, but that he would have to reanalyze the economics of the project.

“I think the message we’re trying to give you is to minimize the number of variances you’re seeking from the village,” Celender said.

The building would require three zoning variances as presented on Wednesday.

The plan calls for a five-foot setback from the street instead of the 25-foot setback required by village zoning. The 42-foot height planned for the building exceeds the 40-foot maximum set out in village code, and Nematzadeh also requested a variance to allow both commercial and residential units on the building’s first floor.

The project takes advantage of the Plaza’s 2011 zoning reform, which allows mixed commercial-residential buildings in the downtown near the Long Island Rail Road station. 

The change was designed to provide housing options for commuters who might be discouraged by the area’s high real-estate prices.

The median price for a home in Great Neck is $877,500 in 2010, according to Newsday.

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