The Roslyn Rescue Hook and Ladder Company announced last Wednesday that it has obtained approval from the Town of North Hempstead to move forward with the construction of a new firehouse in Greenvale.
John Christopher, attorney representing the fire department, said the application filed by the fire company in February 2015 was initially denied because the design required various variances.
“We had an initial hearing with the Zoning Board of Appeals in February 2015 and there were several concerns that were brought up,” Christopher said. “The architect went back and made adjustments to the design that was presented to the town in January.”
The Zoning Board granted four variances to the fire company at its meeting in January that allows the firehouse to exceed town requirements for height, front and side yard setbacks and parking.
Christopher said the approvals were based on fire companies being treated as government entities.
“If this was a residential apartment or business, it (the variances) was never going to granted,” he said.
The Roslyn Rescue Hook and Ladder Company currently operates in three locations — an administrative building at 155 Mineola Ave., substation No. 2 at 165 Mineola Ave. and substation No. 3 at 6 Locust Ave. in Greenvale.
The new state-of-the-art building will replace substation no. 3, which was originally built in 1966, and eventually allow for the closing of substation No. 2.
“The process to replace and move out of our current location began in 2013,” Sendach said. “We did a consolidation in 2009 where we sold what was our main headquarters in Roslyn because the building was no longer large enough to house the fire house’s apparatus.”
He said due to building codes in the Village of Roslyn Estates, the fire department was unable to obtain permits to expand the building.
“Two years ago, we met with the community and the Greenvale Civic Association to design a fire station that’s going to look like the residential houses in the area,” Sendach said. “We got input from the civics and residents and thought we reached a compromise that satisfied everyone.”
The new, two-story firehouse will have approximately 14,000 square feet, providing space for six trucks and other vehicles to be safely garaged.
Sendach said the fire department will move all its fire apparatus from the 165 Mineola Ave. station when the new building at 6 Locus Ave. is completed.
“Our expectation is to build a larger substation and we’ll go down from three stations to two,” Sendach said. “We don’t call any of our stations headquarters. We have the administrative building in Roslyn Estates and the location in Greenvale.”
Construction is expected to begin in the fall and cost up to $6.5 million, according to Newsday.
“This is a preliminary step in our plans and since this process is going to be a long one. There are still a number of steps we still have to take like getting the building permits,” Sendach said.
The Roslyn Rescue Hook and Ladder Company serves approximately 16 square miles and includes unincorporated areas of the town and all or parts of several villages, including North Hills, Roslyn, East Hills, Roslyn Estates, Brookville, Old Westbury, Flower Hill and Roslyn Harbor.
The fire company has served the community since 1852.
