Following a heated discussion, the Mineola Board of Trustees voted 4-1 last week for a village law that makes 55 the age in which people are eligible for affordable senior housing.
The law, which also restricts eligibility to people whose incomes do not exceed 80 percent of the median income in Nassau County, comes as Polimeni International prepares to build the Winston, a 36-unit senior component to the 275-unit Winston Manor apartment complex.
“The immediate issue deals with the senior housing unit for the Winston,” said Mineola village attorney John Spellman.
Spellman said Polimeni executives had asked the board act to formally define eligibility for senior housing to help the company secure financing for the project.
“It’s an important piece toward the start of the Polimeni approval,” Spellman said.
Village of Mineiola Trustee Lawrence Werther, who cast the lone vote against the measure, said he was skeptical about the age level and suggested the measure went beyond ensuring the future of housing for village seniors.
“If the intent is to open the village up to low-income housing, I have an issue with this,” Werther said, adding that he feels he has a “fiduciary” responsibility to protect the senior citizens.
“I think 55 is an appropriate age,” Village of Mineola Mayor Scott Strauss responded.
Deputy Mayor Paul Pereira said that similar multi-dwelling housing projects for seniors on Long Island have lowered the eligibility age of residents seeking apartments to 55 years.
The bulk of them would still go to people who are 55 years old or older,” Pereira said.
After Werther’s again expressed skepticism, Strauss said, “Every one of us has the senior citizens of this village at heart.”
Spellman also objected to Werther citing the village’s fiduciary responsibility.
“This is not a senior residence. It’s not an assisted living home. It is not God’s waiting room,” Spellman said.
Werther was also the lone trustee to oppose allowing Polimeni to change the Churchill from a condominium to a rental property. Polimeni executives said the change was necessary to obtain financing for both the Winston and the Churchill projects
During a Sept. 14 public hearing, Werther said a personal guarantee from Polimeni Chairman Vincent Polimeni should have been enough to secure financing for the project as it had been originally proposed.
“The size of this project is so miniscule compared to the Winston, I don’t see why a personal guarantee would not be sufficient,” Werther said.
Other trustees approved the change, saying they did not want to jeopardize the projects and the amenities that would be provided by the developer.
Polimeni has pledged to pay the village $3 million in amenities to be used at the board’s discretion for rights to build the two apartment buildings.
The Winston and the Churchill are to be built on the north side of Old Country Road on the block east of 3rd Street. The first step in the project is construction of a three-story garage on 3rd Street to accommodate parking for the new apartment buildings and the office building.
Michael Polimeni, Polimeni chief operating officer, has said the company hopes to start construction of the garage in the spring. He said building the garage is expected to take six months.
Polimeni plans to break ground on the main part of the project after that.
Village officials have said the Winston is an important element in the revitalization of downtown Mineola, with its residents expected to patronize local restaurants and retail businesses.
Reach reporter Richard Tedesco by e-mail at rtedesco@theislandnow.com or by phone at 516.307.1045 x204
