Apt. complex on track in Mineola

Richard Tedesco

Construction of the nine-story 315-unit apartment complex by Lalezarian Developers at 250 Country Road in Mineola is proceeding on schedule, according to Kevin Lalezarian, a principal in the company.

“We’re well into construction and continuing,” Lalezarian said on Monday. “Right now we’re expecting construction to be complete a year from now.”

He said the completion date is consistent with the time frame the company originally projected for the building. He said it’s too early to estimate the construction cost of the apartment complex.

“The foundation is nearly complete and the superstructure in some parts is up to the third floor. Right now, a lot of superstructure construction is happening,” Lalezarian said.

Lalezarian said the building materials being used for the apartment complex will make the structure “ non-combustible.”

“The structure of the building is made entirely of steel and concrete,” Lalezarian said. 

Village officials said plumbing and underground construction for the building’s drainage system has been completed.

“It’s going well,” Village of Mineola Mayor Scott Strauss said. “We’re very excited that the project is going forward as quickly as it has been and we’re looking forward to its completion.”

The apartment complex will ultimately have 166 one-bedroom units, 127 two-bedroom units and 33 three-bedroom units. The apartment complex will also include 32 “workforce” units for first responders and younger “next generation” residents to be rented to people with incomes at between 50 percent and 75 percent of the median income in Nassau County. 

The workforce units will contain the same fixtures as the other apartments – a condition proposed by Strauss during public hearings on the project.

Strauss said the work criteria for apartments to allotted for first responders and next generation renters has not yet been determined. But he said the criteria will be in place by the time the other apartments are available for rental.

“We’re looking to see if we can take care of people who are giving of their free time to the community,” Strauss said.

Strauss said the village is providing housing for residents at both ends of the age spectrum in the apartments at 250 Old Country Road and the 36-unit Hudson House for senior residents on Front Street.

“We’re taking care of senior citizens on one side of the village and taking care of first generation housing on the other side of the village,” he said.

The Old Country Road apartment complex is rising on the site of the former KeySpan building, which was demolished last February.

The Mineola Board of Trustees approved a plan in December 2012 for Lalezarian Developers to build the apartment complex as a rental property. 

The developers agreed to reduce the number of apartment units in the plan from 345 to 315 after village board members expressed concerns about the project’s density.

Lalezarian Developers had originally proposed a nine-story, 257-unit condominium complex when it submitted plans for the project in 2009. They later requested a change from condominiums to rental units, saying it was necessary for the company secure funding for the project.

As part of the approval made by the village board, the developer is paying the village $3.1 million in cash as a contribution for improvements in the business district.

Lalezarian Developers, which is based on Marcus Avenue in New Hyde Park, also agreed to reduce from 30 years to 20 an agreement with the county Industrial Development Agency for payments in lieu of taxes. 

Reach reporter Richard Tedesco by e-mail at rtedesco@theislandnow.com or by phone at 516.307.1045 x204. Also follow us on Twitter @theislandnow1 and Facebook at facebook.com/theislandnow.

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