Part of the Town of North Hempstead’s recently approved capital plan will be focused on the Roslyn-Albertson area, Councilman Peter Zuckerman said.
Zuckerman, whose district covers Albertson, East Hills, East Williston, Glenwood Landing, Greenvale, Herricks, Manhasset Hills, Roslyn Harbor, Roslyn Heights and Searingtown, said the $10.9 million set for the Roslyn Country Club property in 2020 is dependent on the town’s ongoing litigation against Mineola-based Corona Realty Holdings LLC, the owner of Roslyn Country Club, and the company’s owner, Manochehr Malekan.
Malekan unsuccessfully sued residents over longstanding easement rights in the 1990s that gave them access to the country club’s pool for $100 in annual dues. Nearly 400 residents countersued, and Malekan shuttered the club in 2007.
The town has been trying to purchase the property from Malekan since 2012 after town officials agreed to purchase more than 7.2 acres of the property from Corona Realty Holdings for $2 million, but the agreement expired at the end of 2014.
North Hempstead trustees unanimously approved the litigation at their October meeting.
“This project is at the heart of the community,” Zuckerman said. “This facility is something that’s historical within this community. Supervisor [Judi] Bosworth and I are committed to going forward with this project. We want to restore this jewel to the community.”
Zuckerman said the money, partly funded by a $7.5 million bond, has been in the capital plan since 2014 but is continually pushed back because of the town’s inability to renovate the Roslyn Heights property on Club Drive unless the town owns the property, including two swimming pools and five tennis courts.
The property is within the Roslyn Heights Park District, which was created in 2012, and Zuckerman said only park district residents would help fund the project. While Zuckerman said no specifics have been planned for renovations, he would like to see the park and pool portions returned to the neighborhood.
While the town has also considered condemnation as one course of action, Zuckerman said no decisions would be made without input from the community. Zuckerman said an appraisal of the property has been ordered.
“We are leaving no stone unturned,” Zuckerman said. “It’s very important that we continue to move forward.”
Zuckerman said under the capital plan, a study has been issued for the Roslyn Community Center facility, which was acquired from Nassau County years ago.
“The Roslyn Community Center on Orchard Street needs some repairs, and we’re doing a study to figure out what specifically needs to be done and how we can better use this site,” Zuckerman said.
He said the center could potentially add a generator and get roof and bathroom renovations.
In the capital plan, $190,000 is allocated to the community center between 2018 and 2019, and $50,000 of that is for the study.
In Albertson, Zuckerman said Clark Botanic Gardens on I.U. Willets Road and John D. Caemmerer Park on Wentworth Avenue are also slated for renovations.
“Since I’ve been in office, Clark Botanic Gardens is something I’m really committed to,” Zuckerman said. “After Superstorm Sandy, it took a beating, and we’ve made a lot of improvements but we want to continue to move forward with that.”
The town has slated $940,000 toward the renovations over four years, with $135,000 in 2018, $735,000 in 2019 and $35,000 in 2020 and 2021. Zuckerman said renovation plans include rehabilitation of the ponds, repaving the parking lot and making the garden walkways accessible for people with disabilities.
At John D. Caemmerer Park, $500,000 is slated for 2018 for various improvements after a number of harsh winters affected the park, Zuckerman said, including repairing drainage structures in the parking lot as well as repaving the lot.
