Quick Links: Click on a topic to skip down to that section of this webpage.

Scroll down this page to see "Current Projects In and Around Manhasset" as well as many past project documents.

• Town and County Open Issues, incl 311 stats & summer paving.
• Mt Olive Baptist Church Site - Senior Housing
• PSEG-LI Issues/Projects
• Plandome Rd Vision Project
• Plandome Rd Parking Committee
• Manhasset Valley Park Renovation Project
• Other Miscellaneous Projects
• Inisfada: Sale and Death of St Ignatius Retreat House-Brady Mansion

1285 Northern Blvd Sunset Chapel Development to BMW dealership: Most recent documents are posted on the Norgate Civic Association ("NCA") tab.

To elaborate on the current site deficiencies, the property (i) is accessed via a two-way driveway, which is shared with the adjacent vacant Sleep Number building, that is substandard in width and (ii) has too much building square footage and not enough parking.  Due to these collective deficiencies, we believe the site and building as they currently function will be a revolving door of vacancies. To address these issues and redevelop the property into something that will thrive, we have arrived at the following redevelopment plan:

* Demolish the Mystique Boutique portion of the building to reduce the square footage from approximately 15K SF to 9K SF.

* Add parking within the footprint of the demolished space (to increase the parking capacity from 41 stalls to 48 stalls).

* Add an ingress only driveway in the area of the Mystique Boutique portion of the building.

* Convert the current two-way driveway into an egress only driveway.

* Renovate the facade of the former Destination Maternity building (as I mentioned, we are in the early stages of this design so once available I can provide a rendering).

* Acquire the vacant former Sleep Number building.  Although this is not essential, given our plans to improve access, it greatly facilitated our ability to execute on this.

* Add landscaping along the Northern Boulevard frontage in addition to other improvements to be identified to improve the curb appeal of the property.

Upon completion, this property will be comprised of three separate buildings with vastly improved parking, access, and aesthetics.  In terms of anticipate tenancies for the former Destination Maternity building, we anticipate that a portion will be rented to a high end fast casual restaurant and the remainder will be rented to some form of women's beauty use.

Dear Manhasset Residents: Greater Council and Chamber of Commerce members have been working for years on this project to design a waste water treatment infrastructure that can support a vibrant financially successful downtown main street – our PLANDOME ROAD COMMERCIAL area for decades to come while concurrently mitigating the longstanding fear that sewers will bring uncontrolled high density development to our downtown. The plan is an ‘engineered solution’ that DOES NOT PROVIDE for higher density housing. The project is now ready to pursue funding grants which needs the support of all our local government representatives for such grants. Of course gaining elected official support means it needs public support of the Manhasset residents to advance to reality. As you will read, we have a current unique alignment of several opportunities (environmental and financial) that lead us to conclude NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT.

Please take the time now to read the petition and the feasibility study - it's important reading for you and our Manhasset community as a whole to understand the plan and engage in the discussion. MAKE THE TIME to understand this need for a vibrant sustainable downtown Plandome Rd business area is necessary now. This project is vital to community to support future local merchants for decades to come, and needs our support; join us in signing the petition NOW.

Sign the Petition to support the project: Support Sewer Service for the Plandome Road Business District (link). Supports our merchants-help our local downtown Plandome Road merchants thrive for decades to come.

Be educated- View the Webinar: The online webinar held 4/21/21 was recorded and is avaialbe to view the presentation and discussion. Additional webinars being planned by each neighborhood civic assn during April to June 2021. Link to view on zoom:

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/gnsjHEy7qr2s0rLpEqQNFxSzqnaF2IHrglAJUXukZFADFaCokNulPOpj5z-NltX0.TzALnXVGLEr5Ivbx . It will prompt you to enter a passcode- enter: 9ghGu#kz

Manhasset Press Article: https://manhassetpress.com/sewering-manhasset-gets-a-restart/

Manhasset Times Article: https://theislandnow.com/manhasset-107/locals-launch-petition-for-plandome-road-sewers/

This project is planned for a modern water treatement technology - a 'Low Pressure System', as opposed to more traditional Gravity System. Low pressure systems are already proven successful and widely used in new sewering projects. To understand the diffference, a good overview is available online from 'eOne', a low pressure system manufacturer: See Gravity vs Low Pressure systems .

Town and County Open Issues

TNH Manhasset Road Paving Schedule Summer 2023

Street Name          Start                                   End                      Linear Ft

Strathmore Road      Northern Blvd                     Andrew Road          1,039

4^th Street                Clapham Avenue                 Brinkerhoff Lane         463

Crowntop Road        Quaker Ridge Road              Great Oak Road          505

East Drive               Ridge Drive                         South Drive                499

Linden Street          Bayview Avenue                  Manhasset Avenue       848

Bayview Avenue      Plandome Road                   W Shore Road           2,530

Bruce Lane             Harrow Lane                       Dead end south            139

3^rd Street               Clapham Avenue                 Brinkerhoff Lane           453

Marlboro Road        Crowntop Road                    Pickwick Road              663

Memorial Place        Start of School Property      Plandome Road          1,078

Combes Drive         Manhasset Ave/VanArsdale Pl  Grinsted Street          560

Sussex Drive          Village Road                        Harrow Lane              1,065.1

Manhasset Ave      Bayview Avenue                    Van Arsdale Place         234

                                                                                           Total: 10,076.1

TNH Manhasset Road Paving Schedule Summer 2022

Street Name        From                    To                         Linear Feet

Mayfair Lane                  Searingtown Road          Harrow Lane                         822

Clapham Avenue           Northern Blvd                 Dead End South                 1,223

Mitchell Place                South Drive                     Dead end South                    223

Van Arsdale Place         Manhasset Ave/Combes Dr  Dead end North            392

Oxford Road                   Foxhurst Lane                  N Rockywood Road              552

Locust Place                  Colonial Parkway           Bayview Avenue                      727

                                                                                                                    Total:    3,939

TNH Manhasset Road Paving Schedule Summer 2021

           Street Name        From                    To                         Linear Feet

           Brinkerhoff La.     Northern Blvd       Fourth Street          889

           George Street      Plandome Rd        Onderdonk Ave       890

           Blenheim Drive    Dover Road          Sussex Drive           883

                                                                (not including intersection recently completed)

           The Gate             Northern Blvd       Village Road           661

           Fairway Lane       Payne Whitney La. CuldeSac north      454

                   (including culdesac; not incl intersection of Country Club Drive recently completed)         

            Flower Lane       Entire Roadway                                  158

            Garden Turn       Entire Roadway                                  117

            Green Terrace     Entire Roadway                                   86

            Bayview Ave       Intersection of West Shore Dr.            100

            South Drive        West Drive           Whitney Place         247

            South Drive        East Drive            Dead end east        241

            Beechwood Ave  Nassau Avenue     Munsey Place         771

            Pickwick Road     Northern Blvd      Quaker Ridge       1,258

            Ridge Drive        West Drive            Dead End              745

                                                                                Total: 7,500

In Summer 2020 was:

Street Name      Start Segment            End Segment        Linear Feet

Lilac Lane       Knickerbocker Rd    Vanderbilt Road      238

East Gate       Northern Blvd         Hilltop Drive           809

Sutton Crest    Aldershot              Sutton Crest Cir      331

Intersection of Sussex Dr and Chapel Road                   25

Sussex Drive   Harrow Lane         Buckminster La        573

Munsey Place   Nassau Ave          Dead end                 901

Lindberg Street Gaynor Avenue    Webster Ave            654

Gaynor Avenue Plandome Road     Dead End East      1,213

Forest Turn       Chapel Road         Dead End               116

Old Estate Rd    Payne Whitney La Country Club Dr      857

Intersection of Fairway and Payne Whitney                   25

South Drive       Whitney Place      East Drive              606

Brinkerhoff La    Northern Blvd      Fourth Street       rolled over into 2021 paving plan

Wood Place        South Drive         Dead End               251

                                                                                                            Sub-Total          6,599

In Summer 2019 was: 

Virginia Drive    Thompson Shore     62 Virginia Dr           850

Nassau Avenue  Park Avenue           Village Line           1,490

Mason Drive      Nassau Avenue       Village Line              130

Hilltop Drive      Vanderbilt Rd         Mill Spring Rd         1,105

Harrow Lane      Dover Road           Searingtown Rd      1,526

 Sutton Crest     Dead Road            Aldershot Lane           470

Eton Crest         Chapel Road          Dead End                  352

Bleinheim Dr      @ Sussex Drive     Intersection                50

Sussex Drive      169 Sussex Drive  169 Sussex Drive        20

Maple Street       @Bayview Ave      Intersection                50

West Drive          Northern Blvd      Dead End                  950

Old Mill Road       Deepdale Drive    Deepdale Drive          339

Locust Street       Bayview Avenue   Dead End                 731

Centre Dr            West Drive           Clapham Ave         1,147

                                                                          Sub-Total   9,210

In Summer 2018 was:

Rockrest Road   Aldershot Lane     E Gate                2,100

Village Road      The Gate             Searingtown Rd   2,080

Albermarle Rd    Chapel Road       Deadend                250

Manhasset Ave   Linden Street     Grindsted Street   1,020

Thomp. Shr Rd   Bayview Ave      Linden Street       1,840

Buckingham Pl   Thomps.Shr Rd   Deadend                290

Mora Court        Buckingham Pl.   Deadend                395

Total linear feet of roads                                        7,975 

In Summer 2017 was:

Aldershot Lane    Chapel Road       Dead End            1,450

Cambridge Lane  Shoreview Road  Bayview Avenue    320

Dewey St.           Bayview Ave.     North to Dead End  450

Foxcroft                          Rockcrest Rd               Aldershot                    913

Old Mill Road       Pickwick Road    Dead End             1,865

Rockcrest Rd.     Aldershot            East Gate            2,100

    [Rockcrest removed due to planned near future utility work, replaced with Dover Rd]

Shorehaven La   Shoreview Rd      Bayview Avenue     550

Shoreview Rd     West Shore Rd    Dead End             1,560

Andover Ln         Shoreview Rd.    Bayview Ave.          325

Exeter Lane        Shoreview Rd.    Bayview Ave.          325

Groton Ln            Shoreview Rd.   Bayview Ave.          390

West Shore Rd  Shoreview Rd.   Bayview Ave.             672

Homewood Rd  West Shore Rd  Shorehaven Ln            574

                                                                                                         Total      11,494

In Summer 2016 was:

Aldershot Lane  from Dover to Chapel Rd
Soundview Crest from Country Club Dr to south to the dead-end
Castle Ridge Rd  from Payne Whitney Lane to Millspring Rd
Circle Crest from Castle Ridge to west to the dead-end
Timber Lane from Soundview Crest to Chapel Rd
Knickerbocker Rd from Old Mill Rd to Country Club Dr
Sherry Hill Lane from Casle Ridge Rd to Chapel Rd
Short Dr from  Old Mill Rd to Millspring Rd

                                         Total linear feet of road : 7,913 

Bye Bye 7 Eleven - Application Withdrawn: In response to the LARGE Manhasset resident opposition, the Applicant HAS WITHDRAWN their Town BZA appeal for a conditional use permit proposed for a 7Eleven at 260 Plandome Rd Manhasset. Our sincere thanks to all who signed the petition!

Citibank vs TD Bank Building Design – Why are circumstances so different?

in 2008 Christ Episcopal Church began the process to sell its adjacent Parish House that had initially been built as a school, but was never actually used as a school. The need to sell was to sustain the Church and parish itsself. The church initially proposed a multilevel housing complexthat was unilaterally rejected by the community and neighboring homes which convinced Town to NOT approve that plan and zoning change. The pastor worked tirelessly with community groups and developers for several years on alternatives acceptable to the community. Most proposals involved demolishing the Parish House structure that had fallen victim to years of deferred maintenance. Housing development proposals were plentiful but had all been undesireable to the community. The  developer (M Puntillo) then proposed a way to save and totally renovate the Parish House building into small professional offices and a child care facility.  Since rents of internal Parish House tenants were projected to be insufficient to cover the needed restoration loan, the plan required building an adjacent structure on the property whose commercial lease would provide the additional funds needed to sustain the costly total renovation /restoration of the beautiful gothic style Parish House building. At that time, and after rejecting most retail type tenants, the only willing tenant was Citibank, which sought to relocate from its former Macy’s shopping center location. Citibank had a single ‘design’ used at all its newest free standing new construction. Citibank flatly refused to negotiate its design in a ‘take it as designed, or leave’ position. Most involved parties had the common goal to save this historical structure in our community.  At about the same time, the Manhasset community had just ‘lost forever’ the historic Inisfada (St Ignatius Retreat House) battle that resulted in its demolition of the historic Gold Coast era mansion to make way for yet another planned gated housing development.  Unfortunately the Inisfada sale to Hong Kong developers was a process totally under the jurisdiction of the Inc. Village of North Hills, and the resident’s outcry to save that building fell upon deaf ears. Thus, the community's input to the Town process at the Christ Church Parish House site ended up supporting the plan that saved and restored the grand Parish House building, but which necessitated accepting Citibank's very modern style building on the Parish House site which opened in 2014. 

    A few years later now in 2016 and a few blocks west at Plandome Rd/ 25A, TD Bank initially proposed a similar to Citibank's very modern design structure, but met with community civic leaders before intitiating the Town process. TD's modern design was initially totally rejected by community civic leaders. However, the two key differences are that the TD bank site has no such historical structure, and that TD Bank remained in discussions with the community to achieve a more acceptable building design that now includes more colonial style elements and better fits the community desires for this ‘entrance gateway” property along our downtown.
     Of course, we can all sit back and question whether Manhasset really needs nother bank (most agree we do not), but there is no law that prevents a bank on commercial zoned property. It's obvious there is wealth in and around Manhasset and banks desire to be near wealth. Whether the Town can or should have an architectural review process in its building code and approval process (whcih would need to cover the entire Town from the Queesns border to the Westbury, can indeed be debated at nausium, but fact remains that there no such process. Solutions involving municipal process changes are generally impractical to ever be enacted since they frequently involve either increased regulation and/or additional taxation; Thus not popular to most residents. Such requirements are commonly adopted within much smaller areas such as incorporated villages or business improvement districts that can set strcter rules and have independent taxing authority. While Manhasset area building owners can't be forced into such colonialization façade design elements by law, we DO already see fruits of our labor - “voluntary” changes - colonial type shutters on several buildings already appearing.

    All in all, while its not the perfect architectural design, akin to the nearby Apple Bank and Chase's Munsey Park bank building designs, but its far better than the modern design TD Bank initially proposed.  Amidst all these factors, Greater Council continues to encourage voluntary cooperation by Owners/tenants towards more planning colonialization style elements throughout our downtown commercial area buildings.

Manhasset Map: Map link

Mt Olive Baptist Church Site - Senior Housing

The Mt Olive Church site on High Street/ Community Drive is now in the TNH Planning Dept review stage. A Public Hearing  is planned to appear on the Town Board agenda for Nov 18, 2014. The SEQRA Public Comment period will end Nov 28, 2014.

 A RESOLUTION was unanimously adopted SETTING A DATE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE APPLICATION OF G & G ACQUISITIONS GROUP, LLC FOR A CHANGE OF ZONE FROM "RESIDENCE-C" TO "SENIOR RESIDENCE” FOR THE PREMISES KNOWN AS OLIVE HILL AT MANHASSET AND DESIGNATED ON THE NASSAU COUNTY LAND AND TAX MAP AS SECTION 2, BLOCK 347, LOTS 16 AND 17. 
Synopsis: The proposed action is for the rezoning from 'Residence-C' to 'Senior Residence' and subsequent construction of a 72-unit senior multiple residence on a 3.19-acre parcel. Tentative Hearing Date is November 18, 2014. 

Name of Project: Olive Hill at Manhasset  
Location:     High Street, Manhasset, Town of North Hempstead, Nassau County, New York. Section 2, Block 347, Lots 16 and 17
Applicant:    GG Acquisitions, LLC;  
        davidgallo@georgicagreen.com
        516-620-4530

The proposed action consists of a change of zone of a 3.19-acre parcel from Residence C (RC) to Senior Residence (R-S) in order to accommodate 72 age-restricted senior affordable housing units. Specifically, the redevelopment of the subject property will include the removal of 3.19 acres of natural vegetation and a 276-square foot dilapidated asphalt paved area to allow for the construction of a 3-story L-shaped building (60,450 gross square-feet)  that will comprise of 42 one-bedroom units and 24  two-bedroom units. The proposed senior development will contain 97 parking spaces including 6 handicap accessible spaces along with associated landscaping and appurtenances. There will be an approximate 23-foot wide buffer zone between the proposed action and the existing single-family residential houses located north of the project site, along High Street. Access to the site will be provided by a 20-foot wide paved driveway from Community Drive.  

The complete Draft Environmental Impact Statement and its exhibits are avaibale online at the TNH Planning Dept Webpage (Impact Statement is 125 pages; Appendices: 880 pages):
http://www.northhempstead.com/content/7350/7121/7237/5340/7243/default.aspx

PSEG-LI Related Projects/Issues

PSEG-LI North Shore University Hospital Electric Project: Project Roadwork commenced in May 2015 and is ongoing with much work being completed off hours to minimize d traffic disruption. This underground electric line project, fully funded by NS/LIJ will bring needed additional electric capacity to the hospital complex on Community Drive. This will affect traffic on East Shore Rd and Community Drive thru June 2015. Avoid delays by using alternative routes. The plan for the roadway digging will occur in 3 'phases'. East Shore Rd (along Manhasset Valley Park east side of road), then crossing Northern Blvd (tunneled underground to reduce the obvious traffic flow impact), and Community Drive from 25A to the hospital. The time frame for each individual phase is likely to change frequently based on field progress and weather conditions.  Learn more at:
https://www.psegliny.com/page.cfm/AboutUs/CurrentInitiatives/ReliabilityProjects/NorthShore

PSEG-LI 3 yr rate case filing 2016-2018: See NYS Dept of Public Service - Long Island Region webpage: Matter Number 15-00262: Long Island Power Authority and PSEG Long Island Three-Year Rate Plan. PUBLIC HEARING 3/4/15@ 7pm in Mineola:http://www.dps.ny.gov/longisland/pr15018psegli.pdf 

Judi Bowsworth, Supervisor
Anna Kaplan, Councilwoman
Town of North Hempstead

More than a year has passed since the Spring 2014.  PSEG Long Island Port Washington to Great Neck Overhead Transmission Project. Town residents have been left with many of the new tall poles having what appear to residents with no publicly dissemination of a remediation  plan and time frame. Unsightly and hazardous conditions - dangling wires, obstructing sidewalks that are no longer ADA compliant, needed sidewalk repairs, and double poles that remain resulting from that project. In addition, other high pedestrian congested areas that are not involved in that specific Port W to Great Neck capital project are regularly observed that have proliferated and remained unresolved over the years, having similar lingering incompletion resulting in side by side utility pole duplication and sidewalks left in disrepair, as evidenced in the recent photo's (see above).

The problems seem overwhelming to individually follow-up on... Is there any coordinated Town plan underway that address advancing action including individual site location identification, monitoring on the yet incomplete field conditions that relate to the 2014 PSEG Long Island Port Washington to Great Neck Overhead Transmission Project , and conditions caused by other past utility projects, and how might Greater Council best assist such Town efforts in a collaborative approach to get action from the involved regulatory agency(ies) and utility companies?

Rich Bentley, President
Council of Greater Manhasset Civic Associations

PSEG Overhead Transmission Project: This PSEG-LI project to provide backup electric power between the Great Neck and Port Washington peninsulas is generating much concern by residents.

• More detail on website: http://www.pseglongisland.info/ 
• An online petition is available at: http://www.change.org/petitions/eliminate-poles-bury-high-voltage-lines
• and in documents below.

              Town Tables Action on Telephone Pole Law; See MTimes article 7/18/14.

Plandome Rd Vision Project Documents

2014 Update; Phase 1 Widening of Manhasset Ave. After years of planning and delays in Nassau County approval (the county controls all traffic light intersections), telephone poles have been moved, and the former defunct police booth removed, this TNH project is planned for completion in summer 2104. TNH will widen Manhasset Ave, creating a new additional eastbound Manhasset Ave right lane. The new additional lane will allow eastbound Manhasset Ave thru traffic to Andrew St as well as right turn traffic onto Southbound Plandome Rd. The left lane will allow left turns onto northbound Plandome Rd.

2013 Update on Plandome Rd Left Turn Lane at 25A: During the August 2012 TNH Plandome Rd Repaving Project, the contractor IN ERROR shortened the length of the southbound Plandome Rd Left Turn Lane onto Eastbound 25A. Efforts to extend the Turn Lane even longer than its prior length were successful in Spring 2013 - Many thanks to Councilwoman Anna Kaplan.

10/17/12 Update: TNH has chosen to modify the NYS-DOT "Safe Routes to Schools" grant project (phase 1 of the Plandome Rd Vision Project) scope of work to remove all paving work. NYSDOT had required use of a highway grade asphalt- 4 times the cost of routine roadway asphalt, which would have depleted/exceeded available project funding. TNH chose a more cost effective approach- to have TNH do all paving work so that normal grade asphalt can be used. TNH submitted a revised scope of work and continues to await NYSDOT approval of the final project bid documents.

8/18/12 Update: It was the original intent "Plan A" to complete the Safe Routes to Schools (SRS) Grant project - covering Plandome Rd from Memorial Place to Park Ave. - as well as TNH's repaving of the remaining segments of Plandome Rd, as well as the County owned portion of Plandome Rd through Plandome Heights all concurrently in summer 2012. A good, well coordinated plan but by mid July, two factors arose making it impossible to acheive:

• NYS-DOT had still not yet approved final bid documents on the "Safe Routes to Schools" grant project (giving insufficient time to enable bid out & contract process),
• Manhasset Lakeville Water District's (MLWD) water main replacement project in Plandome Heights was expanded to include some work on Plandome Rd itself. It makes most prudent sense to wait for the MLWD work to be completed BEFORE any repaving of the Plandome Rd roadway in that area.

Therefore, the TNH's "Plan B" was enacted:

1. Complete the TNH's 'interim solution' of repaving of Plandome Rd before Labor Day as the TNH promised. This began August 15, 2012.
2. Once NYS DOT approves the SRS project documents, the SRS section of Plandome Rd will be implemented. As of mid Aug 2012, the likely estimate is now mid Fall 2012 (time for bidding, execute contract, then implementation). Yes, its 2014 now and still not yet executed.
3. Once MLWD project is completed, the repaving of the County Owned Plandome Rd portions through Plandome Heights was completed.

Plandome Rd Parking Committee

This committee, originally organized in June 2012 by Town of North Hempstead, was reconvened starting in January 2013 with participation of TNH, Chamber of Commerce, Civics, Residents, Manhasset Park District, Inc Village Mayors, as well as Plandome Rd Commercial Landlord/Owners. The committee meets monthly on 2nd Monday of each month through June. Meetings suspended in 2014 when Town and MPD litigation began over 61 Locust St building demolition Town permit matter (MPD exempt or not Exempt from Town process) and MPD withdrew their participation from this parking committee. It is noted that MPD contiues their efforts to identify sites where additional parking can be accomplished.

Manhasset Valley Park Renovation Project

The Town of North Hempstead's Valley Park Project began in late August 2012 and opened with Jim Brown Field dedication in Spring 2013. Restroom structure with vending area planned for Spring 2015. Remaining project scope timeframe not yet determined for playground and Army Corp of Engineers creek dredging time frame.

See related Town-County Shared Utilization planning document (link) for the Bayview Ave/ Maple St intersection and surrounding area.

Dec 2012 Greater Council feedback to TNH (Councilwoman Kaplan) on the Proposed Equinox Agreement: General conept of the shared use parking lot agreement with Equinox seems a worthy plan. Enter/exiting traffic from Equinox onto Bayview Ave is already a dangerous area, so moving its parking to the Valley Park during morning rush traffic should help that segment of the roadway. However, of greatest concern is that there is NO plan on that roadway nor the intersection of Maple St and Bayview Avenue for pedetrian croissings. TNH has to date implemented only a temporary traffic calming solution by adding a 3 way stop sign. Indeed the 3 way stop has calmed traffic, but many drivers simply dont know the lawful right-of-way, making it a continued source of driver confusion. Prior to executing an agreement with Equinox, a safer pedestrian friendly roadway and intersection is required since the agreement will add considerably more pedestrian traffic to an already problematic intersection. Once the park renovation is complete, even more pedestrian traffic is expected through this intersection requiring a long term soltuoin plan for the intersection. Nassau County has already expressed willingness to consider permitting use and renovation of County Land at the NC Public Works property entrance to help design a safer intersection.

Update 10/4/15: FEMA has two types of grants as a result of a storm. 406-Fix any damage and 404-mitigate any issues that are found in a region affected by the storm, but not necessarily damaged. For Bayview Ave we applied for both grants. The 406 grant was approved to replace the approximately 0.1 acre of land that was lost along Bayview Ave. This grant has been approved.

The second grant for the sea wall was under the 404 section. To date the Town has not heard about any of our applications for this pot of funding. This pot is highly competitive. We applied for a project at Crescent Drive in Roslyn after a December 2010 storm and we were finally awarded in April 2013. We had the only award on Long Island for that storm. The process is lengthy. There is scoring in Albany followed by scoring in Washington DC. We have approximately 7 grants pending. Nothing has been denied, but no answer on when we might hear. Along with the Town, every municipality applied for various 404 projects throughout Long Island after Sandy; only one in Island Park has been awarded to date.

Other Miscellaneous Projects



This is the Town's estimated timeline of the Plandome Pond project issued in Summer 2014.  Rich Bentley's update notes in red.

• Preparation of Sampling Plan and submitted to NYSDEC by H2M – August 1, 2014
• NYSDEC reviews and approves Sampling Plan – October 1, 2014. Delayed- DEC approval received in April 2015- could cause completion date to be extended. 
• Implement approved Sampling Plan – October – 15, 2014
• Analyze samples – November 15, 2014
• Complete design documents and submit to the NYSDEC for approval December 15, 2014
• NYSDEC approves design – March 15, 2015. RECEIVED on/about July 9, 2015
• Town Board approves notice to Bid – March 15, 2015 RECEIVED on/about July 9, 2015
• Preparation of Bid documents April 15, 2015; Updated expectation July 2015
• Bids are received May 15, 2015 Updated expectation near late July/early August 2015
• Town Board approves Construction Contract for the work in the park – June 1, 2015; Updated expectation August 2015
• Construction Contract is executed July 1, 2015; Updated expectation August 2015
• Work begins at Park August 1, 2015
• Work is completed by November 1, 2015; Updated expectation Dec 2015

October 2015 Update from Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth: The Town's Department of Public Works has completed their meeting with Amma Construction Corp. The project is scheduled to commence this month. The contractor completed the survey of the existing pond levels on October 8th. Town DPW scheduled a meeting during the week of October 19th to prepare a construction schedule that will best work for DPW to monitor the construction site and for Amma Construction to work on the site. That schedule once set will be distributed.

Dredging operations at the pond are only expected to take one week. Water flowing to and from the pond will not be impeded during dredging operations and there will be no affects to the stream near Brookside Drive.

The dredged material will be stockpiled in a "dewatering" area on site to allow the material to dry. The drying process is anticipated to take 1 to 2 months. After the drying period, the contractor will remove the dredged material and haul it to a local landfill for disposal. The project will be completed before end of this year.

Village Bath - Belanich Property Project

Background: This vacant lot behind the Apple Store was once a bath club, demolished and remained abandonded for decades. After the death of its owner, his estate sold the property to the adjacent commerical owner. The property has been converted to a parking lot, expanding the existing adjacent parkling lot. The location was plagued with tradffic and pedestrian problems since the Apple Store arrived. The expanded parking lot provides improved traffic flow and pedestrian safety along the adjacent 'The Gate' roadway. The Town changed the Belanich/old Village Bath parcel zoning to Parking at their 5/29/12 meeting after a public hearing held 9/12/12, the TNH board voted to approve the site plan on 10/2/12. The parcel now has a restrictive covenant that assures the parecel can not be used for any purpose other than parking, and its square footage can not be co-mingled witht he adjacent commercial property for the purpose of any expansion of the commercial building beyond what it is already within its code requirements excluding the Village Bath parcel.

TNH Public Hearing was held 9/12/12 for the 'Site Review' plans at the Belanich/ former Village Bath parcel and 1900 Northern Blvd (Daffy/Apple) site, being Hotly contested by many homeowners near the vacant lot, The current plan is posted below; 140 spaces in the existing current parking lot at 1900 Northern Blvd are reconfigured, with 90 additional spaces on the Belanich/ Village Bath parcel; Total both parcels at 230 spaces. The parking lot reconfiguration project was completed in 2013.

Inisfada:Sale and Death of St Ignatius Retreat House-BradyMansion

More information can be found at www.inisfada.org

Pursuant to what the North Hill Mayor Marvin Natiss had proclaimed all along, the village issued the demolition permit on Inisifada. The Hong Kong Developers (Manhasset Bay Group, Inc) had applied for a demolition permit from the Village of North Hills and the Village issued the permit in early December 2013. We join the many who are all deeply saddened by these actions and the demolition of this historic gem.

Below on this page are related Inisfada documents as well as many news media links to recent newspaper, TV and internet news on Inisfada. The correct gaelic pronunciation is In-Ish-FADA, but it is widely locally pronounced in-is-fada locally and known as the St. Ignatius Retreat House. Oddly, Ironic and/ or appropos, the 7/31/13 court action fell was The Roman Catholic Feast of St Ignatius.

Village of North Hills Mayor Natiss and Trustees had the ability to be heroes - to show leadership in bringing the parties together to develop a plan that SAVES Inisfada, rather than solely focusing on the laurels that a demolition is "legal".  The Village Trustees and Mayors remained with hardened eyes, ears and hearts and chose to simply 'let progress' occur and demolish this significant piece of our Long Island Gold Coast history for a future development of another luxury home development.. one that will only increase the pressures on our school enrollment that will likely advance future increases in school taxes to accomodate increased enrollment.

Upset with their decision- let them know! You can contact the Village of North Hills Mayor Natiss and Village Trustees:
• Call the Village at (516) 627-4832 or fax (516) 627-3451.
• eMail the mayor at: mnatiss@natisslaw.com

Summary: A long battle has been forever lost. The media attention on this matter is grew widely to help save our Manhasset historic mansion. The village and Jesuits lay on their laurels that everything being done is legal - they are CORRECT. The new buyer have the legal right to demolish Inisfada if the Village of North Hills issues them a permit. The Village appears to continue to miss the point that just because it is legal to demolish does not make it RIGHT. They also had the ability and right to PREVENT ITS DEMOLITION.  The people of the Village of North Hills had the unique opportunity to influence the Village government to preserve our local, state, and national history as well as their own Village of North Hills history. 

Summer and Fall 2013: The Greater Council joined with an alternative prospective buyer for Inisfada, SynergyFirst International LLC in a Nassau County Supreme Court action on 8/1/13 seeking a temporary restratining order (TRO) to stay the transfer of deed. The judge did not grant the TRO because it identified the buyer as "Doe". At the time of court document filing on 7/31/13, the name of the buyer was held secret by Jesuits and Village of North Hills who have previously met with the developer and was confirmed only as a HongKong Developer. During the 8/1/13 court hearing, we learned valuable information:

• The Judge ordered an attorney to disclose the name of his client and was then announced as "Manhasset Bay Group LLC". The only name associated with the group was learned at the hearing to be a Jim Reilly of Port Washington. This provides what may be only a tip of the iceberg of who and what the buyer organization may turn out to be.
• The contract of sale from the Jesuits to Manhasset Bay Group,LLC occurred on Monday 7/29 and the $36.5Million payment to the Jesuits occurred on 7/30.
• The SynergyFirst court action is expected to be revised to include the current named parties (now that buyer was forced to be disclosed), and re-submitted to the court imminently. The attorney are collaborating on a similar effort at the Staten Island Mt Manresa Jesuit retreat house facility that the Jesuits are also selling... listed at $15Million.
• An amended SynergyFirst court action is iminently aniticipted.

The history leading up to the Sale: GC, Manhasset Preservation Society, Save Inisfada, and alternative potential purchasers reps contiue to meet in person and via eMail to discuss planning efforts and status that can hopefully save Inisfada from demolition.

• Reports of massive crews working at the site (which remains security closed to any public), salvage/demolition trucks in and out of the property, and site staff being removed the Jesuit payroll effective 8/1 all suggested that a sale closing and potentially a demolition is imment.

• Prior efforts by attorneys for alternative purchaser financiers have been unable to get any return communication from Jesuit NYC Provincial. The Financial backers share an opinion that due to the lack of any Jesuit response, the Jesuits are clearly not interested in any other purchase except for the offer by the China development group. Local media report efforts by another potential purchaser making a written offer to the Jesiuts was denied by the Jesuits referencing its non-acceptance because they are currently in contract with the Hong Kong developer.

• With the potential of an alternative purchase in questions due to lack of Jesuit interest and willingness, much of our current efforts are focussing on landmarking the Mansion, while continuing all possible investigation on the parameters surrounding the original donation from Nicholas F and Genevieve Brady to the Jesuits. The landmark application was submitted on or about 8/1 but without the property owner consent.
• As potentially critical research, we obtained Nassau County deed records on file to determine whether the original donation from the Brady Family to the Jesuits included any agreement or parameters (such as a restrictive covenant). Thus far, we know the deed itself does not indicate any deeded restrictions, but related documents remain unknown as to any other private agreement between the donor and donee. The Jesuits may be the only party that has such documents and they are certain to not be forthcoming from the Jesuits. Any attorney with real estate expertise and willingness to work probono is sought to review the deed document we obtained.
• Clearly the residents of the Incorporated Village of North Hills have the greatest influence on what will become of Inisfada, since the Village process and approval are required for any work. The village building department superintendent has already confirmed there was no permit issued, nor any application made by the Jesuits for their dismantling of the Genevieve Chapel, which was later determined to have NOT needed a permit since "no stuctural elements" were involved. The Village Building dept has, weeks after it occurred, subsequently determined a village permit was not required for the large chapel stained glass window removal/replacement.
• The 'save inisfada' planning group met with interested North Hills residents and issued an open letter to all Village North Hills residents to raising their awareness and invoking village resident action to contact their mayor and village trustees imploring actions to save Inisfada.

Many were aware that the Jesuits (owner, St Ignatius Retreat House) plan to sell the property and due to its large value beleived that there was only one offer to purchase - a  HongKong development group that is reported to be planning a subdivision housing plan for the property. The Jesuits confirm the property is in contract for sale, but no details have been shared. The sale is reported to be in the range of $35-37Million, to a yet undisclosed Hong Kong China development group that plans to demolish the Brady Mansion in order to build a 40-42 luxury home gated community. Since no one has physically seen the development plan documents, rumored estimates for the number of homes have fluctuated in range from 35 to more than 50 homes.

Civic involvement has increased greatly since learning that an alternative purchaser, Queens NY based Community Wellness Center of America LLC (CWCOA) and their financiers, Gemma International Group, had expressed interest of purchase and approached the Jesuit NY Provincial, meeting with Fr. Vincent Cooke long before the Jesuits entered an exclusive listing with a real estate broker. CWOA continue to explore additional financier alternatives. The CWCOA proposal commits to saving the mansion and operating a spiritual based wellness services, matching the price of any offer of sale. The CWCOA document (fact sheet/business plan) is attached below. CWCOA reports that once the China development contract for sale was announced, CWCOA offerred to include any cost of vacating the contract for sale, but that the Jesuit provisional then stopped all communication. What we have learned thus far:

• The Jesuits claim that a bona offer of purchase has never been received from CWCOA/Gemma and therefore the Jesuits proceeded with selling and signed a contract for purchase with the only "bona-fide" offer from the China development entity.
• The Brady mansion is one of Long Island's historic Gold Coast mansions on the National Registry of Historic Sites. The family descendants include former US Treasury Secy  (under Reagan/HW Bush) Nicholas F Brady. Efforts are moving toward formal landmarking, which appears to be the sole viable  limited protection from destruction of our historic mansion. There is extensive information available online of the mansions history; just google 'Inisfada'. We recognize that even being placed on the State and/or National Registry of Historic Places does nto guarrantee a landmark is not demolished. However, formal landmark status significantly increases the pressure on a municipality to undertake every possible effort to save a historic structure, rather than permitting its demolition.
• the Property is wholly within the Incorporated Village of North Hills (VNH) and thus, the estate's future lies very much within the VNH jurisdiction, although depending on the toal number of subdivisions that will be applied for, the process may also require Nassau County Planning Commission review. VNH initially advised that an application was received for straightening the road/driveway from Searingtown Rd to the estate house, which was denied. The VNH has no landmark process. The Jesuits have already dismantled the Genevieve Chapel and removed it's stained glass windows, reported to be planned for moving to the  Jesuit's Fordham Univ campus, but when we called the Facilities Department at the Fordham campus, we were told that no Fordham campus location has yet been identified on where the Genevieve Chapel might be reconstructed. The Facilities Department noted that they learned of the plan by reading it in recent news reports. Thus, we assume the Genevieve Chapel items are sitting in some undisclosed Jesuit storage location until a reconstruction site is determined.
• Community reaction that I have received thus far greatly supportive to saving the LI history of the Mansion, as well as great concern over another housing development's impact on our community infrasture (impact on our drinking water aquifers, schools, traffic congestion, loss of 33 acre 'greenspace', etc..)

As a result of all information, details of which were impossible to confirm given Buyer, Seller and Village silence, the planning group's collective actions now focusses on the New York State process for landmarking, and heightening the awareness of Norh Hills residents in particular, while increasing awareness to the public at large to get to the root of facts. Without owner consent, the site never attained placement on the NYS or National Registry of Historic Places, although the NYS Preservation Commission's designation letter as being eligible for such placement allows the Mansion to be called a Landmark.

Related Newslinks:

25A Magazine Sept 2013: The Uncertain Fate of Inisfada

Newsday 9/3/13 Editorial: A Creative Way to Save LI History

Manhasset Press 8/15/13: Assemblywoman Schimel Letter Supporting Insifada

Manhasset Times 8/28/13 Nicolello joins effort to preserve Inisfada

Manhasset Press 8/23/13 The Calm Before Conservation ... Or The Storm? Inisfada's fate unknown.

NYTimes 7/31/13 Preservationists Try to Bar Demolition of Gold Coast Mansion on LI. 

Newsday 8/2/13: Gold Coast Mansion in North HIlls sells for $36.5M

Forbes 8/1/13: Historic Preservation: Trying to Save a Gatsby Era Gold Coast Treasure.

New York Social Diaries Article: Big Old Houses - The Irish Channel. An in-depth history of Inisfada.

Fios1 News Long Island: Inisfada in Court - onair 8/1/13

Internet Radio- Voice of Leadership - Bentley interview on Inisfada aired 7/31/13

News12 Long Island segment on Inisfada- onair 7/24/13

Fios1 News Long Island segment on Inisfada onair 7/26/13

Manhasset Times- 7/5/13: Insifada Current Status

Manhasset Press- 7/3/13: $35Million-Can Inisfada Be Saved?

Manhasset Times- Working to Keep Insisfada Standing 6/13/13.

Manhasset Press- GC Letter to Editor - submitted 6/6/13.

News12 - Story and video clip when Inisfada was first put up for sale. You need to be an Optimum customer or register to view the whole story May 2013.

Newsday - Mansion's Pending Sale Draws Protests 6/5/13.

Newsday -7 LI historic sites listed as threatened 6/2/13

Newsday- Fordham to get Inisfada Chapel 5/31/13