‘Believe, dream and imagine’ in Lynbrook

In his first address as mayor to a major village organization, Bill Hendrick was the guest speaker at the Chamber of Commerce’s monthly networking breakfast on Tuesday morning. Hendrick told chamber members that the village would be moving forward with a “believe, dream and imagine” attitude.
“There are three areas that we are specifically targeting,” Hendrick said of building up and revitalizing businesses in the area, “and to move forward, [Lynbrook] needs to be thought of as a hub, a wonderful place … a real place to walk around, a destination …”
Hendrick talked about the run-down areas east and west of the Long Island Rail Road trestle on Atlantic Avenue; the former site of the Mangrove Feather Company — known as the “feather factory” — on Broadway, near the LIRR station; and the Regal movie theater in the Five Corners area, at Merrick Road and Atlantic Avenue. “This area is the slowest moving, as far as progress,” Hendrick said of the theater. “[The owners] don’t seem to want to be in the real estate business — they’d rather [a new complex] be built for them and they would take a 20-year lease.” He described a possible eight- or 10-plex theater that would be a draw for the downtown area. “We have people who are very interested in these areas,” he said. “They have come back more than once … three or four times … and that’s a good thing.”
Village Trustee Hilary Becker assured members of the chamber that the village is very focused on and concerned about Lynbrook business owners, whom he called the lifeblood of the community. “Everyone is fighting hard these days to stay in business,” Becker said. “We see the big [chain] businesses on Sunrise Highway and Merrick Road … and that fact that you’re still here is a testament to your determination.”