The Lighthouse dead zone

‘Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood.’

So said Daniel Burnham, the great American architect and urban planner of the late 19th century. Burnham knew from grand plans; his plan for the Columbian Exposition in 1893, the largest world’s fair in history up to that point, stirred imaginations around the world and led to the revival of neo-classical architecture in the United States.

Last week, the Town of Hempstead unveiled its long-awaited plans for the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum property. While well intentioned, there is little chance that the town’s vision — or more accurately, lack of vision — will stir anyone’s imagination or solve any of the many problems facing Nassau County.

The town’s plan is not just smaller in scope — it allows for roughly half the density of the Lighthouse plan put forward by developers Charles Wang and Scott Rechler and boosted by former County Executive Tom Suozzi — it is smaller in vision. It looks backward in an attempt to “preserve the suburban character” of the area, when what we need are forward-looking solutions to the problems that are driving people out of the county.

Young people can’t find affordable housing here, seniors are being taxed out of their homes and illegal auxiliary apartments erode the suburban character of our existing neighborhoods while depriving our schools and localities of needed tax revenue. The county needs to attract new business to expand the tax base and provide relief to beleaguered homeowners. The Lighthouse plan addressed many of these issues; the Town of Hempstead’s does not.

The town’s alternate zone for the Coliseum site does incorporate some principles of smart growth, including pedestrian-friendly streets, residential units above businesses and favorable conditions for public busing. But we already have cool downtowns in areas like Rockville Centre and Long Beach. The town’s plan lacks the vision to transform the blighted Coliseum property into a showcase for the county.

We need to get this right. This last major piece of under-developed land presents town and county officials with the opportunity to work together to create a county center that would serve as a model for years to come.

Instead, the project has become a political football, or perhaps, more accurately, a political hockey puck, slapped around by politicians and developers clawing to score a goal. Unfortunately, exactly what they are aiming for is unclear at this point.

County Executive Ed Mangano has said he is seriously considering a casino as an alternative to mixed-use development. We know the county is looking for a solution to its deepening deficit. But is a casino really what Mangano and Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray envision when they talk about preserving the suburban character of the county?

We commend town officials for taking the environmental and zoning process seriously. That’s what any responsible governing agency should do for the people it serves. They presented what they believe is an economically sustainable, environmentally sound development that would fulfill the needs of the surrounding community.

Unfortunately, the town’s alternate zone lacks imagination. The cuts were extreme: The maximum building height was reduced from the two 36-story towers to nine stories. The neighboring Marriott Hotel and the RXR Towers are already larger than that.

We are also alarmed that the residential component in the original proposal was severely cut. More than 2,300 residential units in the Lighthouse became 500 in the town’s alternate zone.

Though a key component of the Lighthouse was high-end housing, it included affordable, work-force housing as well. We believe that combination could create more attractive options for our young people and seniors.
Nassau County’s center needs to shine.

It must become a destination, a hub that attracts new businesses and industries, bringing much-needed jobs and tax dollars to the area. One thing is for sure: Doing nothing will preserve nothing — except an outdated arena that could soon be without the New York Islanders, its main attraction.

If the Lighthouse project was too grand, the town’s plan is too mundane. There must be a middle ground, some area for compromise. Here’s hoping Wang, Murray and Mangano can find it.