The rent could be too darn high

If Marty Rosen does not get the New York State Department of Transportation to lower his rent, then more than likely the nearly 40-year business he owns — Five Towns Mini-Golf and Batting Range — will cease to exist.

“This is a seasonal business,” Rosen said, “we start up in March and go through the spring and summer and early fall. “I get choked up. This is very hard for me.”

Rosen and his son, Matt, run the business that is located along Rockaway Turnpike in Lawrence. Established in 1978, by Marty, it’s been a popular spot for social outings and a place baseball teams from Little League to high school come to practice, Marty said.

Last year, the Department of Transportation (DOT) notified Rosen and a few other businesses on Rockaway Turnpike that the state was raising the month-to-month rent. For Rosen it went from $4,750 to $12,435 — a 161 percent jump.
Rosen rents the land using what’s called a use and occupancy permit. Previously DOT officials confirmed that other businesses also received an increase.

According to DOT officials, the last time that certain businesses on state owned land along Rockaway Turnpike were assessed was 1997. “The last information I have is from January, when DOT replied to Rosen,” said Ed Hearn, a DOT spokesman. “In the previous dialogue we are happy to review any market information, but we have not yet received any documentation as of yet.”

Rosen said that former Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder put Rosen in contact with James Vilardi, a Woodmere resident who is a professional property appraiser. Vilardi said that the DOT is basing the property value, and therefore the rent increase, on the fair market value of the land not based on the site operating on a 30-day licensing agreement.

“I’m searching comparable licensing agreements and trying to establish what the rent should be,” said Vilardi, who is doing this work free of charge. “I should have some data to generate a letter by the end of this week.” He is looking to have information for Rosen to make a counter off and Vilardi is hoping that the rent increase could be phased in. Rosen said he could raise prices only so much to cover a rent increase.

Should the business close, it surely will be missed by the 2,358 people who signed the online petition, as of press time, at www.change.org/t/five-towns-mini-golf-en-us.

I have lived in Cedarhurst my entire life (36 years), I love this place and have been coming here since I was a little kid,” Natali Gibbs-Chiemi wrote. “This is a staple in our community that everyone loves.”

“It’s a family friendly environment fun place to be,” Lawrence resident Richard Diaz wrote. “It would be ashamed if [the] rent goe[s] up and forces the batting cage to close down due to [the] high rent raise. I’m an frequent customer who enjoys this place with family and friends.”

New York City resident Cynthia Rios said, “We don't have many places to begin with in Rockaway and now take what little we have near us away is unfair. This is landmark!!!”

Rosen is also taken aback by the state’s behavior. “We haven’t missed a rent payment in 40 years,” he said. “I hope the state understands the value of this place to the community.”

Have an opinion about the state rent increase or a story about using the batting range? Send your letter to the editor to
jbessen@liherald.com.