Residents blast proposed subdivision in Long Beach

Call on Zoning Board of Appeals to deny West Market Street development

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Residents turned out in force at the Aug. 28 Zoning Board of Appeals meeting, criticizing a developer’s proposal to subdivide a residential property and build two new homes, saying that it would hurt the character of the community, create parking problems and negatively impact property values.

More than two dozen residents took issue with the plan to raze a two-family home at 535 W. Market St., between Washington and Lindell boulevards. The developer, Kamran Pourgol, of Old Westbury, is seeking a zoning variance to subdivide the property, and his attorney said that the new homes would comply with new Federal Emergency Management Agency regulations. The plan calls for a two-family and a one-family home.

Pourgol’s attorney, Frank Perrone, of Davidoff Hutcher & Citron LLP, said that the two dwellings, to be built on a 60- by 100-foot lot, would conform to all side-yard setback and height requirements and would not have a negative impact on the community. The one-family home would be priced at approximately $600,000, and the two-family at approximately $700,000 — higher than most home values in the area, said Barry Nelson, a real estate appraiser who spoke on behalf of Pourgol. Nelson also said that the homes would have adequate parking, since they would be elevated and have garages on the lower level.

Pourgol has built several two-family homes in Long Beach in the past several years, Perrone said. “If you’re familiar with the houses he has built, you know that they are top quality, aesthetically pleasing and consistent with the character of the community,” Perrone said. “More importantly, they have all been well-maintained and they are free of any violations.”

Nelson said that the larger home would be similar to other two-family homes in the area. “I did review other blocks in close proximity to the subject property,” Nelson said. “I looked at the character of the neighborhood … there are two two-families at that location, on the north side of West Chester [Street]. They blend in, and don’t have an adverse effect on the adjacent properties. The character of the neighborhood is not going to be altered or changed.”

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