1st Precinct finds new home

In a departure from plans made by the previous administration, Nassau County lawmakers have agreed to purchase property on Harrison Avenue and Merrick Road for the construction of a new 1st Precinct police station. The acquisition of the parcel — which is across Harrison Avenue from the existing station — puts to rest an earlier idea to lease space in the Rosen Shopping Center on Grand Avenue.

The 1st Precinct covers Bellmore and Merrick north of the Sunrise Highway.

The new building plan involves the creation of a dead-end on Harrison at Merrick Road, and then combining new construction with current precinct space to create a state-of-the-art facility to better serve the needs of the community. The project is expected to take about a year, at which time the old station house will be demolished and converted into a parking lot. The cost is projected to be just over $13 million. Design work and engineering planning are already under way.

Members of the County Legislature’s Rules Committee voted unanimously vote last week to approve the purchase of the property. The site, currently occupied by an antiques store, will be bought from owner Peter N. Dilg for $1 million. While the price is higher than the county-appraised value of the property, $790,000, it is lower than the asking price of $1.1 million. The purchase was to go before the full Legislature for approval as the Herald went to press, and was expected

to pass.

Residents of Baldwin and the 5th Legislative District have long expressed concerns about the idea of moving the precinct to the Rosen Shopping Center. Some predicted that a new station would have a negative impact on traffic patterns there, and a lawsuit was filed to prevent the move. Critics also pointed out that the plan would have required the county to pay rent and property taxes for 30 years, at the end of which ownership would revert to the landowner.

Republican legislators said last week that the new plan addressed many shortcomings of the old one — developed during the administration of County Executive Thomas Suozzi and supported by Legislator Joseph Scannell (D-Baldwin) during his re-election bid. The new plan’s advantages, they said, include taxpayer ownership of both the land and the building and a total savings of nearly $10 million.

The Legislature’s presiding officer, Peter Schmitt (R-Massapequa) commented on the new plan at a news conference last week. “Shame on those who attempt to saddle the taxpayers with sweetheart deals,” Schmitt said, referring to Scannell. “Now the residents are happy because the precinct will stay where it is, the county taxpayers can be relieved that they are saving almost $10 million, and the county wins because it will own the precinct, as it should.”

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