Hale on hold Nathan Hale Senior Village completion date set back to June

      "The people who make these decisions are going home at night, meanwhile these people are waiting for a home to go into," said Lorraine Edgar, whose brother has been living with her in Lynbrook since the fire last spring left him homeless.
       The latest estimate is that it will be another three months or so until the building reopens and seniors can move back in, but there is still no definite date, according to Robert Becker, president of the Nathan Hale Housing Board. For now the building is undergoing the final stages of extensive renovation and upgrading.
      "We're hoping that [by] late spring, maybe around June, we'll be up and running," Becker said. Building authorities had previously estimated that residents would have to wait about a year before returning.
       The blaze last April 22 forced the seniors out of their home at 30 Doxsey Place and damaged a number of apartments, especially on the fourth floor, where it originated. The damage necessitated a $7 million restoration project for the building, about $2 million of which went to upgrades.
      As part of the upgrade, fire prevention and response systems were added to the building, including a $1 million sprinkler system. At the time of the fire, Nathan Hale had no interior sprinkler system, since codes didn't required such systems when it was built in 1970. Also, an electronic fire alarm system was installed, which rings directly into the Lynbrook Fire Department.
      A new water main was installed to accommodate the sprinkler system as well as a natural-gas backup generator for the system in case of a power failure. Also, firewalls were extended to prevent a fire from spreading to a number of apartments.
      Other repairs were necessary. The roof has been replaced, and the third and fourth floors of the building had to be gutted and everything, including the walls, floors and ceilings, replaced. The entire building was also cleaned to get rid of mold and mildew.
      On Feb. 3, painting, spackling and other finishing touches are scheduled to begin. Completion of the walls, carpeting and heating will follow. Becker said that 30 men are working on the job, and despite the winter weather, they have not lost a single day.
      The project is primarily funded by various government agencies, while the Nathan Hale Emergency Relief Fund, established shortly after the fire, raised $20,000 with the help of the community. Housing Finance Agencies provides the primary funds for the project, in conjunction with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Division of Housing and Community Renewal, and GMAC Mortgage. The DHCR inspects the premises weekly on behalf of HUD and HFA.
      Becker said that the small details and finishing touches would take up the majority of the remaining time before the facility reopens, and that the occasional inspection also cuts into working time.
      "The job is moving along without any delays or any hitches," he said. "We want to make sure that when they come back, everything will be in place and they will be happily relocated."
      Some seniors who have been temporarily relocated, however, are not so happy with their current situations. Edgar said that her brother is depressed and has withdrawn from his family because he feels guilty for staying in her home for so long. She feels that her brother, and other residents of Nathan Hale, would be encouraged if they knew exactly when they could move back in.
      "At this point I see what it's done to these people," said Edgar. "They are absolutely like fish out of water."
      Randi Katzman, a social worker at Nathan Hale, has found that all the residents, whether living in temporary housing or with relatives, are anxious to move back into their permanent home. Those in temporary housing are spread out and away from their doctors, pharmacies and other necessary services. Those living with family feel that they have overstayed their welcome and become a burden on their hosts.
      "People in Nathan Hale can be very independent, however, if taken out of their environment they need help," said Katzman. "Whether they're in an apartment or in other housing, they've lost that socialization that was there for them."
      Of the residents who were displaced and plan to return, about 40 have been placed in temporary senior housing with the assistance of the Town of Hempstead, about 28 have found their own apartments, eight are in temporary assisted living, and the remaining 50 or so continue to live with relatives or friends, including five in Suffolk County, two in Queens and seven outside the immediate area, as far away as Virginia.
      Katzman said that the health of these seniors is surprising, considering the stress and trauma they have gone through. She said that many are depressed and feel isolated, though few actually require treatment. "They seem to be getting by just speaking to each other," Katzman said. "There's a huge network from Nathan Hale that speak on a daily basis."
      Katzman has seen close to 60 seniors every few weeks, more often if a special situation arises. In addition, monthly get-togethers attract 75 or so of the residents. These are times to see friends and to find out more about their situation and the renovation's progress. At one gathering, a video of the inside of Nathan Hale served as a virtual tour of the revamped building.
      Many of the residents are concerned about their financial situation, and wonder how they will arrange to move back in and, for some, replace what was destroyed in the fire.
      "We just take one step at a time," said Katzman. "As different things come up, we deal with them. Right now it's a matter of getting the answers. Once Nathan Hale is, with some certainty, able to announce [its reopening], everybody will feel better. The date will put some structure to their lives."