Hotel developer’s public hearing with Lynbrook village board set for June 5

I don’t think I’ve found a better place, logistically, than that. I don’t think there’s a reason why they would not approve it.”

Lee Browning, President of Browning Hotel Properties LLC

In the latest of what has been a series of delays for the proposed Marriott hotel in Lynbrook, developer Lee Browning has requested an extension of the deadline for submitting his building permits to the village board of trustees. A public hearing is scheduled for June 5 at Village Hall.

Browning, the president of Browning Hotel Properties LLC, in Riverhead, first proposed building a Marriott in Lynbrook in 2004. After three locations were eliminated — for reasons that included negative community reaction and the inability of Browning and the village to reach a deal — he offered a plan to build a six-story hotel over a municipal parking garage on Broadway and Langdon Place. He had hoped to start construction in 2010.

Despite many delays, Browning expressed confidence that the village board would grant the extension. “It’s a good project,” he said. “I’ve done five hotels. I don’t think I’ve found a better place, logistically, than that. I don’t think there’s a reason why they would not approve it.”

Mayor Bill Hendrick expressed frustration with the project’s delays, saying that if the board votes to extend the deadline, he wants Browning to produce the permits and other paperwork by the end of the summer, at the latest.

“If he gives me a great reason why he can’t get his permits in before the end of summer, I’ll consider it,” Hendrick said. “But if not, I think three months is enough time — maybe even shorter, depending on what the board decides.”

But Browning, whose company just finished building a Marriott in Riverhead that is scheduled to open in July, said that if the board were to vote in his favor, the architectural planning could take up to six months. He added that he has been in frequent contact with his architect, so the timeline may be shorter.

“The sooner we get it open, the sooner we start doing business,” he said. “So it’s really going to be up to the architect as to how long that takes to get a set of plans.”

Browning blamed Marriott International for the delays, and said he has had to “jump through hoops” to appease company officials. He added that the corporation has changed the layout of the hotel at least three times.

In January, Browning held a question-and-answer session at the Atria Tanglewood senior center in Lynbrook, at which he said that the delays were caused by the work on the Riverhead project and his having to meet the demands of Hendrick and the board. At the meeting, Browning said that he hoped to break ground on the Lynbrook hotel in 2018 and to open it by 2020.

“I think it should be shorter,” Hendrick said of the timeline. “If he’s going to break ground and get his permit, he should break ground in ’17 and it should take, I think, by the middle or end of 2019 to be completed.” He noted that more public hearings on the project would be held in the coming months if the board were to approve Browning’s request.

Since the construction crew that would build the parking garage would be different from the crew that would build the hotel, Browning said he needed two sets of plans. The garage would have 306 parking spaces, which would be divided between the hotel and the village. The Marriott would have 156 rooms, a pool, exercise rooms, meeting areas and two outdoor “garden decks” for cocktail hours and parties.

Building Department Superintendent Brian Stanton said that because the plans and permits are still in the works, the cost of the project cannot yet be finalized. He added that it would likely be between $20 million and $30 million. Based on a $20 million projection, Stanton estimated that the building permits would cost $250,000, but he cautioned that the price could rise or fall as the project moves forward.

Hendrick and the board also plan to discuss the safety of the parking garage at Monday’s hearing. At the May 15 village board meeting, Police Chief Joseph Neve said there would be random surveillance by police officers, and officials discussed installing security cameras.

Hendrick said the board planned to require Marriott to pay for the installation of cameras, and added that the garage would be well lit and that at least two police cars would patrol the area.

The hearing, scheduled for 8 p.m. at Village Hall, will be preceded by the village’s regular board meeting at 7. Attorneys representing the village and the developer are expected to speak, and there will be a public comment period as well.