Seaford Avenue School rezoning approved

The developer BK at Seaford LLC was granted a zoning change — from Residence B to Golden Age — at the site of the former Seaford Avenue School at the Town of Hempstead board meeting on May 20. The change will allow the developer to build what it calls the Seasons, a condominium community for people 62 or older.

Town of Hempstead Attorney Joseph Ra told residents that the “applicant agreed to raise the age limit to 62, thereby complying with the required parking and eliminating that concern. They now comply with the golden age zone in every way.” Golden Age zoning codes permit developments to have fewer parking spaces for older residents. The town board voted unanimously in favor of the change.

A heated three-hours-plus town board hearing, during which advocates and opponents offering their opinions on the project, took place in February, when the board decided to postpone a decision. In February, BK at Seaford sought to lower the minimum age requirement from 62 to 55 but to keep the fewer-parking-spaces allowance. The developer is proposing 195 parking spaces, including 10 handicapped spaces, which is within the Golden Age zoning requirement.

“We are pleased with the Town of Hempstead’s decision,” said BK at Seaford partner Steven Krieger. “There is overwhelming support for this development … We are looking forward to building another Seasons community on Long Island.”

BK at Seaford LLC, a subsidiary of the Engel Burman Group in Garden City, is proposing to build 112 two-bedroom, two-bath condominium units on the 5.67-acre property at the southwest corner of Seaford Avenue and Waverly Avenue, just north of Merrick Road. The units will cost approximately $400,000. No residents under 18 will be allowed.

The school district owns the property, and is in the process of selling it to BK for $5.2 million. “We are very hopeful that we can now move this project forward,” said Schools Superintendent Brian Conboy. “Our lawyers will be meeting with the BK attorneys and examining the paperwork. We hope [the sale] will be smooth and expeditious process.”

Kreiger told the Herald Citizen that the next step is “to begin the site plan with the Town of Hempstead and the subdivision with Nassau County. We are hoping to move quickly on this.”

Seaford resident Phil Franco, who spoke at the February town board hearing and the Seaford School Board meeting in February, told the Herald Citizen, “[BK] did adjust the parking issue and that’s a good thing. But it is my understanding that in East Meadow” — at another condo development by Engel Burman — “they had to lower the age [requirement to 55] when they couldn’t sell the units. We hope that doesn’t happen here. The immediate community wanted less condos, but I guess we have to abide by the town’s decision. Hopefully there will be no changes down the road. It feels like there are still a lot of what-ifs.”

Roberta Grogan, a Seaford resident, said that the community should have been given the opportunity to know more about the changes proposed. She was also concerned that the topic was not discussed at the Parent Teacher Student Association meeting held the night prior to the town board meeting.

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