Eyesores on Hempstead Gardens Drive

Thomas Mascia loves West Hempstead. He lives on a beautifully maintained cul-de-sac on a quiet street in the hamlet. His sister, Regina, who grew up in the area, is a well-known, longtime community volunteer and the director of the library. The two care about West Hempstead, and make an effort to keep the area looking its best.

Their hard work regularly hits a brick wall, however, when it comes to the north end of Hempstead Gardens Drive.

For years, litter, illegally parked cars, illegal dumping and other offenses have plagued the area from the corner of Hempstead Avenue and Hempstead Gardens Drive to the apartment complex at 125 Hempstead Gardens Drive. And no matter how much and how often the Mascias complain, nothing ever gets fixed. To add insult to injury, the offenders, they say, are right on the block.

“D-Best Carting, located at 77 Hempstead Gardens Drive, park all their privately owned and commercial trucks on the sidewalks and the streets, where it is clearly marked No Parking,” Thomas told the Herald. “Due to the illegal parking, the view of oncoming traffic is obstructed and has caused accidents. Since there are cars and trucks parked on the sidewalks on both sides of the road, pedestrians must walk in the street.”

Several hundred feet from a part of Hempstead Avenue that was revitalized with new sidewalks, streetlights and brick pavers recently, Mascia said, AVF Carting, headquartered at 2 Hempstead Gardens Drive, and D-Best Carting litter the street with debris and dirt from their heavy equipment, resulting in clogged drains that he and his neighbors have cleaned on numerous occasions.

Mascia also alleges that both companies wash their trucks and engines weekly and send the water, polluted with oil and gas, into nearby sewers.

Messages left for AVF and D-Best requesting comment went unreturned.

There is also an issue with a dumpster on Hempstead Gardens Drive which belongs to the Long Island Rail Road. The dumpster, which was behind a locked fence several years ago, is now left unprotected, Mascia said, and as a result, residents of 125 Hempstead Gardens Drive, and various trucks passing by, drop their garbage in the dumpster, which quickly accumulates and blows along the street in the wind. “Several times I have contacted Long Island Rail Road officials, and have even cleaned up at this location to try to better the appearance of the neighborhood,” Mascia said, adding that he has suggested that the railroad move the dumpster so it isn’t easily accessible, but to no avail.

Sal Arena, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, said it was looking into the situation.

Mascia has written many letters to the Town of Hempstead, dating back to 2013, and they have often been answered by Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby. In an effort to help, Goosby documented in letters to Mascia that she had contacted Sanitary District 6; Patrick Nowakowski, president of the LIRR; the Nassau County Police Department; and others, asking for a solution. But the problem remains unresolved, Mascia said.

“I pay $14,000 a year in taxes, yet my friend came to look at a house in the neighborhood recently and was mortified,” he said. “‘I wouldn’t feel safe having my kid walk the streets here,’ he said.”