Why does the town want to seize this West Hempstead business?

The Capri Motor Inn, which was shut down and declared a public nuisance last month by the Town of Hempstead, will be replaced by a new commercial or residential property through the process of eminent domain, officials said.

Town and county officials said they want West Hempstead neighbors to have a say in its replacement.

“We’re getting rid of this place,” Town Supervisor Don Clavin announced at an Oct. 3 news conference held in front of the now closed-down motel. “Something better is coming.”

Clavin added that the town is holding a meeting on Dec. 5 to declare the Capri Motor Inn property on Hempstead Turnpike eminent domain, which means government officials could take over the property for a different use. What will take the motel’s place is yet to be determined — but Clavin said “anything’s better” than the Capri.

“West Hempstead wants to see real development,” Clavin said. “West Hempstead wants to see safe streets. West Hempstead deserves to be respected. And this facility behind us doesn't do that.”

Neighbors showed up in droves to the town’s public hearings in September to ensure the property was declared a public nuisance and shut down. Police had to respond to calls at the property 597 times in the past two years, Nassau County Police Department Inspector James Crawford revealed during the hearings. The motel had been the site of drug sales and overdoses, attempted murder, prostitution and unlawful dealings with minors, authorities said.

“The Capri Motor Inn has been nothing but a terrible neighbor,” Clavin said. “It’s not just the Capri, it’s the impact they’re actually having in this community, and the negative effect that the tenants of this facility are having in this community.”

“It doesn’t affect just the person next door, it affects the entire community,” Maureen Greenberg, president of the West Hempstead Community Support Association, said. She added that declaring the motel a public nuisance was a win for the community, as neighbors had been dealing with the crime at Capri for years. 

“It is a satisfaction, and it’s a relief for the community that families who live on these blocks and the rest of the community can have a safe place to live,” Greenberg said of shutting down the motel.

By government officials taking the property through eminent domain, the Town of Hempstead will be able to establish a new commercial or residential property in its place, similar to what happened to the Courtesy Motel on Hempstead Avenue a decade ago. That property is now home to a luxury apartment complex that Clavin said has contributed to a “renaissance” for the area.

“We want to hear what the community envisions,” Clavin said. “We're going to see what's going to be the best fit in the community. This isn't the fit. This is the wrong fit. And as public officials, I think it's our obligation to step in and help.”

County Legislator Bill Gaylor encouraged residents to attend the Dec. 5 meeting to share what they’d like to see take the motel’s place.

“We want to do what works best for the community, so we’ve got to get the input,” Gaylor said. “This is a piece of land that we can develop into something that works for the West Hempstead community.”

The town is looking to schedule an evening meeting on Dec. 5 to better accommodate residents’ schedules.

Readers who would like to share their input can find their representative’s emails at tinyurl.com/TownCouncilEmails. All emails will be made part of the public record.