The independent traffic analysis of the Mineola Village Green commissioned by the Mineola Village Board came under fire at last week’s final public hearing on the 266-unit apartment complex, which would replace Citibank at 199 Second St. The study suggests adequate parking is provided in New Hyde Park-based Lalezarian Developer’s traffic proposal by Hauppauge-based VHB Engineers. Further, with minor road modifications, the downtown area could handle the eight-story, $100-million building.
“It is our opinion that the size and nature of the development as a whole is consistent with other uses in the area and other potential occupants of the subject property,” the study concluded. “As such, we believe that the proposed action will not have a significant impact on traffic activity in the project area.”
The study conducted for Mineola by RMS Engineering of Huntington, drew the ire of trustee Paul Cusato, who said he was “mystified” as to how the two studies concur. He also questioned VHB’s new findings presented last Wednesday.
“I want to know why [VHB] presented this plan tonight and not a week ago, when we could absorb it,” he said. “Right now, this means nothing to me.”
Cusato grew visibly angry, stating “we need time. It’s an important decision. I need time to look and absorb, so shame on [VHB] for not giving us time.”
VHB’s plan calls for 475 parking spots, with 51 retail parking spaces and 15 resident spots on the first floor, along with 10 valet spaces. The apartment complex would have 399 on the second and third levels of the parking garage.
“That’s 1.5 spaces [per resident,” Lalezarian’s legal counsel Kevin Walsh said.
Proponents of the project feel the Village Green would inject life into the downtown. Furthermore, a vacant building would hurt the area.
“Citibank is pulling out in March of next year,” resident Ed Heyduk said. “I hear all this talk about Queens. [If the building is empty] it’ll be South Jamaica, Queens on 109th Avenue where no one will invest.”
Others feel an “urban blight” is coming to Mineola and construction would turn Main Street into “dead street.
“I’ve been on Main Street since 1983,” business owner Frank Johnson said. “A lot of things can happen [during construction]. Traffic is terrible as it is now. It becomes a real concern.”
According to the RMS study, the Old Country Road and Mineola Boulevard intersection would see 3,860 cars in the weekday-morning peak hour rush while 4,221 vehicles would pass through the area in the afternoon. Saturday vehicles totaled 3,515.
“By allowing all these new high-rise apartments to be built, we are opening the doors to urban blight,” resident Kathy Novak said. “The term ‘village green’ is really an oxymoron.”
Mineola Boulevard and 2nd Street would see 2,023 cars in the mornings on weekdays while 2,355 would hit in the afternoon. The Saturday figure totaled 1,601.
“Access to the property is to be provided primarily to the proposed parking structure from Station Plaza North/Front Street at the south side of the property,” the RMS study said. “Additional access is provided from 2nd Street, on the north side of the property.”
A contingency plan could be an office building, which both VHB and RMS factored into their studies. According to VHB engineer Patrick Lenihan, an office building would generate more traffic than a residential dwelling. He also said the drop from 296 units led to the decreased traffic numbers.
“As you would expect, there is a reduction in trips the site was expected to generate,” he said.
Lenihan said that the proposed morning and afternoon site vehicle trips per hour dipped from 80 to 73, while the afternoon commuter time-slot fell nine to 157. Saturday car trips fell from 256 to 242.
The RMS study echoed VHB’s findings, stating a similar use would result in more roadway network impact.
“We believe that the traffic generated by the proposed development is consistent with alternative uses at the subject premises and will potentially generate a lesser impact than other potential developments which could be contemplated,” the study said.
An office building, Lenihan said, would see 112 additional morning hour trips, with a 12 car increase in the afternoon. The weekend trips would add 188 more if an office facility is built.
“We reviewed the RMS report that was done and they too, provided an [office building] comparison versus what can be built,” Lenihan said.
The RMS report says 287 trips per hour would arise from an office building in the morning, with 428 in peak afternoon hours and 437 on weekends.
“Redeveloping the subject property for a medical office use would potentially generate more traffic than the proposed Mineola Village Green,” the study said.
“While we’re very confident in this and based on all these reports and studies, nothing will be more accurate than to see the actual lease of our current project,” Developer Kevin Lalezarian said.
The village board is allowing written public comment until Wednesday, March 25 in Village Hall at 155 Washington Ave. in Mineola.
“The bottom line is there are regulations that govern this board’s to ability to grant or deny a land-use application,” Mayor Scott Strauss said. “The board cannot just act arbitrarily. Landowners have rights that must be respected and the community has rights. Our job is to balance those rights.”
