On March 14, 2013, a fire destroyed the building at 63 Main St., across from the train station. The 11 residential and three commercial tenants in the three-story building lost everything and were forced to relocate. More than two years later, the building remains boarded up, under scaffolding and vacant.
Although the building was put up for sale shortly after the fire for an asking price of $3.25 million, according to the Multiple Listing Service, the building was not sold. The property is still owned by Port Realty Assoc. LLC & Limoon LLC. The two partners in the company, Dr. Moosa Nejat and Dr. Abebby Ohebshalom, have owned the building since 1979. Although after the fire, “people were pushing us to sell, we decided to rebuild it,” said Nejat. The renovation work is progressing slowly, but Nejat anticipates that it will be completed in three to six months. The new building will have 10 apartments upstairs and one commercial space downstairs that may be divided for one to three tenants, he said.
Daniel Kimya, a principal of Merrick Homes Inc., which has been retained by the owner to do the construction management for the building renovation, reports that work is progressing. “The Town of North Hempstead Building Department, after a careful and lengthy process, which required the owners to comply with new building code, approved and issued permits on October 14, 2014 for renovation of 10 residential apartments, mainly one bedroom apartments on the second and third floor, and retail on the ground floor,” he said. “The building will comply with the new code, including having a new elevator, fire sprinkler, handicapped accessibility and more. The apartments will be finished and marketed as luxury rental apartments once completed,” he added.
Carole Trottere, director of communications for the Town of North Hempstead, confirmed that work on the building is indeed ongoing. “It’s a normal interior renovation with a current building permit. Work is in progress,” she said.
According to construction manager Kimya, the current status of the project is as follows: a new roof, framing and steel work has been completed, including a new elevator shaft. Electrical rough work has been completed. Rough plumbing work has been completed. A rough fire alarm has been completed. Rough fire sprinkler work has been completed. New mechanical for the HVAC system is partially completed. New windows for all residential apartments have been installed. The stucco work is partially completed. The new water main for the fire sprinkler is done.
“We estimate that the residential units will be completed by early summer,” he said. The owners have not yet signed any commercial leases, Kimya added. They are looking for tenants who will compliment a luxury residential rental building and will be a match for the area. “The location opposite the train station is very good,” Nejat said. “We are lookiong for high-end tenants,” he confirmed.
Minday Germain, executive director of the Residents for A More Beautiful Port Washington, has been in contact with the developer for about a year. “His team reports progress is happening,” she said. “RFMBPW has been following this because as part of our efforts to create a more vibrant Main Street, we look forward to its rehab and grand opening.”
