Main Street Building Application Withdrawn
The night began with a crowd of more than 200 Farmingdale residents pledging allegiance to the flag before yet another public hearing began for the proposed mixed-use complex Staller Associates had planned for 333 Main St.
Later, a vast majority of those residents would be pledging their disapproval of the project.
The latest meeting took place on Monday, Sept. 24, in the Howitt Middle School auditorium. By the end of the week, Staller Associates had withdrawn its application to construct its proposed complex.
Public hearings began back on April 9, when the Village of Farmingdale Board of Trustees had discussed The Lofts, a 54-unit apartment complex with a 3,200-square-foot retail space to be built along Main Street in the current location of a shuttered CVS next to Village Hall and the fire station.
Staller Associates, of Hauppauge, sought variances under Farmingdale’s Master Plan—formulated for the redevelopment of the downtown business district—in order to comply with the downtown mixed-use zoning district. The developer requested that the floor area ratio be increased from 1.5 to 1.97, the residential density increased from 40 to 60 units per acre, the maximum height increased from 36 to 40 feet, and minimum dwelling size reduced from 808 to 735 square feet for one unit only.
Residents in attendance continued previously aired objections to the building’s hulking size and clashing style against the charm of current Main Street businesses.
At another meeting on Aug. 21, Staller Associated president Cary Staller presented at the Farmingdale Library, in response to wishes of the community, a revamped plan for his building complex, including a redesigned apartment building that would feature a cultural arts center with a 227-seat theater and gallery. The center would be leased and operated by the BroadHollow Theater Company.
At the most recent meeting on Sept. 24, Staller presented his proposal once again and was met with little support, many questions and staunch opposition. The near three-and-a-half-hour public hearing began with Staller going over details of his project for 45 minutes.
The the voices of the community were heard the remainder of the hearing, with each resident allotted three minutes to speak.
One proponent of the building construction remarked, “I see a community theater as an extra thing to bring the kids to here on Main Street. I’m in favor of it, and what it represents and what we’re not going to end up with, which is maybe a chain restaurant or something like that.”
Many of those in support of Staller’s project shared this sentiment—a cultural arts center would bring to Farmingdale what Main Street has been missing for years. A theater would be a way for the community’s children to learn and grow, said many parents who spoke at the hearing. Many also commented that a theater and arts center would prevent Main Street from being full of bars and restaurants—a fate that other downtown areas have succumbed to, and that Farmingdale residents do not want to happen to their own downtown.
“I’m on the fence about it,” said one resident who spoke at the hearing. “Mr. Staller has done a couple of nice projects. I think he has been listening to the community, but he’s obviously a businessman and he doesn’t do things magnanimously. There’s a benefit to him as well as the community.”
Many speakers questioned the parking consequences that may result from such a building complex. With the existing businesses on Main Street, parking is limited enough during peak times. Combined with an apartment complex and arts center, parking would become extremely limited to nonexistent, they said.
Since his application withdrawal, Staller gave the Farmingdale Observer the following statement, “Farmingdale is a fabulous village and we believe that our proposed project would have made the village even more special. As we re-evaluate what to do with our property, we look forward to working with village officials and the community.”
Cultural Arts Committee Chair John Capobianco said of Staller’s withdrawal, “When Staller came forward with this idea, we said it’s about time he gave back to the community…four stories on Main Street was not the way to go.” Capobianco commented that while revitalizing the downtown area is important to the Cultural Arts Committee, a 54-unit, four-story apartment complex on Main Street “wasn’t part of the plan.”
Farmingdale Village Board Trustee Walter Priestley noted in a statement to the Farmingdale Observer that “this certainly has been the most challenging debate since I have been in office.”
He remarked that, “along the way I assessed the pros and cons of the project. Although at first logically and on paper it seemed like the proposed amenities and community benefits were sufficient to grant the requested incentives, the fact that many residents felt these benefits were outweighed by the proposed over-development, the over-intensification, the destruction of the existing downtown charm and character they were concerned with caused me to question whether the community benefits were sufficient.”
Priestley went on to say, “Mr. Staller may have come to the same conclusion and withdrew the proposal. As far as the future of the location, only time will tell. In the meantime, we are looking to study and reassess the development of new multi-family units in the downtown.”
