Recently, the Lighthouse Development Group filed a plan with the Town of Hempstead for a 55 million square foot project transforming the Nassau Coliseum and 150 additional acres. This "Group" is a joint venture between Charles Wang, the owner of the Islanders, and RexCorp Realty. The main focal point of the project is a new coliseum that will be connected to a new Convention Center Plaza. In total, the proposal creates 3.5 million square feet of new office and convention space, 17,000 parking spaces, retail space, and residential buildings. It will create a real urban setting when taken together with Hofstra University and Nassau County Community College.
I wonder how this proposal can even be considered when it ignores the elephant sitting in the middle of the living room....transportation. Did you ever try getting off the southbound Meadowbrook at the Hempstead Turnpike East exit during rush hour? Maddening mob scene ! Where are we going to put the additional cars? A vast amount of additional delivery vehicles and other large trucks are going to tend to the daily needs of this new urban setting....how in the world are they going to get there from the LIE or Sunrise Highway?
We need a new coliseum and the area should be developed. But a few years ago the Federal government funded a study of the area and its transportation options. This study is still in progress. I would suggest that the Lighthouse Project wait until we see what the transit suggestions and ideas that the Federal study proposes before the project proceeds.
Recently, the Lighthouse Project put together a citizens advisory committee of about 30 people. The residents of surrounding communities like East Meadow, Hempstead, Merrick, Garden City, Uniondale, and North Bellmore must be included in the development and approval process or it will fail due to citizen opposition. I don't think they that presently feel that part of the process.
What is being designed is a new focal point for Nassau County. It may be the first of several future urban hubs. Before we build this "city" it should have an transportation infrastructure. If our planners are going to rely on the automobile as the major mode of future transportation to and from these urban hubs, then we are just spinning our wheels. The automobile will still be very important to us, but we must plan for a county-wide fast, efficient people mover systembefore the urban hubs are built.