Long Island Lighthouse Project Stalled
By Lisa Bain
Staff Writer
When people think of Long Island, they generally think of beaches and huge houses in the Hamptons. It’d be an understatement to say that Hempstead is not considered the nicest town on Long Island. In fact, it’s often viewed as a sore spot in one of the wealthiest areas of our country. Charles Wang, real estate developer and owner of the NY Islanders professional hockey franchise, has proposed a new real estate development that would help change that reputation.
Staff Writer
When people think of Long Island, they generally think of beaches and huge houses in the Hamptons. It’d be an understatement to say that Hempstead is not considered the nicest town on Long Island. In fact, it’s often viewed as a sore spot in one of the wealthiest areas of our country. Charles Wang, real estate developer and owner of the NY Islanders professional hockey franchise, has proposed a new real estate development that would help change that reputation.
>Called the “Lighthouse on Long Island,” Wang says on the project’s website [www.lighthouseli.com] that he hopes this development will become a destination for Long Islanders and visitors alike.
Wang’s original proposal was drafted in the summer of 2004 with a letter of intent and now awaits approval by Nassau County, which, so far, has been hesitant to commit to the project.
When built, the proposed Lighthouse will feature a renovated Nassau Coliseum, an athletic complex, a sports-technology center, residences, conference center, hotel and a town square. Developers say the goal of the project is to create a new, state-of-the-art, fun place for people to congregate.
The Lighthouse project is privately funded and projects it will create over 3,000 new jobs. It is expected to draw more events and concerts to come to the area and serve as catalyst for cultural and economic expansion in Hempstead.
But, for workers in Nassau Coliseum, the plan is reason for encouragement.
Cassie Goldberg works in Nassau Coliseum for the New York Islanders hockey team. She is excited about the prospect of working in a renovated arena. “The Coliseum is really small -- it’s outdated and I’d love to see some renovations here,” said Cassie Goldberg, who works for the Islanders. “I’d be really excited to have a more modern place to do work. It’d make everything easier.”
The Islanders could benefit from a renovated facility. Goldberg says that the team often runs out of space for members of the press.
Click here to read about the Long Island Lighthouse project and contribute your own knowledge to a wiki page created specifically for this article.
Editor's Note: As well as being a Hofstra University student in the School of Communication, Lisa Bain also works for the Nassau County Coliseum.
