Proposed Redevelopment of the Nassau Coliseum
Nassau News Staff Writer
The proposed redevelopment of the Nassau Coliseum and surrounding 77 acres has caused a stir on Long Island, particularly in Nassau County where the issue is closer to home.
Many local residents are opposed to Charles Wang’s Project Lighthouse, as designed and maintained by Rexcorp, which will seek to build new coliseum, housing units, hotels, office buildings, concert venues and a new practice facility for the Islanders. As explained further in this video, a major piece of legislation called a Positive Declaration, has just been put into effect. This declaration, set forth by the town of Hempstead, will force Rexcorp to come up with a solution to every major problem surrounding Project Lighthouse. As reported by Rexcorp, they are working very hard on solving major issues, like the traffic conditions on Hempstead Turnpike, and have been for several years now. Rexcorp anticipates, if all goes according to plan, breaking ground on the project starting in the summer of 2009.
To view a video presentation of this article, click on the embedded player below. View the full script of the project video.
Stand-up photography by Maleeva F. Epperson
Read the print version of this article below
In Nassau County there are 77 acres of undeveloped property around the Nassau Coliseum. Charles Wang, owner of the Islanders, came up with the plan to renovate the coliseum and build a large development project called “Project Lighthouse.”
With this plan, the coliseum renovation would be funded by the profits of the project, which would include: many new housing projects, an 80-story tower, a new practice and training facility for the Islanders professional hockey team, a five-star hotel and restaurant, a large outdoor concert venue and a newly expanded coliseum.
Many people see the benefits this large scale project would offer.
Sarah Lansdale from Sustainable Long Island, a group committed to positive growth on Long Island, feels that new housing in an area like this will make the Island seem more attractive and therefore help retain local youth. She says, “ The Light Jouse is such an interesting project because it has the potential to really create a new community and a new downtown for L.I. It has the potential to retain Long Island’s youth, recent college graduates, things like that as well as be a huge economic engine for Long Island.”
Rexcorp, well known for large development on Long Island, was chosen as the major project developer. William Schaefer works for The Lighthouse Development Group and also feels the project also has the potential to make Long Island more attractive. He says the group works constantly on all issues surrounding the project especially the one that seems to upset Long Islanders the most: the extra traffic on Hempstead Turnpike.
Schaefer says: “Traffic is probably the number-one issue we have to deal with. During the playoffs last year when the Islanders made it in there -- we didn’t know they were gonna make it to the playoffs until the last game -- and we decided the next day to commence an unprecedented traffic study which is still going on today.”
The town of Hempstead on Tuesday, April 8th, 2008, invoked a legal process called a Positive Declaration that will mean that the impact on traffic and many other issues will have to be accounted for in any development.
This declaration, as explained by development expert Richard Guardino, “means this project is definitely going to have an environmental impact,” and every aspect of the project will need to be perfectly planned out before Rexcorp wins the right to break ground on this project," he said.
This project was first proposed back in 2004 but continues to get closer to becoming a reality, especially with the declaration, Rexcorp anticipates ground-breaking happening sometime in the summer of 2009. Schaefer says Rexcorp wants to really work carefully because one step too fast and in the wrong direction could lead to a lawsuit and result in a cancellation of the entire project.
Related Links
- View a New York Times article discussing zoning issues of the Nassau Coliseum. It mentions the latest attempts to renovate the Coliseum and turn it into a "town square."
- View an ESPN article discussing the renovation from a sports standpoint.
Additional video interviews
Sarah Lansdale is the executive director of Sustainable Long Island, an organization whose mission is to promote economic development and equity for all Long Islanders. In this extended interview, she discusses the benefits of the Project Lighthouse and shares some feelings that Long Islanders have toward the project. See a transcript copy of this interview by clicking here.
William Schaefer works for the Lighthouse Development group. In this extended interview he explains the long history of the project and gives an update as to where the project currently stands. See a transcript copy of this interview by clicking here.
Dr. Guardino is a development expert and Hofstra economics professor. In this extended interview his gives his opinion on the benefit it will have to Long Islanders if it gets approved. See a transcript copy of this interview by clicking here.
Click on the embedded player below to view extended b-roll footage
Get some insight as to how I put my project together by viewing my Project Memo.
