Hempstead holds meeting on big zoning plan

Hempstead Village will hold a special meeting Monday night to formally introduce a proposed downtown overlay zone and zoning map related to its $2 billion plan to revitalize downtown.

The meeting will be in the community room of the Hempstead Public Library, 115 Nichols Court, from 7 to 8:45 p.m. Officials will discuss and respond to questions about the zoning proposal and its impacts. There will be more meetings related to the project, officials said.

The redevelopment plan offers a combination of condominiums, co-ops and rental apartments accommodating various income levels. It also includes a hotel, shops, open spaces, parking and entertainment. The entire project could take about a decade to complete, developers have said.

Village officials in February designated Plainview-based Renaissance Downtowns, working in partnership with Manhattan real estate investment firm UrbanAmerica Advisors, as the project's master developer.

The village board unanimously approved the designation -- agreed to by the village Community Development Agency and the developers -- despite objections from some residents. The approval came only after officials promised to create a community benefits agreement that would incorporate jobs for local residents and address other public concerns.

The project is expected to create more than 3,500 permanent jobs and 10,000 construction jobs, developers and village officials have said. The village has an 8.9 percent unemployment rate, according to state labor department statistics.

Some residents said they worry that apartment buildings will be converted into tall luxury condos and that minority residents will be pushed out.