Brentwood warehouse plan draws criticism

Union representatives, residents and fire officials packed a public hearing before the Islip Town planning board to protest plans by Rubie's Costume Co. to build a 250,000-square-foot warehouse adjacent to a residential area in Brentwood.

The project, on the south side of Candlewood Road, will bring 30 jobs, the company said, and talks are under way about gaining tax breaks from the town industrial development agency.

But union representatives and residents at Thursday's initial hearing said the jobs are minimum wage. Several also said the company had not committed to using local union labor to build the warehouse.

"The project's up for tax breaks -- the workers who live in Brentwood are taxpayers, too," said Bob English, business agent with the General Building Laborers' Local 66. "We think building trades union members who live in the Town of Islip should have the opportunity to work on this project."

Guy Germano, attorney for Rubie's, declined to comment on those issues but noted his client -- the world's largest costume manufacturer -- already has approval to build a 151,000-square-foot facility.

Rubie's, which Germano said owns more than 1 million square feet on Long Island, wants deed restriction changes to extend the proposed warehouse footprint to 196,000 square feet, with another 50,000 square feet in an internal mezzanine. The new facility would let Rubie's keep its "core business" on Long Island, he said. Queens-based Rubie's already owns and operates a large warehouse on the opposite side of Candlewood Road.

Ivan Young, a resident and former Islip Democratic Party chairman, said residents are worried about traffic, lights and noise.

Brentwood Fire Commissioner John Carney said Rubie's has not discussed its plans with his department and he noted there has been a recent spate of false alarms at the present warehouse. "They have not been cooperative with our volunteer fire department," he said.

Chris Robinson, consulting engineer for Rubie's, told Newsday the company will "continue to reach out and meet with the surrounding community." He said Rubie's has contacted town fire marshals and would meet with Brentwood fire officials.

Once the planning department makes its recommendations, another public hearing will be held before the town board makes the final decision, planning board chairman Joe DeVincent said.