E. Rockaway condo plan gets environmental OK

A Jericho development company that wants to convert a warehouse and marina on the border of East Rockaway and Oceanside into condominiums has cleared its first major hurdle.

Beechwood Atlantic Avenue hopes to transform the 2.72-acre property near the East Rockaway train station into six four-story buildings with 84 total units and at least 65 boat slips. Hempstead's Town Board passed a resolution last week that the proposal poses no significant environmental threats.

The developer still needs a battery of approvals from boards, including East Rockaway village trustees, Hempstead's Board of Appeals and Nassau County's planning commission.

The project is progressing at a pace that makes a fall groundbreaking possible, said Kathy Sheck, a spokeswoman for the developer, who noted that the project would replace a derelict 1930s marina building with storm-resistant, transit-friendly housing.

"This is something that's no longer of viable use, an eyesore," Sheck said. "We're going to clean it up."

The project would also include refurbishing about 1,050 linear feet of damaged bulkheading, Sheck added.

Hempstead has not set a date for its appeals board to vote on the proposal, said village spokesman Mike Deery. Members of the Nassau planning commission could not be reached for comment.

East Rockaway has not received the application yet, village clerk and treasurer James Alles said, but he noted that officials consider the site "a vitally important piece of commercial land.

"The village looks forward to hearing any application that will come before it concerning the boat yard, while listening to our residents concerning the property's use," Alles said.