Effort to block Hempstead Village downtown redevelopment plan fails on appeal

A state appeals court struck down an effort by residents to block Hempstead Village from selling property to a developer for a $2.5 billion downtown revitalization project.

The panel of four appellate division justices dismissed the case in a Nov. 5 ruling that concluded the village followed the law and procedures in reaching the deal with Plainview-based Renaissance Downtowns.

Hempstead activist Seymour Edwards, representing a group of residents, claimed the village acted in secret when approving a deal to name Renaissance as master developer for a series of building projects.

Hempstead officials contracted with Renaissance to build a series of multistory buildings with apartments, shops, a hotel, an entertainment complex and parking during the next 10 years.

The Appellate Division Second Department in Brooklyn heard arguments in September when Edwards said the village violated the state open meetings law by concealing key details such as the price of sale and a list of properties being sold. Edwards appealed the case after it was struck down by the Nassau County Supreme Court in January 2013.

In the Nov. 5 ruling, the appellate court justices found "there were certain violations of the Open Meetings Law," but Edwards did not provide evidence to invalidate the decision.

Hempstead and Renaissance officials held several public meetings at Village Hall in 2012 in the months leading up to the deal. Village attorneys said the meetings were advertised in newspapers and posted in public places, including Village Hall and the library.

During the court arguments, justices said the meetings should have been held in a larger building because residents may have been excluded by the limited capacity of Village Hall.

"The village followed the law and went above and beyond to create a frank, open discussion with the community," said Uniondale-based attorney Keith M. Corbett, an attorney for the village.

Edwards, who represented himself in court, said he will ask the state Court of Appeals to hear the case in his final bid to have the Nassau County Supreme Court's ruling overturned.

"The evidence we presented to the courts was very well done," Edwards said. "Injustice has been done to the people of Hempstead."

Renaissance and the village are moving forward on plans for two properties for apartments and shops. Construction could begin next spring, Hempstead Mayor Wayne Hall said.

The first phase is a parking lot at Front Street and Washington planned for an apartment building. The second phase is a property being sold by a private owner to build a five-story business and apartment building at Bedell and Main streets.

"It's a shame they wanted to block it. We did absolutely nothing wrong and this has proven that," Hall said of the ruling. "I hope after two shots they would let this go so we can continue to make Hempstead a better place."

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.