Renaissance to give update on downtown Hempstead development plan

HEMPSTEAD VILLAGE
Update to downtown development plans
Renaissance Downtowns will present new plans for their redevelopment of downtown Hempstead on Tuesday night.

The village signed a $2.5 billion development agreement with Renaissance as part of a downtown revitalization project.

The developers plan to add condos, shops, a hotel, an entertainment complex and parking to the village during the next 10 years.

The project is also being reviewed by the New York State Appellate Division after a group of residents contested the village board's approval.

Developers will present their plans at 6:30 p.m. at Hempstead Village Hall, 99 Nichols Ct. -- John Asbury

OYSTER BAY TOWN
Town signs extends street signs contract
The town of Oyster Bay last week extended a contract to replace street signs, but didn't authorize any spending.

Supervisor John Venditto said the town has never used the contract that it entered into with Ridge-based Residential Fences Corp. in 2011. In the first year of the contract, the town allocated spending $50,000 but didn't. The town doubled the contract to $100,000 in the second year but again didn't use it.

"Nothing was ever spent under the contract," Venditto said.

The town uses in-house staff to replace street signage that is damaged or defaced.

"This contract is for work that cannot be handled in-house by town employees," Venditto said. "We like to have it in place in the event we need it."

Town officials declined to make the contract available last week, stating that an informal request to see the contract would be treated as a Freedom of Information Law request that could take a month to fulfill.

Last year, state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli's office criticized the town for another contract with Residential Fences Corp. for fence installation that was originally awarded in 2008 with a low bid of $1.5 million. That contract was increased and extended, growing to $5.3 million over three years. The company is headed by John Gulino, who is also the chief executive of Laser Industries Inc., which also has contracts with the town. -- Ted Phillips

ISLANDWIDE
Hofstra gets $2.5M for after-school STEM
Hofstra University's Center for STEM Research secured a $2.5 million federal grant to run an engineering program for thousands of local middle school children, university officials announced.

The funding from the National Science Foundation will create after-school STEM programs in 25 Boys & Girls Club locations on Long Island and in the metropolitan New York area. STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering and math.

About 6,600 children in the program will participate in hands-on engineering design activities using animations, simulations, videos and multimedia links, officials said. The "Wise Guys & Gals — Boys & Girls as WISEngineering STEM Learners" project is aimed at promoting interest in STEM and introducing young learners to careers in engineering.

On Long Island, the program will be available to Locust Valley, Bellport, Port Jefferson, Hicksville, Oyster Bay, Hempstead and Glen Cove.

David Burghardt, professor of engineering at Hofstra, will head the five-year project. Brookhaven National Laboratory will collaborate on the project.

"I've worked for two years with Boys & Girls Clubs on Long Island — particularly in Hempstead and in Glen Cove — and I've been very impressed with their dedication to STEM learning and STEM career awareness and I wanted to help them achieve these goals," Burghardt said Monday.

The Hofstra STEM research center has been awarded a total of about $35 million for K-12 outreach programs and research.

More information is available at hofstra.edu/CSR. -- Candice Ferrette

GLEN COVE
Planning Board holds waterfront hearing
The Glen Cove Planning Board is holding a public hearing Tuesday night on aspects of the city's proposed waterfront development.

Two items are up for discussion, including the proposed site plan for the first phase of the development, known as Garvies Point.

That phase includes the construction of 387 multifamily rental units, two parks, 3,055 square feet of retail space, an esplanade to the planned ferry terminal and the relocation of the Glen Cove Anglers Club, officials said.

The second discussion is to focus on the proposed subdivision of the entire 56-acre site. The developer is RXR Glen Isle Partners LLC.

The meeting is at 8 p.m. at City Hall. -- Mackenzie Rigg

HEMPSTEAD TOWN
Budget review in two public meetings
The Hempstead Town Board will review its preliminary budget during two public meetings on Tuesday.

Town officials filed the $431.8 million budget last week with the town clerk. The 2015 budget will raise tax levies by 3.3 percent, but residents should not face any additional expense because of a state tax rebate for homes with less than $500,000 in income, officials said.

The preliminary budget calls for a $100,000 reduction in spending, but town services will not be cut, Town Comptroller Kevin Conroy said. The budget takes effect Jan. 1.

The budget meetings will be held at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at Nathan L.H. Bennett Pavilion, adjacent to Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington St., Hempstead.

Town board members are also scheduled to hold a public hearing on the assessment roll for the Greater Atlantic Beach Water Reclamation District for the 2015 fiscal budget. -- John Asbury

HAUPPAUGE
Library approval up for public vote today
Islip residents who use the Hauppauge Public Library can vote Tuesday on the fate of the library's proposed new location in Hidden Pond Park.

The 18,000-square-foot structure at 660 Terry Rd. will cost about $23 million or an estimated tax increase of $120 to $200 per household each year, said library director Matthew Bollerman. Smithtown residents would not be affected by the tax increase, he said.

The current Hauppauge library opened in 2000 in space leased for about $400,000 per year, he said.

"We were formed to serve an area that had previously not had library service," Bollerman said. "The board chose to lease the space to open the building, and that's the situation we've been in."

In 2007, the library bought an acre of land in Hidden Pond Park from the Town of Islip for $270,000. After years of waiting for state approvals, the library board last year held community meetings to determine what patrons wanted from the new facility.

Bollerman said public reception for a new library has been positive. "When you counter that against not having to pay rent anymore, generally I think it's been well received," he said.

If the new library is approved, officials expect to break ground next summer and complete construction in spring 2017.

Residents of the Islip side of the Hauppauge School District are eligible to vote today from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the library, 601 Veterans Memorial Hwy. -- Sophia Chang

ISLANDWIDE
Restaurant Weeks running this month
Another restaurant week is coming up on Long Island — this one in Farmingdale, running from Oct. 13 to 19.

Each participating restaurant offers its own deal.

At CaraCara Mexican Grill, a three-course dinner goes for $25.95, while Dominican Restaurant 4 is giving 15 percent off every order. Chichimecas is featuring three courses for $19.95; The Original Cascarino's is doing four courses for $25.95. Charlotte's Frozen Yogurt offers a 20 percent discount, while Library Cafe has a three-course dinner for $23.95.

Mary's Pizza & Pasta, Lotus Restaurant and The Nutty Irishman will all feature three courses at $20.95, while it will cost $25.95 for a three-course meal at both Palmer's American Grille and Tre Scalini. Cheeburger Cheeburger has its own offer: If you buy one burger, you get another (of equal or lesser value) for free.

The rule at Village Kitchen, Gino's Pizzeria, Piazzetta of East Farmingdale, La Bottega and the newly renovated Jade Palace is to ask about the deal upon arrival.

Meanwhile, Smithtown's restaurant week started on Sunday and continues through Sunday.

At restaurants throughout the town, a three-course dinner will cost $27.95 per person.

Among participants are Aji 53, Chop Shop and Thai House in Smithtown, along with Five.Five 2 and Spezia in St. James. In Hauppauge, there's Butterfields and Jade Garden, and in Commack, Andrea's 25 and Perfecto Mundo Latin Fusion Bistro.

For a list of participating Smithtown restaurants, go to nwsdy.li/smithtownweek14.

Dine Huntington Restaurant Week runs from Oct. 12 through 19 with 43 restaurants offering three-course meals for $27.95 plus tax. For more information on participating restaurants and menus, go to dinehuntington.com. -- Joan Reminick and Deborah S. Morris