Hearing Set On Village Apartments Plan

A rendering depicts a Main Street portion of a mixed-use development with 84 luxury apartments proposed for Huntington village. Developers have promised to preserve and restore the facade of the 1911 Huntington Firehouse, depicted above, as part of their proposal.

By Connor Beach

cbeach@longislandergroup.com

The Huntington Zoning Board of Appeals will hear next month developers’ plans to construct a more than 271,000-square-foot, four-story mixed-use development with 84 luxury apartments in Huntington village.

Developers John Kean and Alan Fromkin are scheduled to present their plans for the demolition and re-construction of buildings fronting Main Street, Gerard Street and Stewart Avenue in Huntington village to the ZBA at a public hearing on Jan. 24, according to legal notices submitted by the town.

Fromkin is the owner of owner of Classic Galleries at 243 Main Street, which is located in one of the buildings involved in the plan.

The project was previously set for a ZBA public hearing last June, but the hearing was adjourned to allow the developers time to address concerns raised by the Huntington planning board.

Huntington-based attorney Jim Margolin, who is representing the developers, said in an interview Wednesday at the time there “seemed to be a disconnect” between his clients and the planning board. He said additional information has since been submitted to town planners, including updated traffic and drainage studies.

Margolin added that, although some details are different, the proposed development remains largely unchanged

After several meetings with historians, Margolin presenting an updated version of the development to the planning board in February. He also said Kean and Fromkin promised to restore and preserve the facade of the historic 1911 Huntington Firehouse at 235 Main Street.

Kean and Fromkin need the ZBA to approve a number of variances and a special use permit in order to move forward with the development.

The variances include approval to build a four-story building, which would exceed the code-allowed limit of three, and parking relief. The proposal is required by town code to provide 262 parking spaces and plans call for 127 onsite stalls.

Margolin said Wednesday the ZBA hearing would be a good opportunity to explain the details of the proposed development to Huntington residents.

The public hearing is slated for Thursday, Jan. 24 at 6 p.m. at town hall.