Levittown Community Council Weighs in on Vacant Properties, Crocus Lane

Levittown Fire Inspector Owen Magee joined the Levittown Community Council Monday evening for an update on the vacant storefronts lining the neighborhood as well as the fire department's view on the Crocus Lane proposal.  

In recent years, vacant properties have been in abundance around Levittown, specifically along Hempstead Turnpike. Magee reported on upcoming revitalization to take place where KMart once stood years ago.  

"Permits have been filed and the grievances have been discussed and worked out," Magee said of the site, located at the southeast corner of Hempstead Turnpike and Jerusalem Avenue. "It's supposed to be a Home Depot Express for contractors. I'm not sure if the general public will be able to shop there, but it'll be nice to get that building filled. It's been too long."  

Magee also spoke on plans for Zwanger-Pesiri Radiology which is slated to open in place of the former Jewish Center on Hempstead Turnpike, just west of Jerusalem Avenue.  

"I don't know exactly what's going on there," said Magee. "They filed all the permits, but from what I understand there's a divorce involving the two principal owners and I was told that may be part of the problem as to why progress has slowed down."  

In other news, Magee told the board that he will be representing the Levittown Fire Department at next week's Board of Zoning Appeals hearing on the controversial proposal for condominium units at the vacant Crocus Lane estate.

After seeing a drawing of the proposal, Magee said the department is concerned that there is no way to enter through the rear of the property and want to urge the builders to install sprinklers.

"We have not been contacted by the builders as to what their intentions are," he said. "We want to just get our point of view out there so if anything goes wrong, no one can point a finger at us. We want to make our voice heard."

"The fire department is not going to take a stand for or against this," Magee added. "That's not our job, but the citizens of Levittown, the people most affected by it and its traffic."  

The Crocus Lane hearing will take place next Wednesday, Oct. 3 in front of the Board of the Town of Hempstead.