Cerro Wire
Coalition
Contact: Kevin Ryan - (516) 293-5700
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of Alternate Development Press Conference
Jericho, NY, May 31, 2007
Alternate Development Concept
Unveiled For Proposed Mall in Syosset
Could End Taubman Company’s Bid to Build Its 860,000 Square Foot Project
After more than a year of meetings and discussions with some
of the nation’s leading real estate developers, the Cerro Wire Coalition (CWC)
today unveiled an alternate development concept that could ultimately put an
end to the proposed mall on the former Cerro Wire property in Syosset. The
plan calls for a smart growth, mixed-use development involving condo-styled
housing, a Marriott hotel, and a small component of office and retail for the
39-acre site.
Flanked by local community leaders, Cerro Wire Coalition Chairman Todd
Fabricant introduced officials from the Lennar Corporation and Roseland
Property Company who would joint venture the alternate development project.
Following their presentation, which included several color renderings
showing different perspectives of how the project would look, Fabricant
called upon the Taubman Company, whose 10-plus year quest to build the mall
has been overwhelmingly opposed by residents throughout the Town, to end the
controversy and partner with the community for a new Cerro rather than
continuing to fight for a mall that no one wants.
“We have been saying since day one when this ill-fated project was first
proposed that it was a bad idea and that we were open to sound, sensible
development that was compatible with the surrounding area,” Fabricant
said. “Now that we have found a viable alternative we’re asking Taubman
to join us in a spirit of cooperation to make it happen rather than trying
to use the courts to shove its mall down the throats of the Town and its
residents.”
Fabricant also called upon the construction unions, who have previously
backed the mall proposal, to give serious consideration to the alternate
development concept.
“This project has the potential to provide union jobs as
well,” Fabricant said. “Rather than waiting like they have been for
more than 10 years in hopes that the mall would be approved they can get
behind a project that makes more sense.”
Specifically, the alternate development concept would include approximately
500 condo-styled housing units, a Marriott hotel, and a small component of
office space and retail shops. The housing calls for a mixture of senior price
controlled, next generation and open market rate condominium units.
“We believe this smart-growth approach is a far better use of this land
than an 860,000 square foot mall, a project that would decimate the
surrounding Syosset-Jericho region forever,” said Warren Church,
president of the Syosset Groves Civic Association and Chairman of the CWC’s
16-member Alternate Development Committee that worked together with Lennar-Roseland
in putting together the concept.
As a further show of support for the alternate development concept, Church
displayed more than 4,000 postcards sent in by residents from throughout the
Town of Oyster Bay saying they don’t want the mall and favor alternate
development instead.
“These cards will be hand-delivered by the Cerro Wire
Coalition to Supervisor Venditto to let him know how the community feels
about alternate development,” Church said.
The proposed alternate development project would be a joint venture between
Florida-based Lennar Corporation, the third largest homebuilder in America,
and Roseland Property Company out of New Jersey, one of the premier
developers of luxury apartments in the Northeast and a firm that has a
successful track record of turning fallow land into productive use.
Today’s alternate development announcement follows in the footsteps of one
made by Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto last December that called
on Taubman to withdraw its mall application and investigate other uses for
the site.
“We applaud Supervisor Venditto for his leadership, vision and
willingness to stand up to the pressure all this time in order to do what’s
in the best interests of the residents and businesses in the Town,”
Fabricant said. “All that’s needed is for Taubman to join us. However, if
that doesn’t happen, we’re prepared to continue our No Mall Here efforts to
ensure that the mall is never built,” he concluded.
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