Despite a last minute protest by Garden City officials and residents, neighboring trustees unanimously approved a nine-story luxury condominium complex for downtown Mineola Feb. 13.

The Winston, by which it will be known, is slated for the north side of Old Country Road, between Willis Avenue and Main Street, and will contain 285 residential units.

Garden City Trustee Nick Episcopia, along with resident and former mayor Hal Hecken and Tom Yardley, a representative of Buckhurst Fish and Jaquemart (BFJ), the consulting firm Garden City hired to take a closer look at the project, asked Mineola officials to scale down the project at the third and final community hearing in Mineola.

Overall, Mineola residents favor the complex mainly because it would greatly expand their village's tax base and boost its economy and downtown business area.

Garden City representatives, however, argued that The Winston is far too dense for a suburban area, providing, they said, 141 units per acre (285 units on 2.02 acres), a significant departure from other apartment buildings in the area like Garden City's Wyndam (19 units per acre) and Hilton Hall (49 units per acre).

Specifically, Garden City officials suggested the project's height be significantly lowered, from nine stories to five or six, and the complex's density adjusted to 45 to 60 units to the acre.

Trustee Episcopia publicly stated, "We're not against development in Mineola. We're against urbanization of the area." Hecken added he was afraid such a development would set a precedent.

Yardley, in his report to the Village of Garden City Board of Trustees, expressed concerns particularly about the height-The Winston is expected to stand 88 feet high-and the increased traffic situation it would cause.

Mineola Mayor Jack Martins, however, said that by right of zoning, the developer could have put an office building in the area and such a building he said would generate more traffic.

Mayor Martins continued, adding that the condo proposal could be classified as a transit-oriented development because of its close proximity to the train station and that such a development would promote pedestrian use of the area because they would likely shop in Mineola's - and Garden City's - downtowns.

Because of the proposed condominium's close proximity to Garden City, officials here aren't ready to stop fighting. According to Garden City Village spokesperson Brad O'Hearn, "[Garden City] Village Counsel Gerard Fishberg is researching the legal prerogatives of the Garden City Planning Board regarding this proposed subdivision."

Because the height of the condo complex exceeds the height allowed by Mineola code, the village is allowed to seek amenities for the developer.

Mineola Mayor Martins negotiated a package of amenities from the developer, Polimeni International, including construction of a five-story senior housing complex to include 36 condominium units, $3 million for the Village of Mineola to use toward capital projects, a four-story, 272-car parking garage on the north side of Third Street and streetscape improvements along the entire block bounded by the north side of Old Country Road, east side of Main Street, south side of Third Street, west side of Willis Avenue and also including the north side of Third Street and east side of Main Street leading up to the Long Island Rail Road tracks.

Construction of the parking garage would begin immediately upon the issuance of building permits. The parking garage is expected to take four to six months; the senior housing complex is expected to take one to one-and-a-half years; and The Winston is expected to take one-and-a-half to two years.

Joe Rizza contributed to this article.