The beautifully renovated Inn at New Hyde Park, at 214 Jericho Turnpike, was described by one of its neighbors at a recent meeting, as "The Jewel of New Hyde Park." The Village of New Hyde Park held a hearing last week to make the Inn an even better venue.

New Hyde Park Mayor Daniel Petruccio explained that village attorney John Spellman would outline the application. Spellman said, "This application seeks to modify a previously issued special use permit for the Inn at New Hyde Park in order to convert an existing two-family home at the southwest corner of the property by removing kitchens and replacing them with an efficiency area to include refrigerator, countertop and microwave oven for use as a Bridal Suite with overnight stay.

"The applicant also seeks to expand and modify its special use permit by utilizing previously approved space as a chapel on the second floor for use as an indoor garden area and for use as a cocktail area room. The original special permit was granted by this board on November 2006 and an amending resolution No. 06-79 was granted on April 22, 2008. That special use permit allowed for the expansion of a non-conforming restaurant and catering structure.

"Certain conditions were attached to that permit and I would like to read them into the record: 1. The maximum occupancy for the new banquet hall for a wedding or other major event shall be 400 people with the combined total occupancy of the banquet hall and the existing restaurant not to exceed 840 people. 2. There shall be no outdoor use of the gardens or the cocktail area beyond 8:30 p.m. 3. The gardens shall be ancillary to indoor dining and may only be utilized for cocktail hour purposes. 4. There shall be no amplified sounds permitted outdoors. 5. There shall be appropriate noise barriers surrounding the outdoor gardens. 6. There shall be no left turn out of the parking garage onto South Second Street, that exit shall be angled toward Jericho Turnpike. 7. There shall be no vehicular connection to South Third Street. 8. There shall be a sufficient number of valets to prevent a backup of vehicles on South Second Street. 9. If the cocktail hour room and ballroom are booked for separate events the combined maximum occupancy of those rooms shall not exceed 440 people. 10. A statement made by the applicant that all representations in the public hearing shall be effectuated."

Spellman went on, "So, before us tonight are two things. One is the modification of the second floor chapel to be used for a cocktail hour and for indoor gardens and the second application is the conversion of a two-family residence at 24 South Second Street into an accessory hospitality building which will be supplemental to the principal use of the property which is a restaurant and catering."

Attorney Spellman went on to say, "My understanding, in speaking to the counsel of the applicant, is that the applicant is willing to do the following: 1. Reaffirm that it is bound by all the conditions in the special permit granted pursuant to amending resolution No.06-79 including the maximum occupancy of the building. 2. That the applicant is prepared to relinquish all rights to utilization of the proposed hospitality building as a two-family or as a one-family dwelling."

He then yielded the floor to the applicant's attorney, Peter Mineo, of the law firm of Forchelli, Curto, Crowe, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo and Cohn. He said, "With me this evening is Frank Marino, who has testified before this board in 2006 in connection with the original application. Also present is Reed Sakowich, the owner. Mr. Marino, who is the manager, will be answering questions I will ask him during the presentation and Mr. Sakowich is available.

"As Mr. Spellman pointed out, the original applications for a special permit were granted in 2006 by this board with a number of conditions. The applicant does reaffirm those conditions and we will be addressing the use of the hospitality building and also agree to relinquish rights to have it as a two family dwelling.

"If the board has no questions, I will have Mr. Marino to step forward and we will address the aspects of this application."

Marino established that he lives in South Huntington. Attorney Mineo then said that in the original application Marino and the other principals referred to their vision as a "boutique wedding." Mineo said, "Could you explain to the board what you meant by that and have you fulfilled that vision at the Inn at New Hyde Park?"

Marino replied, "As I mentioned, we wanted to do a "boutique-style" catering facility in New Hyde Park which means that we will do only one wedding at a time so that the bride has the establishment basically to herself. We have bridal suites, we have a cocktail hour room and everything we try to do for her is on the premises so she won't have to go anywhere else. Basically that is what a boutique wedding is and we have been very successful."

Mineo established that their first wedding was Sept. 1, 2007 and Marino said they have 3,000 hits on the website every day. He said, "We are number one on Long Island and I remember when I first said that is what we wanted to be people looked at us like we had two heads. But, actually we are there right now. It is very fulfilling."

Mineo asked, "In the original hearing you explained how the cocktail hour room and the garden area would function in conjunction with the ballroom. How do you propose for the second floor cocktail hour room to function in connection with the ballroom."

Marino replied, "It's actually the same thing only we are using a different area. We wanted to make it an outside garden look, inside. We will just go from that area upstairs to the ballroom downstairs. However, if the weather is nice they will be going outside rather than upstairs."

He established that they would use either cocktail areas, but not both. Mineo continued, "Now in conjunction with what you propose on the second floor there is another room called 'The Champagne Room." Can you explain how that will function?"

Marino said, "What we're doing with that is that a lot of brides and their guests are coming in early, right after the church, and they don't have place for their guests. So that room will be used just for those guests. We will put out champagne and finger sandwiches, coffee, etc., so they will have a place to stay before the cocktail hour starts."

Mineo went on, "Mr. Spellman, in his presentation, read a number of conditions and one of them was the existing space on the first floor, whether it be used for one or two functions, would never exceed a maximum occupancy of 440. Is there any change in your mind on how these two rooms will change in the occupancy?"

Marino said, "They will function differently but the occupancy will not go up. Unfortunately, we don't have the size kitchen to do that. Plus, we have a certain amount of parking spots and we won't explode the building."

Mineo then asked him what was the purpose of a hospitality suite on the southwest corner of the building?

Marino said that it was part of the "boutique" feel. We can invite our guests at the end of the night, the bride and groom only, to spend the night and then go on their honeymoon the next morning."

Mineo wanted to know if would also be used by the bride as a preparation room prior to the wedding and Marino said, "If, for instance, we have an afternoon bride and they are still in the facility we can't allow another bride in the building and if the evening bride wants to come in early we have to put her somewhere. Further, it could also be setup as a photo studio."

Mineo asked, "Just as the board has attached conditions to the application, is it your intent to attach conditions to the bride and groom's occupancy to this building?'

Marino said, "Absolutely. We are actually going to escort them over there. I think I mentioned that I am at every wedding and we have bridal attendants who take care of every wedding and they are with them from the minute they walk on the premises until the end of the wedding. They will take care of them."

Mineo then asked him if he had any suggestions as to what they expect the bride and grooms demeanor to be while staying in the Bridal Suite.

Marino then handed out a set of rules to be followed if using the Bridal Suite such as the suite is to be used exclusively for the Inn at New Hyde Park's guest of honor. Any guests staying the night will have a $2,000 charge held on their credit card. No outside guest will be allowed to stay the night. It will not be a party location. There will be no music allowed in the suite. The suite is fully fire protected, but no smoking is allowed in the suite. No alcoholic beverages are allowed to be purchased or brought into the suite and one bottle of champagne will be a gift of the Inn at New Hyde Park for the bride and groom.

The rules continued stating there will be no stove on the premises, no candles allowed, and the Inn at New Hyde Park will provide a continental breakfast for hosts the morning before checkout consisting of coffee, juice, bagels, muffins, pastries, fresh fruit. No hot food will be prepared. Check out time will be 11:30 a.m. Marino stressed again that it would not be a "party" house and that there would not be any other guests or employees staying there.

Mineo also established that when the Bridal Suite was not being used by a bride and groom or by an anniversary couple that it would most definitely not be rented to anyone else. Marino added, "It's just another amenity of the Inn of New Hyde Park."

Trustee Donald Barbieri established with Mr. Marino that this would never be used as a hotel room, would not be available for rental for anyone or for any reason, except for any overnight stay by the bride and groom.

Trustee Lawrence Montreuil wanted to know if the bridal suite would remain in the main building and Marino said yes, it would be used for the "early" bride.

Montreuil also established that there were two rooms, so that possibly two brides could stay in the suite, but with separate entrances. So, if the "early" bride wanted to stay there overnight she could.

Montreuil also wanted to know if they would consider dropping the overnight stay from the suite and just use it for the bride to change and Mr. Marino said no, since it was one just an additional annemity that could be offered to the bride.

Mayor Daniel Petruccio wanted to know how often there were weddings booked at the Inn and Marino established that basically they are only on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Deputy Mayor Robert Lofaro wanted to know if any of the wedding party would be able to stay in the Bridal Suite and he was told only the bride and groom.

Mayor Petruccio wanted to know if there was a way to put into the resolution wording that would state that only the principals involved in the event would be allowed to stay in this facility. For instance the bride and groom, an anniversary couple, a retiree and his wife or an honoree of an event. Eventually, those definitions were ultimately included in the final draft.

There was a discussion about parking and it was established that as best they could, patrons are encouraged not to have off-street parking, but rather to valet parking since there are so many parking spaces underground at the Inn.

Many of the neighbors were present at the hearing and they came to the microphone to say how pleased they were with the facility and how it did not infringe in any way in their lifestyle and they praised the Sakowich family for such a beautiful facility.

Deputy Mayor Robert Lofaro said, "I am familiar with the owners of the business and I am familiar with the facility and I think you do an outstanding job. However, in my role as trustee I am obligated to represent the people so if there is the appearance of asking difficult questions it's what my responsibility is as a trustee of the village."

The board then went into recess for a discussion of a legal matter and when they returned they voted on the application with restrictions and with an expiration date of three years.

New Hyde Park Mayor Daniel Petruccio, trustees Richard Coppola and Donald Barbieri all voted in favor of the application, but in a surprise move, both Deputy Mayor Robert Lofaro and trustee Lawrence Montreuil voted no after praising the owners for their running of the facility but voted no due to the overnight stay part of the application. However, the application was approved due to the votes of the three who voted in favor of the application.