At a neighborhood meeting on Monday residents expressed anger over plans to restructure the Nassau Mall to include a Home Depot store.

This meeting, which was held in the Nassau Mall, was called by Thomas Pantelis, the attorney for Nassau Mall and Home Depot. A letter about the meeting was sent out to residents whose property abuts where the Home Depot will be.

Many residents were upset that more people were not informed about this meeting. One of the major concerns expressed at the meeting was the fact that the store would be located in close proximity to the Island Trees elementary schools. It will be located southeast of J. Fred Sparke Elementary School and south of Michael F. Stokes Elementary School. The site abuts the playing fields behind these schools. Parents were concerned that the diesel fumes from the trucks that would be making deliveries to the Home Depot would affect the health of their children who will be out playing on those fields. They also expressed a concern that the diesel trucks would make it seem like they were living in a city.

Concerns were also expressed about the fact that many promises were made about what would happen with Pathmark and that none of these were followed through on. One resident brought pictures, showing how filthy the area was and how Pathmark was not following the agreements that were discussed when they originally came to the Nassau Mall. One resident said that he will not trust anything that the Nassau Mall tells them, because he said they have lied to the community members each time a new store has come into the mall.

Representatives from Home Depot presented the site plans for the proposed Home Depot, which includes a garden center. The plans include a demolition of the north end of the Nassau Mall building and replacing it with the Home Depot. It will also include the former Rickel Home Centers site. Plans have been filed with the Town of Hempstead, which, according to Pantelis includes applications for a special permit for an outdoor garden center, a variance for off-street parking, and an application for an 8-foot fence. It is anticipated that public hearings on these plans will be held by the town at the end of the summer.

Home Depot also plans to have a 12-20 ft. chain link fence surrounding the garden center. They would also like to construct a 14 ft. sound wall that would, according to Pantelis, screen the activity that goes on at the mall from the people who live on the north side of the mall.

Residents were visibly angered at the idea of a 14 ft. wall that they believed would make it seem like they were living in a prison. One neighbor wanted to know if this wall, which would be made out of insulated wood, would block the sunlight from his yard. One resident asked, "I have a hard time dealing with a 6 ft. fence in my yard and you are going to put in a 14 ft. fence?" Residents spoke out, saying that a store of this sort does not belong in a residential area. Many people were concerned that the noise from the store, and the deliveries that would be coming in, would disturb them at all hours. While, the store currently has no plans to be a 24- hour store, residents wanted to know what would keep them from changing their minds. One woman present pulled out an ad for the store, which listed their hours as 6 a.m.-11 p.m. and 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on Sundays. Many present expressed the belief that these hours were too early in the morning and too late at night for a residential community.

When the Home Depot representatives tried to explain their plans further one resident said, "We understand exactly what you are doing. You are ruining the neighborhood." Another community member said, "We are here to tell you we don't want it."

Concerned citizens wanted to know if any traffic studies had been done yet. They told the Home Depot representatives that the traffic on Hempstead Turnpike, near the Nassau Mall was already so bad that it is backed up for blocks on the weekends. The current plans only have one exit for the mall. Community members expressed a concern that a big business such as Home Depot will generate even more traffic and that it will also increase the number of trucks traveling on Hempstead Turnpike. Home Depot representatives told those present that traffic studies are being done now and that it is all part of the process. One possible option for them is to make the exit way three lanes which will all turn onto Hempstead Turnpike.

Another concern that those present had was about what the new store would mean for the parking situation. They explained that as it is there is hardly enough parking in the mall. A representative from Home Depot explained that they will be using 110,000 square ft. of the Rickels building, and taking down 30-40,000 square ft. from the north side of the mall, which provides 140-150,000 square ft. of property for a 117,000 square ft. Home Depot store. He says that this additional area can be used as parking.

In response to this and to many of the public's concerns, the representatives from the store and the mall reminded them that sooner or later some sort of business would move into the empty stores. The residents responded that most stores that would consider moving into the mall would not generate the sort of problems that a Home Depot would.

Randy Briskin, the rental manager in charge of the Nassau Mall, expressed the belief that this store will serve the needs of the community and would be in the best interest of the mall. Pantelis explained, "The mall at this point and time is going through a period of redevelopment because it is an older mall and you are going to find that new tenants and new uses are going to be a natural development." He added, "We think that the Home Depot is a very good mix for the mall itself since it has a lot of conventional retail and restaurants, and a movie theater presently." He said that coincidentally it will be occupying, at least partly, the same building that Rickels did, which had a similar use.

Many residents expressed their confusion as to why another Home Depot is necessary when there is one so close. They wanted to know if the East Meadow Home Depot, which is also located on Hempstead Turnpike, would be closing. Stephanie Harris, the real estate manager for Home Depot said that the store had no plans to close the East Meadow store. She explained that opening a store in Levittown is a response to the amount of business that they have generated. She added that the store is hoping to spread out the clientele so some of the people who currently travel further to go to the East Meadow store will now be able to shop at a more convenient location.

Home Depot currently has a land-lease with the Nassau Mall which, according to Pantelis, is contingent upon the town's approval of their plans. He stressed that the property has not been sold to Home Depot.

Pantelis also stressed that this original meeting was planned for the neighbors who abut that end of the mall and that in the future they plan to reach out to the larger Levittown community. He said that they have now heard some of the concerns of those residents, such as the traffic, truck deliveries, and some safety issues, and they can now go back and see what can be done about these issues. He added, "Although we didn't hear the most positive comments, we think at least we started that dialogue, hopefully that's an opening for us to be able to satisfy and address some of those concerns."

Harris also stated that Home Depot will do the best they can to address the neighborhood's concerns. She said, "I think it is always a plus when a business that is hoping to be part of a community opens a dialogue with the residents."

Briskin stated, "Where we can resolve concerns we will absolutely be making every effort to do so."