The Town of Hempstead Board of Zoning Appeals recently received a letter from Jeffrey Management, declaring that at the present time Nassau Mall and Crescent Land Development Association, who owns the mall, want to terminate the application that was in front of the BZA for a Home Depot to open in Nassau Mall.

The thought of having a Home Depot in the mall, which abuts a residential neighborhood and Island Trees elementary schools' playing fields, brought about a public outcry from the Levittown community. The town had received, according to Town Councilwoman Linda Reed, an outpouring of letters from residents concerned about this plan for the mall. The Island Trees Board of Education had passed a resolution opposing the construction of the Home Depot and residents also sought the support of the Levittown Property Owners Association in fighting the proposal.

The Home Depot project came to a standstill as the Town of Hempstead did traffic surveys and environmental impact studies on the site. Early on in their plans Home Depot expected the case to go before the board of zoning in September but because of the outcry from residents and the proximity to elementary schools the town went in depth with their study of the area.

According to Randy Briskin, rental manager in charge of the Nassau Mall, the decision to terminate the lease between the mall and Home Depot, which was contingent upon the town's approval of the plans, was mutual. Briskin stated that there were several reasons why they terminated the lease but would not comment on whether or not the decision had anything to do with the public reaction to the plans.

Reed stated that, because of the public reaction that the mall received about Home Depot, the mall is willing to work closely with the town and the community on future plans for the site. She said this decision was "very good news for the residents." She added that Home Depot was "a wonderful store" but it "just did not belong in that area." She cited the congestion in the area and the proximity to a residential neighborhood and schoolyards as major reasons why the store would not fit in there. "It's not the appropriate place. You need a more commercialized area." She said the community would just have to wait and see what goes in there instead of Home Depot.

Richard Segerdahl, superintendent of the Island Trees School District stated, "As a school district and as a community, Island Trees is very, very pleased that they have taken the action of rescinding their application and will not have Home Depot moving into the Plaza there because we were really concerned about the close proximity to our fields and we feel, certainly, if they come in with a Bob's Store or something like that, it will be much more conducive to the neighborhood and the shopping center."

Both Reed and Segerdahl expressed pleasure at the thought that the community reaction had anything to do with the decision to terminate the lease and at the amount of people who got involved in this effort to block Home Depot's occupation of the mall. Reed stated, "You have power in numbers. What it shows is that Levittown is a real family and community-oriented town. It shows that we stick together when it comes to our children, and that was really the main issue here." Segerdahl said the district was very pleased at the number of people who were involved and the tremendous community support in sending in letters to the town. He stated, "Obviously it's what had an impact so there is the possibility in life that community action can change the direction that a big chain store like that would be trying to go in, so we're pleased with that."

Reed said that the main issue was concern for the children because of the elementary schools that abut the mall property and the dangers for the students because of the Garden Center that would have been attached to the Home Depot. Reed concluded, "I think what the residents of Levittown have shown is that we're a real community. We're really family-oriented and when it comes to something we believe in, especially for the safety of our children, we're going to come together and I think they showed that. Now we just have to move on."