Lord & Taylor has agreed to join Neiman Marcus and become the second and final anchor store for the proposed Mall at Oyster Bay in Syosset located on the former Cerro Wire site.

Officials from the mall's developer, the Michigan-based Taubman Company, hope this announcement by Lord & Taylor will ease the minds of residents who were worried about the upscale status of this mall.

Howard Avrutine, an attorney representing Jericho's Birchwood Civic Association feels this announcement undercuts what the Taubman Company has been saying. Úquot;I find it curious that this developer has spoke about how unique this mall would be and how it wouldn't include stores that you see elsewhere,Úquot; he said. Úquot;This would be the fifth Lord & Taylor in the region and I do not see how that would be unique. I am sure that Lord & Taylor is a fine store, but the fact is that it is no different than if they put a Macy's or a Stern's in there.Úquot;

Taubman has stated in the past that this mall would offer residents something they do not have close by - upscale shopping. Úquot;We want to provide upscale shopping, not more of the same,Úquot; said Harry Murphy, senior vice president for development at Taubman. Úquot;The addition of Lord & Taylor, together with Neiman Marcus, should give people confidence that we intend to do what we say: to make this shopping center a true world-class destination.Úquot;

Many community activists and local residents have stated that the stores in the mall are not the problem, but rather the ramifications that it will bring. Úquot;No matter what kind of mall is there, the issues of traffic, the environment, the municipal planning issues and the depreciation of the home values are the things that are important and these are the things that are going to severely impact the community in a negative way,Úquot; said Avrutine. Úquot;An upscale mall or a discount mall - there is no difference.Úquot;

The next step in this process is now up to the Oyster Bay Town Board to render a decision. The Town Environmental Quality Review Commission must submit their findings to the Nassau County Planning Commission who will make a recommendation to the board. Once the town board reviews the information, they will make a final decision.