Much to the disappointment of the West Hempstead residents who attended Tuesday morning's meeting of the Town of Hempstead town board, the board went ahead and passed an urban renewal plan for 10 acres of property that includes the controversial Courtesy Hotel by a unanimous 6-0 vote. Councilman Ed Ambrosino did not take part in the vote or any of the hearings regarding the proposal since he is of counsel for Ruskin Moscou Faltischek, which represents Trammell Crow Residential in some matters.

West Hempstead Civic Association members were holding out hope that the town board would hear some of the residents' pleas to change the zoning code and allow for real estate developer Trammell Crow Residential to purchase the hotel property and build a four-story residential rental complex with 176 units on the 2.71-acre site. The density for the Trammell Crow project would amount to 65 units per acre. The highest density for residential units that currently exist in the town is 45 units per acre.

Residents from West Hempstead and leaders from the area's civic associations have been lobbying the town to rezone the area to allow for the sale of the hotel to Trammell Crow. However, the town board opted to go the route of an urban renewal plan that calls for redeveloping of 10 .5 acres of property including the Courtesy Hotel site, the LIRR right-of-way, a portion of light industrial properties along the west side of Hempstead Gardens Drive and portions of the parking areas north of Hempstead Avenue into residential and commercial uses, parking and open spaces.

According to the Urban Renewal Plan, "to achieve the development envisioned in the plan, a program of acquisition and demolition will be undertaken by the Town of Hempstead Department of Planning and Economic Development, which will dispose of such properties for redevelopment in accordance with the plan."

Critics of the urban renewal plan fear the town will be tied up in legal proceedings with the owners of the properties such as the Courtesy Hotel and AVP Carting, which are located within the urban renewal plan area.

The sale of the Courtesy Hotel to Trammell Crow for the purpose of erecting the 176-unit rental complex would represent the quickest way to close the hotel and the plan that carries the most benefit to the community say some West Hempstead residents like West Hempstead Civic Association President Rosalie Norton.

After the town board passed the urban renewal plan for West Hempstead, Town Supervisor Kate Murray allowed residents to address the board. Norton cited statistics that showed police frequently responded to calls at the Courtesy Hotel. "This board is not doing what the residents of West Hempstead want. This urban renewal plan is not in the best interests of West Hempstead," Norton said.

Former West Hempstead Civic Association President Seth Bykofsky said the community steadfastly opposed the urban renewal plan and supported the Trammell Crow proposal. "We want the Courtesy closed and Trammell Crow to redevelop the area. That is not what we ended up with today," he said.

West Hempstead resident Marshall Myers said he was disappointed at the board decision and believes that lawsuits will follow ensuring that the Courtesy Hotel remains open while Elmont East End Civic Club President Patrick Nicolosi, who said he was supporting the people of West Hempstead, said to the board, "I think you heard the people of West Hempstead but you didn't to the people of West Hempstead."