The former Hallock Chevrolet dealership was used by AvalonBay Communities to present their proposed plans for creating a 300 unit rental facility. The meeting on May 13, sponsored by the Oyster Bay Chamber of Commerce with help from the Oyster Bay Civic Association attracted about 135 people. As they entered, people signed in, and were given an AvalonBay Communities brochure featuring a drawing of the apartment complex; and an index card to hand in for the question and answer period.

The evening's speakers included Matthew B. Whalen, AvalonBay Communities, Inc., vice president, development; Rashid Walker, director of development; and experts Robert Eschbacher of Eschbacher Engineering, P.C. (who was their traffic expert); Theresa Elkowitz, of Freudenthal & Elkowitz Consulting Group, Inc. (who spoke on the economic impact of the proposal as well as the impact on the school district) and Paul F. Stevens, P.E. of Sidney B. Bowne & Sons (the engineering firm involved in the project).

AvalonBay showed a video of a three-dimensional computer mockup of the proposed structure that gave views of the site. They are proposing a three-story apartment in the front, located on the site of the current parking lot at the Hallock site. It is a "U" shaped building with a pool and parklet inside. In back there is a second four-story building. During the comment period someone said it looked like a "prison" and Mr. Whalen said they hadn't actually put any work into designing it and assured listeners that it would be improved. He said the site is planned with the density in the back so it is visually less intrusive.

The building in front has towers on the left and right sides that are reminiscent of the round towers with cone shaped roofs that are characteristic of Oyster Bay. In their brochure they say they preferred development by consensus. "We involve local officials, community organizations, neighbors and neighborhood groups directly in the development process through a variety of public and private forums." During the evening, a woman listener said AvalonBay has scheduled a meeting with the owners of the Sagamore Woods' million dollar homes that are located on the hill above the 5-acre development site. She said, "They spent millions on their homes and this is going to have a terrific impact on them."

On Thursday, May 20 the Oyster Bay Civic Association will have a discussion of the AvalonBay proposal at the Italian-American Club at 48 Summit Street, starting at 7:30 p.m. OBCA President Marie Knight said in a telephone interview after the meeting, "It may not be the only meeting on AvalonBay. We may have another meeting on this important project for the town. This meeting is for discussion to see how people respond to the information and to see if they want it in more depth. This is what the civic association is all about."

At the meeting, Friends of the Bay Executive Director Louise Harrison had an assignment for AvalonBay. She said her board of directors has asked the town to ask Island Properties to prepare a generic or cumulative environmental impact study on all the build-out of Island Properties' holdings. She said, "I realize AvalonBay is not Island Properties [they are the buyer of the Island Properties site if the town approves the plan] and I may not be aware of all of Island Properties' plans, but, this is a large plan. Can your organization assist IP in preparing a GEIS of all the proposals? We cannot look at the build-outs of IP in a piecemeal fashion because IP is a significant landowner and is trying to do right for Oyster Bay. They picked AvalonBay to do the plan," she said, giving them credit for choosing a company familiar with the process of creating large rental complexes throughout the country.

She said, "We want to be sure Oyster Bay will still be here, enhanced by the pristine water quality of the Oyster Bay-Cold Spring Harbor estuary." She added questions relevant to water quality, asking, "What is the sewage generation impact? What is the stormwater impact, I assume it will be handled on site following the regulations? What is the traffic generation and the auto emissions?"

She repeated, "Can AvalonBay help IP prepare an EIS to cover the entire plan and not just this major portion of the plan?"

Mr. Whalen said, "We understand we are part of a larger plan." He said he will ask IP about the concept. He said they would retain their own stormwater on site. Sewage, he said candidly, would be more than other uses of the site, but added that the traffic generation would be less. In response to another question on the solid waste, he said they have trash shoots in the hallways, they use a compactor, they collect their own garbage and it is all done privately. He said they have to make a formal application to see if the sewer lines have to be enlarged for the complex.

The meeting began as Mr. Whalen described the scope of AvalonBay Communities, Inc. He said it is a large corporation with offices in Alexandria, Virginia. Since 1996 they have had an office in Melville. He said they are known for attention to detail in design. AvalonBay develops, redevelops, acquires and manages luxury apartment communities. They currently have 140 communities in 12 states with nearly two dozen more in the works. "With each one, we seek to enhance the lives of our residents, and be a genuine asset to the surrounding community," said their brochure. They have communities on Long Island in Glen Cove (where Eisenstat's used to be at the end of Glen Cove Rd.), Long Beach, Smithtown, Melville and soon Coram. "We have made a positive contribution on the island by providing high-quality multi-family housing and getting involved with local civic organizations."

He said AvalonBay representatives attended the recent Business After Hours held by the Oyster Bay Chamber of Commerce and said they will be involved in the Passport to Oyster Bay program this year. He said he would consider taking part in the June 6 Bay Day event, the "wacky" Anything That Floats Race.

AvalonBay is proposing a luxury multi-family community in Oyster Bay on Pine Hollow Road, at the former Hallock Chevrolet site where the meeting will be held. The building is expected to have about 300 units consisting of studio apartments, one and two bedroom apartments and with amenities such as a gym and swimming pool for residents.

Mr. Whalen gave a run down of why the 300-unit apartment house should be built in Oyster Bay. He said there was a need for housing for younger people in Oyster Bay; that the site would create 62 to 83 local jobs; there would be less impact than the alternative uses of the site; there would be less traffic than a commercial use; local spending will be increased from $6.5 million to $8.7 million; that although renters come and go, AvalonBay has a long-term commitment to the area.

Traffic expert Bob Eschbacher said the traffic out of AvalonBay will all be heading south to Northern Boulevard and the LIE. Mr. Whalen said they have not done a full traffic study but are required to do a full analysis. He said he didn't see any need to make Pine Hollow Road a four-lane highway. 'That is not feasible for this project," and added, "The majority of traffic goes south, if the majority of the traffic went north that would be a problem." He said traffic all gets reviewed by the local governmental entities.

A Peerless Drive resident said his road was "one of the 'insignificant' roads that you can't get out of now. People use the area above the Pine Hollow shopping center to avoid traffic." A woman added, "there is a plan to put in a Super Stop & Shop and the traffic is already bumper-to-bumper at times during the day." Mr. Whalen answered by saying, "This site isn't going to stay a gymnastic school (which it currently houses), it will be something."

Theresa Elkowitz reported on the impact of the project quoting the work of Dr. Pearl M. Kamer who concluded the site would have about 48 children attending the local schools. Basing her figures on the per pupil cost times 48 she found the total cost to the district for AvalonBay children and subtracted that figure from the projected school taxes, and estimated a surplus of $35,351 if the per pupil cost is $21,242. The estimated number of children is based partly on no children in the studio apartments.

The studio apartments would rent at the fair market value of $1,500 for a 650 to 850 sq. ft. apartment which means the person has an income of somewhere in the range of $45,000 to $60,000 considering people spend between 30 and 40 percent of their income on housing. The 1-bedroom apartment will rent for $2,350 for 900 to 1,200 sq. ft. with the renter's income being from $67,000 to $90,000. The 2-bedroom apartment will rent for $3,000 for 1,000 to 1,400 sq. ft. and the income should be from $90,000 to $120,000. There is an amenity fee of $300 a year for each unit.

The plan is not for a gated community as of now, because their belief is that this is a safe area. There will be 24-hour security on the site.

A local Prudential Real Estate person offered their services. Mr. Whalen said, "We have an incentive fee for people relocating from other areas." He had said earlier that the renters would come from the local area.

They are providing 1.75 parking spaces per 1 and 2 bedroom units and one space for the studios for a total of 482 proposed spaces. The parking will be underneath the building and in all assigned slots. There will be some service parking outside and some guest parking.

The building footprint takes up 45.6 percent of the site. Someone asked about Mill-Max, to the south, which operates 24 hours a day, and Mr. Whalen said he had spoken to the owner. "There is some sensitivity on his part to our proposal. We've developed next to industrial sites before. In Melville, we are next to Newsday. They were concerned at first but there are sound attenuation walls there." There will be soundproofing in the apartments.

Oyster Bay Town Historian John Hammond [newly appointed] asked about the Carll property, to the north. "They've been here since the Civil War. With the height of the project, they'll never see the sun again." Mr. Whalen said they would check the site lines and try to accommodate the family. He added the trees on site are higher than the buildings proposed.

The economic impact study estimated the renters would have 35 percent of their remaining funds (after rent and necessities) as disposable income to spend in the village - which came to between $22.7 million and $30.7 million. They estimated between 76 and 102 local jobs created in real estate, health services, retail sales and business services.

The question of affordable housing came up as listeners asked if there were any low income apartments or any set aside for seniors or for local firefighters and emergency workers. A young woman said someone in the 25 to 34 age bracket can't afford the $1,500 to $3,000 for an apartment, that they are almost as much as mortgage payments. She asked if there could be a price break for first time renters. Mr. Whalen said in Glen Cove they are giving a couple of months free to renters and added that some affordable units in Oyster Bay may come as a result of the planning process as it goes through the town system. He added, some studios could be affordable.

Someone asked why not build the complex as co-ops or condominiums, and the answer was "That's not our business."

Traffic came up as Mr. Whalen read questions from the index cards. Someone asked where these added people would park when they shop in town since there is already a parking problem in the hamlet. Mr. Whalen said, "We consider AvalonBay a pedestrian friendly site. People are encouraged to walk down town." There was laughter from the audience and Mr.Whalen said they have developed sites in Jersey City that are a quarter to a half mile from the downtown and they are walkable distances, but added they offer jitneys and shuttles.

When asked if he could cut the number of units in half and still create the complex, Mr. Whalen said, "No".

As the meeting concluded Mr. Whalen said, "We need help. We need your support." He told people to look at their website: www.avalonatoysterbay.com. He added, "Please tell your friends. We have to collect names and show there is a need for this housing in the community."