Jack Kennedy, president of the Nassau-Suffolk Building Trades, announced earlier this week that the organization, representing about 35,000 union families throughout Long Island, has endorsed plans to build a quality retail shopping center on the grounds of the old Cerro Wire site in Syosset overlooking the Long Island Expressway.

"For too long this property has been a rusting symbol of an old industrial," said Kennedy. "While its environmental cleanup was finished years ago, the property continues to be an economic black hole. It contributes next to nothing in the way of tax revenue to the county or town - both of which need the dollars. It doesn't create jobs and it doesn't attract investment. It is time to build and get rid of this eyesore."

This subject has been a constant debate in Oyster Bay and members of Jericho's Birchwood Civic Association have been the biggest adversaries of the proposed mall. "Our coalition of 24 organizations representing more than 25,000 Town of Oyster Bay homeowners wholeheartedly agrees with the Nassau-Suffolk Building Trades that the Cerro Wire site should be developed, however a mall is not the answer," said Birchwood Civic Association (BCA) attorney and resident Howard Avrutine. "The proposed mall is unacceptable since it would cause traffic nightmares, depreciate property values, create environmental problems and endanger the safety of our children."

The Nassau-Suffolk Building Trades Council will make the approval of the mall a primary effort this fall. "Anyone who has even an elementary understanding of the economy knows you always look at the next cycle when job creation and investment has disappeared," said Kennedy. "This development has the means to strengthen the economy, prevent outrageous double-digit property tax increases and recycle abused industrial property into a viable, attractive project."

Kennedy feels that Taubman's proposed mall would benefit the Town of Oyster Bay in many ways. "We have researched the history of Taubman's development over their 50 year history and their first class projects, they are not a build and sell developer. They remain committed to the centers they design, build and manage," he said.

The BCA feels that this land is perfect for offices, headquarters or a major corporation, which would cause some morning and afternoon rush hour traffic, but minimal traffic on the weekends or evenings in comparison to the proposed mall. "There are many viable alternatives for developing this property, all of which would utilize the services of this organization and the union members it represents," said Avrutine.

"We are delighted that the construction trades are embracing this proposal and we welcome their support," said Harry Murphy, who represents the Michigan-based Taubman Company, the mall developers. "We look forward to having them, and their neighbors, as shoppers at the mall in the years to come."

Kennedy noted that the economics behind the Mall at Oyster Bay are compelling. "It is expected that its $281 million dollar construction price tag will generate 4,500 construction jobs, 1,900 permanent jobs, $7.3 million in annual property taxes and $22.5 million in sales revenue," he said. "That revenue alone can make a substantive difference in how the various municipalities will balance the budgets."

Commenting on the predicted economics of the project, Avrutine said "... we would like to see how they compare to the millions of dollars in income tax revenues and the countless number of jobs that will be lost from the retailers and local merchants that will go out of business if this project is approved."

Judging from the resounding response to this issue, the Oyster Bay Town Board has scheduled a special public hearing for Thursday, Sept. 7, to consider the Taubman Co.'s request for a special use permit.

"Because of the extraordinary interest generated by this application, the town board has scheduled a two-part public hearing," said Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto. "The meeting will begin at noon in the hearing room of Oyster Bay Town Hall East, 54 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay and continue until approximately 4 p.m. It will reconvene at 6 p.m. in the auditorium of Syosset High School on South Woods Road. The town board is prepared to stay until all parties have had an opportunity to present their cases." The public hearing will be the final stage of the application process before the town board votes on the developer's proposal.