TRANSCRIBED INTERVIEW WITH DR. RICHARD GUARDINO

INTERVIEW WITH PROFESSOR RICHARD GUARDINO, LI DEVELOPMENT EXPERT AND HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR.

Q: To your understanding, what will be the Lighthouses’ benefit to LI?

A: I think it has tremendous economic benefit, I think that one of the problems we have on the Island right now is that there is not sufficient amount of corporate office space here (:13) if you look at the population of LI which is actually double that of Westchester, we have the exact same amount of office space here on the island and what we need to attract because the cost of living is very high here are high paying jobs (:29) and so I think if we can develop this new suburban center, we can attract some top notch corporate head quarters here and I think that will have a number of benefits, first of all it will help (:44) us in terms of the tax base and provide high paying jobs. I think having this kind of center also gives us an opportunity to provide housing both for young people and for people that are more mature (:58) right now most of out housing stock here on LIU is sing family homes and I think we need more mixed use developments that will bring in a range of different types of housing and this project provides that- everything from High end condos down to townhouses are incorporated in the project (1:19) So I think that’s a benefit as well. Hopefully there’ll be a next generation or affordable housing component as well to provide desperately needed affordable housing here on the island. So I think it will be an economic generator in terms of jobs (1:36) - I think it can provide some housing, I think it can be an attractive place for people to go umm certainly having this 2 billion dollar complex is going to generate more property and sales taxes is well.

Q: Have you heard about people opposed to the project? What are some of their major arguments?

A: The critical issue in terms of the environmental impact is going to be the traffic and they are starting the traffic studies now. Yesterday, the town board passed a resolution where they designated the town of Hempstead as the lead agency for the environmental study program- they also did a so called positive declaration meaning this project is definitely going to have an environmental impact (2:22) So the process is starting, and critical, I mean the first thing people in the neighborhood are asking about- what is going to happen with the traffic. People aren’t happen with some of the traffic on Hempstead turnpike right now. It something that people at the university certainly are concerned about and in the surrounding area and so how are you going to bring in this 5 and a half million square feet of additional space and still have a traffic system that works- so that’s really the challenge.