Business Owners Hoping To Fill Garden City Vacancies

Hardly a crowd but more than 15 residents and community members attended the village's board of zoning appeals meeting March 23, including several local business owners and Garden City Chamber of Commerce members in full support of pending business applications.

Five residents and business owners brought their appeals to the board, including a resident of Wetherhill Road who was amending a previous appeal for adjusted building plans. 

A representative for the business at 370 Old Country Road made an appeal to construct a vestibule and elevator and be granted a usage request for additional office space at the location.

The business owners of Sassy Ventures, Inc. are requesting a variance to permit the use of a tanning salon at 178 Seventh Street, once home to the Garden City Shoe Shop. Robert Cangemi, affectionately known around town as the "shoe doctor," retired last September. He had owned and operated the shop at that location since 1969.

Sassy Ventures, Inc. owns other tanning salons on Long Island, including a nearby location in Carle Place. The owners are interested in the village's downtown location, mostly to accommodate their more than 50 Garden City clients.

The owners cite lease expiration at their current spot as the reason they are seeking a new location. The owners supplied the board with photos of their existing salons.

"I think that you run, obviously, a very nice operation, very clean; people are informed about what they are about to participate in," said board member John Villanella. "It's very upscale and I know that when you come to Garden City, it is your intention to operate this kind of establishment that you can be proud of."

A legal representative for the owners of JMCC Fitness, Inc. requested a variance to permit the use of the rear half of the first floor at 960 Franklin Avenue as a personal fitness training studio.

The location has been vacant for more than six years; the owners plan to begin personal training sessions within 30 days.

As a neighbor on the commercial block, the general manager of Grimaldi's sent a letter to the board in support of the training studio. Further, John Wilton also spoke in support of the application on behalf of the village's Merchants Group, of which he is chairman.

Entrepreneur Dimitri Londos was in attendance, also with a legal representative, to request permission to use 150 Seventh Street as "Pure Burger," a hamburger restaurant.

Londos said he would be adding 24 seats to the location, but would mostly serve take-out and delivery orders. Londos's family owns similar hamburger restaurants on the west coast. The location was previously Fianci's Paninoteca Italiana e Gelateria, which closed in late December.

The next zoning board of appeals hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, April 27 at 7:30 p.m. at village hall, 351 Stewart Avenue.