2025 at 12:16 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Plans are set to bring ALDI to Great Neck Plaza NY — Aldi is planning to add a new location in Great Neck Plaza North Hempstead Town Councilwoman Christine Liu who led the charge for major retailers in the community announced the supermarket will join Great Neck Plaza as part of a downtown revitalization residents in Great Neck and Lake Success repeatedly voiced their frustration overthe lack of a supermarket in the Plaza,” Liu said I didn’t wait for businesses tocome to us - I went out and pursued them and my efforts have paid off for the residents and businesses in mycommunity.” The councilwoman worked closely with ALDI’s leadership for months to solidify their commitment to the location ALDI's delivery times became a sticking point with the village leading Liu to convene a meeting with ALDI representatives and Great Neck Plaza officials and property landlord Kimco “I worked hard to bring everyone to the table we reached a compromise that satisfied all parties and ensured the deal’s success.” Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Get important news about your town as it happens Get the top stories from across our network Are you sure you want to unsubscribe from daily updates A suspect is behind bars in connection with a Valentine’s Day hammer-point robbery at a Long Island gas station Isaac Kodsi is accused in an armed robbery at this BP Station on Cuttermill Road in Great Neck on Friday was arrested in connection with a robbery that occurred at the BP gas station on Cuttermill Road in Great Neck Plaza on Friday Kodsi entered the store at around 6:30 p.m. and brandished a hammer while demanding the cashier open the register He allegedly fled the store with approximately $1,200 in cash Sixth Squad detectives identified Kodsi as the suspect and arrested him without incident No injuries were reported during the incident Click here for Greater Long Island newsletters. Click here to download the iPhone app Nine Nassau County communities placed among the top 25 in New York and 29 ranked within the state’s top 100 according to Niche’s 2025 Best Places to Live in America report a whopping 43 Nassau communities achieved the coveted A+ overall grade in the report released on Monday Niche’s annual report evaluates public schools housing and other key factors quality of life factors in determining its rankings Great Neck Plaza remained the county’s highest-ranked community in the report The village is praised for its walkability high-performing public schools and vibrant downtown with strong restaurant options The “Handful of Keys” mural by William M Cochran (shown above) is a favorite spot for Great Neck Plaza residents and visitors Kensington and Syosset follow closely behind with both communities earning high marks for family-friendliness and access to amenities Manhasset and East Williston — valued for their strong school districts and suburban charm — round out the county’s top five Here’s a full list of the top 20 Nassau communities in Niche’s Best Places to Live in America 2025 report 2 nationally among Best Places to Raise a Family in America 5 among Places with the Best Public Schools in America 11 among Best Suburbs to Live in the New York City area East Williston: Received A+ grades for Public Schools Good for Families and Health & Fitness 10 among Best Places to Retire in New York 4 among Places with the Best Public Schools in America 3 among Best Suburbs to Buy a House in Nassau County 11 among Best Places to Raise a Family in Nassau County 7 among Best Places for Young Professionals in Nassau County 8 among Best Places to Raise a Family in New York 11 among Best Places to Raise a Family in New York 1 among Best Suburbs to Buy a House in Nassau County 9 among Places with the Best Public Schools in New York 6 among Best Suburbs to Buy a House in Nassau County Below are the five Best Places to Live in New York Below are the five Best Places to Live in America Niche’s annual report uses a combination of federal and local data “Where you live shapes so many aspects of your life from career opportunities to the sense of community you feel,” said Luke Skurman we are proud to provide rankings that empower people to make informed decisions based on what matters most to them Top photo: “Handful of Keys” mural Cochran in the summer of 2005 on a brick wall on Maple Drive in Great Neck Plaza (Facebook) Tap here to see what’s happening A brand-new kosher Chinese restaurant has arrived in Great Neck bringing a mix of classic Chinese dishes and a full sushi menu to the area Chiyoda Kosher Sushi is the latest addition to Long Island’s kosher dining scene offering a wide selection of meat-based Chinese cuisine and fresh sushi rolls The restaurant is currently in its soft opening phase giving locals a first taste of its diverse menu Chiyoda is one of the few kosher Chinese and sushi spots in the area with a full liquor license setting it apart from other establishments Chiyoda Kosher Sushi offers an extensive selection of Asian-inspired dishes Their Asian food menu includes favorites like General Tso’s Chicken Chiyoda provides a variety of classic and specialty rolls Their specialty rolls feature high-end ingredients such as bluefin tuna they offer poke bowls made with fresh sashimi which showcase the restaurant’s focus on quality ingredients For those looking to enjoy a complete dining experience, Chiyoda’s full liquor license means diners can pair their meals with a selection of alcoholic beverages, a rare feature among kosher Asian restaurants.>>> Check the restaurant’s full menu here Chiyoda Kosher Sushi is under the supervision of VHQ (Vaad Harabonim of Queens) The restaurant is conveniently located at: There is a $30 minimum for delivery orders and customers can place orders by calling 929-488-7342 or 516-838-7456.The restaurant is open from: Great Neck has become a hotspot for kosher dining with an increasing number of restaurants catering to the local community Chiyoda Kosher Sushi joins the growing list of kosher-friendly eateries in the area adding another great option for those looking for quality kosher Chinese and sushi dishes several other kosher establishments have recently opened in Great Neck: Chiyoda Kosher Sushi is already making an impression with its flavorful dishes As the restaurant continues to expand its offerings it’s hoping to become a popular dining destination for kosher food lovers on Long Island Dani Klein founded YeahThatsKosher in 2008 as a global kosher restaurant & travel resource for the Jewish community He is passionate about traveling the world and spending time with his friends & family We use ads & sponsored posts to support the creation of new content © YeahThatsKosher 2024 – Reproduction without explicit permission is strictly prohibited. | Privacy Policy • Download our kosher restaurant directory app 2024 at 1:15 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}(Shutterstock)GREAT NECK PLAZA NY — Police have identified the pedestrian killed on Grace Avenue Wednesday as Joyanna Marx of Great Neck The 95-year-old was struck and killed by a pick-up truck at 3:15 p.m. suffered severe trauma and was transported to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead the 2004 Dodge Ram was westbound on Grace Avenue at the intersection of Park Place when the 37-year-old driver hit the woman according to a new ranking from Niche released Tuesday It is selected as number 45 in the survey with an overall grade of A+ It is selected as the Best Place to Live in New York and the second-best suburb to live in New York is intended to help everyone from young professionals to retirees decide where they want to live Bureau of Labor Statistics and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention combined with millions of resident reviews Niche analyzed 230 cities and more than 18,000 places to compile this year’s ranking Community attributes considered in developing the list included the health of the local housing market Also named to the Best Places to Live in America in Nassau County is: It was selected as the number one Best Place to Raise a Family in New York Niche is an online company used by millions of people to find schools and places to live Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker A Great Neck resident is proposing to repurpose the iconic Squire Cinemas into a luxury event space with an area for golf simulators — an idea community members hope will bring life to the areas downtown Squire Cinemas in Great Neck Plaza permanently closed in 2020, just six months after shutting its doors because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Newsday previously reported is seeking a conditional use permit to open Lounge X where golf enthusiasts can work on their swings The proposal includes a second floor with nearly a dozen computerized golf games “Great Neck is the town to be in and when we came in a lot of stores were closing down so we saw the opportunity,” Wang said in an interview We want to bring city life into the town.” where people can host different types of parties and enjoy diverse cuisine The proposed budget for the project is about $4 million to $5 million The Great Neck resident has presented his proposal to the Great Neck Plaza Village Board and will be in front of the board again Wednesday when it may vote Great Neck Plaza Mayor Ted Rosen said while no plan has been approved by the village the prospect of increasing foot traffic in the downtown area is appealing “I personally am somewhat excited about it “If they bring in people to their establishment by definition they’re bringing people into our downtown.” The market for golf simulators is already a billion-dollar industry and expected to increase over the next several years according to market research by Custom Market Insights founder of Destination: Great Neck — a community group dedicated to the betterment of Great Neck and its villages — said the downtown experience has lost some of its appeal over the last decade Her organization is looking to change that “We’re looking for an anchor to draw crowds of residents and visitors back into our downtown and there aren’t too many sites that are able to bring a draw from locals and outside of town,” Esagoff said Esagoff said they are looking for new establishments that display the Great Neck’s arts and culture and noted that Wang’s proposal is on the right track “I’m happy to hear that they have banquet rooms and stages planned where people can congregate and listen to shows … we’re looking for that type of communal space,” she added “We need private funding and all of these entrepreneurs to come back and we’re ready to support that.” the Squire was converted into a triplex in the early 1980s It featured seven screens by the time Clearview Cinemas acquired it in 1998 as part of a 14-theater buying spree in the region The Squire later became part of Bow Tie Cinemas who also once ran MovieWorld Cinemas in Douglaston took over the Squire before it closed and renamed it Squire Cinemas in Great Neck Darwin Yanes is a native Long Islander and Stony Brook University graduate who covers education He previously covered the Town of North Hempstead Trump's influence on NY's future .. Get the latest news and more great videos at NewsdayTV Get more on these and other NewsdayTV stories The Newsday app makes it easier to access content without having to log in Unlimited Digital AccessOnly 25¢for 6 months 2021 at 7:05 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Great Neck Plaza's summer concert series has returned Enjoy live music every Tuesday night through Aug NY — The Village of Great Neck Plaza's summer concert series is back at Firefighters Park The free concerts are scheduled on Tuesdays at 8 p.m concerts will be held on the following Thursday This village is the best not only in Long Island's Nassau County but in the state of New York The village of Great Neck Plaza is the best place to live in the state the Nassau County village of Great Neck Plaza took the No 1 spot on the site’s “Best Places to Live in New York” list It also tops the “Best Places to Live in Nassau County” rankings Earning an overall grade of “A+,” Great Neck Plaza has top marks in public schools the village also earns good grades in the categories of diversity nearly all of the categories in which Great Neck Plaza was graded earned no lower than a “B” – with the exception of “cost of living,” which had room for improvement at a “C” grade Great Neck Plaza was described in one review as a “dog-friendly and charming neighborhood.” “There are many parks to walk through and restaurants to visit,” the reviewer continued The median household income in Great Neck Plaza is $97,022 according to Niche’s data — which is over $20,000 more than the national average The median home value is estimated at $391,400 handfuls of schools in Great Neck Plaza earn an “A+” ranking from Niche as well Click here to view the full Niche 2024 Best Places to Live in Nassau County list. Click here for the full list of Niche’s 2024 Best Places to Live in New York.  A 33-year-old man is accused of attacking an employee of a Long Island dry cleaners causing injuries that sent the victim to the hospital James Orfanos was arrested for assaulting an employee at Alpian Cleaners located at 4 Welwyn Road in Great Neck Plaza Officers responded to the business and learned that Orfanos had entered the employees-only section and punched and kicked a 27-year-old man Police said officers were told that Orfanos held a knife to the back of the victim's head and put him in a rear choke hold drove away from the scene in an unknown vehicle The victim suffered contusions and injuries to his neck and elbow The now-shuttered Squire Cinemas in Great Neck Plaza The Great Neck Plaza village board has approved a proposal to convert the historic movie theater Squire Cinemas in Great Neck into luxury event space with golf simulators Last week the village granted the developer a conditional use permit to open the facility three years after the business permanently closed in 2020 The theater was shuttered six months after stopping operations because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Newsday previously reported The approval for a project known as Lounge X came with conditions that include restrictions on what time the business can operate parking guidelines and a requirement to soundproof event rooms to limit noise event space and another area with golf simulators Village officials said Tuesday that since the property is located on county-owned Middle Neck Road Nassau County’s Planning Commission will have 30 days to review the proposal and provide comments A Nassau County spokesman didn't return a request for comment Mayor Ted Rosen said he expects the commission will leave the project in the hands of the village He added that the village board gave careful consideration before granting the permit and he thinks Lounge X will be a positive for the community “The success of Lounge X will be a win for the village in terms of bringing people into our downtown," Rosen said said Tuesday he expects the next phase of the project will be finalizing the design before applying for construction permits He said he hopes to open the facility in June “There’s a lot of work ahead of us and we’re grateful for the approval,” Wang added of the village's permit award The Squire was built as a single-screen venue in 1935 then converted into a triplex in the early 1980s An independent operator later took over the business and renamed it Squire Cinemas in Great Neck Executive Circle Awards 27-33 Middle Neck Road Great Neck / Google Maps image Sign up for your daily digest of Long Island Business News Listen to this article Long Island Business News has announced that it has chosen this year’s winn[...] The financial landscape of Long Island continues to evolve through the leadership of the remarkable [...] Long Island’s business landscape contains a remarkable tapestry of organizations that have stood t[...] Celebrate International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month by showcasing the extraordinary wo[...] Listen to this article Lorraine Gregory Communications will be holding a blood drive at its Edgewood[...] Long Island lost 3,100 construction jobs year-over-year in March ending a 12-month streak of gains,[...] Kids Empire and My Gym are opening at Mayfair Shopping Center in Commack Chick-fil-A opens its 12th Long Island location in East Meadow creating 80 jobs and supporting loca[...] Realty Three plans $120M South Village at Station Crossings with 273 rentals Amazon plans to purchase 26.7 acres of Massapequa’s Sunrise Mall site to build a new South Shore d[...] Our mission at Long Island Business News is to be the vital business news and advertising source to Long Island’s most influential readers Get our free LIBN e-alerts & breaking news notifications Subscribe for access to the latest digital and special editions 2020 at 5:24 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The infrastructure project addresses recent findings contained within the New York State Department of Transportation’s Biannual Bridge Inspection Report NY — A Nassau County committee has voted to enter a deal involving the reconstruction of the Cutter Mill Road/Bayview Avenue Bridge The Rules Committee of the Nassau County Legislature voted July 13 to enter into a $587,560 deal with professional engineering design services KS Engineers Legislator Ellen Birnbaum of Great Neck said in a news release The bridge runs over the Long Island Rail Road track in the Village of Great Neck Plaza The infrastructure project addresses recent findings contained within a recent State Department of Transportation bridge inspection report that identified significant deficiencies with the structure Construction for the project — which calls for demolition of the superstructure and building a new modernized bridge from the foundation up — will be eligible for 80 percent federal reimbursement “Through this vital infrastructure project Nassau County will address critical public safety concerns while simultaneously ameliorating a persistent eyesore in the Village of Great Neck Plaza,” Birnbaum said "I thank my colleagues on the Legislature’s Rules committee for setting the project into motion by voting to approve this design service contract.” Village of Great Neck Plaza Mayor Jean Celender noted the complexities of the project due to its location over the LIRR and the "shared responsibilities of the bridge deck and abutments with the (Metropolitan Transportation Authority)-LIRR for their train operations and maintenance." "While we are pleased that Nassau County has allocated funds for this bridge repair work for the period of its rehabilitation and construction it will have a significant impact on the Village of Great Neck Plaza commuters and the Great Neck Peninsula in general," Celender said He added that the Village will work with Birnbaum and KS Engineers to "ensure concerns identified by the Village are addressed" throughout the project 2020 at 11:43 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Juan Altagracia faces counts of 3rd-degree unlawful possession of a controlled substance and 3rd-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance (Nassau County Police Department)GREAT NECK PLAZA NY — A Queens man has been arrested and facing drug-dealing charges in connection with an overdose death over the summer in Great Neck Plaza Narcotics detectives investigated the death and arrested Juan Altagracia Further details about the overdose weren't immediately released Altagracia faces numerous counts of 3rd-degree unlawful possession of a controlled substance and 3rd-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance He was expected to appear in Mineola court Wednesday Chair of the NYS Senate Committee on Commerce Consul General of the Peoples Republic of China in New York Town of North Hempstead Councilwoman Veronica Lurvey leadership from local Chinese American Civic Organizations to declare that Asian-American Small Businesses and Restaurant are Open for Business and to urge residents to stand by their neighbors and patronize these local establishments that are a critical part of Long Island's downtowns and communities Kaplan said "Small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities many small businesses owned by our Asian-American neighbors are suffering due to unfounded fears of the coronavirus These businesses are part of the fabric of our downtowns and if they're forced to lay-off staff or close their doors That's why I'm urging all Long Islanders to step up and show their support for these local businesses during their time of need and spread the word that it's safe to do so." "We have so many phenomenal Asian-American owned businesses and restaurants in our town," said Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Judi Bosworth "We strongly encourage everyone to continue frequenting these establishments as they truly are an integral part our business community." Town of North Hempstead Clerk Wayne Wink said "I thank Senator Kaplan and Consul General Huang Ping for bringing to light that these businesses are important staples to the community We should continue to be good patrons to our members of the small business community." Town of North Hempstead Councilwoman Veronica Lurvey said "It is important to support our local small businesses. Many Chinese and Asian restaurants and small businesses in our community are experiencing significant decreases in revenue over the past two months because of anxiety over the coronavirus We have the power to help keep them in business and we all need to do our part and invest in our community My heart goes out to all residents and businesses affected by the coronavirus and restrictions on travel We need to be grateful to all health care workers around the globe who are treating the ill and fighting this situation." there have been no incidents of the virus in New York. Eating in local Chinese restaurants and shopping in local Chinese establishments does not create any greater risk than eating and shopping in other establishments. We must support our local small businesses and that is particularly true at a time like this when some of these businesses are hurting because of unfounded fears and rumors." Local Real Estate Broker Rachel Sha said "I would like to thank Senate Kaplan and Consul General Huang Ping for today's "open for business" event in Great Neck. Despite the fact that there is no confirmed case of Corona-virus in New York many Chinese American businesses are being impacted. As a real estate agent I had clients who are reluctant to show homes to Chinese customers due to the fear of potential Corona-virus. We live in diverse communities. While it's important to be cautious there's no need to panic. It's time for us to support the small businesses that are the backbone of our economy." Those in attendance on Saturday enjoyed exquisite traditional Chinese lovingly prepared by the chefs of New Fu Run Restaurant while discussing the decline in business with the restaurant's owner and other Asian-American small business owners from the Great Neck area and spoke with the owner and staff about how their business is being impacted Despite there being no confirmed cases of the coronavirus in New York Asian-American small business and restaurant owners are reporting significant downturns in business due to fears of the virus Many small businesses in New York operate on very tight margins so a prolonged downturn in business could jeopardize the ability of many of these businesses to maintain current staffing levels Firefighters respond to a fire in an apartment building in Great Neck Plaza Thursday night Credit: Manhasset-Lakeville Fire Department Photo Unit/Courtesy of Lee Genser Three people were taken to a hospital for smoke inhalation and minor burns while about a dozen others were displaced after a fire broke out at a Great Neck Plaza apartment building Thursday night said Nassau County Chief Fire Marshal Michael Uttaro They all refused further medical attention at an apartment building on Clent Road near Brompton Road and it was knocked down within 30 minutes The Manhasset-Lakeville Fire Department arrived first at the scene and later was joined by seven other fire departments Firefighters at the scene of an apartment building fire in Great Neck Plaza Thursday night Fire officials were assessing if residents could go back inside the building and have determined that five apartments suffered smoke and water damage All those displaced were getting helped by the Red Cross politics and crime stories in Nassau County By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy None of the victims’ identities were immediately released The three people were taken to Nassau University Medical Center Great Neck Plaza is the latest Long Island community looking to breathe new life into its downtown business district and merchants there say courting the village's growing Asian population might be the key to success Business owners have launched efforts in recent months to attract Asian residents hoping those customers will help grow sales increase foot traffic and boost visibility in a downtown corridor with several empty storefronts Merchants said Asian residents make use of downtown stores but haven't become regular customers and that has to change then our stores and our businesses need to attract and engage our base which means engaging our Chinese neighbors," said Ron Edelson executive director of the village's business improvement district which represents about 250 Great Neck Plaza businesses represent the second-largest population group in Great Neck Plaza behind whites Chinese have flocked to the area because of Great Neck's top-ranked schools as well as the parks and libraries She also cited the village's proximity to the large Asian community in  Flushing “A lot of the Great Neck Chinese family profile is either a business owner or young professionals who work in the city,” Feng said Many take the LIRR to Flushing because “it’s 15 minutes away and people like to go there and hang out with their friends and eat some authentic Chinese food.”   The Asian population in Great Neck Plaza has steadily grown between 2012 and 2017 The Chinese population grew to 472 in 2017 from 123 in 2012 there were 668 Chinese residents in 2017 according to census data The Census defines Asian as “a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East which became the first on Long Island to recognize Chinese Lunar New Year as a school holiday in 2016 has a 6,438-student population where more than a third of students are Asian business district leaders asked the Great Neck Chinese Association if any members would perform during the September street festival founded in 1995 to promote understanding among cultures added 40 Chinese musical and dance performers to the festival attracting about 400 Asian residents to the annual event "From there we said to them [the Chinese Association] 'what else can we do together?' " Edelson said During last month's  Chinese Lunar New Year the district hung about 70 Chinese lanterns on lamp posts along Bond Street and North Station Plaza to let Asian residents know "we want to embrace you and interact with you and we know this is a big part of your culture so we want to celebrate it with you," Edelson said owner of the Verizon Wireless store in Great Neck Plaza spoke to Newsday about how the business improvement district is courting the village's growing Asian population Mandy Xiao of Great Neck said the effort was appreciated “Some people even posted on their Instagram saying ‘I feel like I’m back in China in my hometown.' ” Xiao and Feng said Chinese residents are eager shoppers who are open to becoming regulars in Great Neck Plaza but one secret is for businesses to reach them on WeChat and WhatsApp instead of posting on Facebook The business district in February launched a shopper's card that gives Asian residents discounts when they shop at participating downtown stores About 1,000 cards were mailed out and more than 30 stores participate in the program "I've had three people use them so far," said David Kadosh owner of the Verizon Wireless store on Middle Neck Road "We're getting more exposure and we're getting more foot traffic People are coming shopping in the neighborhood." The Village of Great Neck Plaza and its business improvement district's efforts to court the village's growing Asian population include hanging Chinese lanterns and other decorations for Lunar New Year and the creation of shopping cards for discounts Other business owners said it's too early to measure the effectiveness of the card program and they're willing to do more than offer a discount to attract new customers "The biggest problem we're going to have is getting the Asian population to feel comfortable and feeling like we can help them," said Philip Meltzer an optometrist who owns Spectacles of Great Neck The most important thing is for us to adapt to them."  Among the giraffes spotted in Great Neck Plaza is the one on this sign for the Great Neck Chamber of Commerce The village’s spirit animal is in residence most anywhere you look: statues and sketches inside Village Hall likenesses stretching up the sides of garbage cans The first giraffe appeared in the Great Neck peninsula around the 1970s when Great Neck resident Nat Epstein began sculpting a giant giraffe The nearby Village of Kensington installed Epstein’s unfinished piece in November 1980 on its village green Great Neck Plaza caught wind of the giraffe craze in the next decade the Great Neck Plaza Business Improvement District chose the animal to grace its logo “We adopted it really because it had a great neck,” said Jay Corn the animal began popping up in different ways across the village and “slowly evolved from there,” Corn said Two public benches — one on South Middle Neck Road and the other on Cutter Mill Road — have giraffe depictions the Great Neck Chamber of Commerce bestows a Giraffe Award on someone “who sticks their neck out” for the community who was chamber president from 2000 to 2003 “The giraffe is a popular animal in general,” he said adding that parents buy the Sophie La Girafe teething toys for their infants Mayor Jean Celender commissioned a $6,000 public art installation for the exterior back wall of 50 Middle Neck Rd. a building that houses Santander Bank and a Chinese restaurant An artist submitted a draft of the mural and Celender presented it to the board on July 5 “I think it’s a little too busy,” said Trustee Gerald Schneiderman “I like the concept of working the giraffe in there somewhere Schneiderman suggested the artist draw inspiration from the public benches I don’t want to demean an artist,” she told Schneiderman “We can just tell him what our issues are.” Celender then laid out the artist’s credentials noting that he is New York City-based and runs an arts magazine “I don’t like it,” Deputy Mayor Ted Rosen told Celender Celender relented and is working with the artist to make adjustments to the draft She hopes the giraffes don’t get short shrift “Besides the giraffe’s most telling feature of its long neck the symbolism of this animal works for a mascot — its beauty There are two giraffe statues in the lobby as well as an artist’s sketch of a giraffe donated to Mayor Jean Celender The restaurant inside the hotel was once called The Giraffe Room Two benches on Cutter Mill Road and South Middle Neck Road were decorated by students from Great Neck South High School CooperatorNews.com is an online edition of CooperatorNews New York newspaper The publication serves the co-op and condo community with thousands of free articles on management Great Neck Plaza officials held a ceremony Dec to dedicate Bond Street between Grace Avenue and Maple Drive as "Lee Seeman Way." Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin In honor of her service and commitment to the community Great Neck Plaza officials have renamed a portion of a village street after longtime North Hempstead Councilwoman Lee Seeman who is retiring at the end of the year after 16 years on the town board Village officials on Sunday held a ceremony to dedicate Bond Street between Grace Avenue and Maple Drive as "Lee Seeman Way." "It’s something very special," said Seeman We have a wonderful mayor there and I’m very proud that they wanted to do that." Mayor Ted Rosen said many village residents asked for Seeman to be recognized and the village board agreed Lee Seeman was there to support a good cause "You never hear anyone say anything negative about Lee and for people in public life that’s not always the case." Rosen said that along with the street dedication the resolution passed by the village board also proclaimed Dec remains active in the community in several roles including serving as program director of the Great Neck Chamber of Commerce since 1975 She is also a member of the Town of North Hempstead’s COVID-19 Business Response Recovery Workgroup "It's something very special," said Lee Seeman We have a wonderful mayor there and I'm very proud that they wanted to do that."  Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin she is a member of the League of Women Voters the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Sierra Club Seeman is also an active member of Temple Beth El of Great Neck and serves on congressman Tom Suozzi’s review board for students who apply to the U.S Former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad a Democratic national committeeman and Great Neck public relations executive recalled setting up chairs in Seeman’s living room for meetings when he was a kid He said he was introduced to public service and activism by Seeman "It [the street dedication] was a reflection on Lee’s career of public service but it also was a reminder of what the future can be with the right dedication and commitment and that’s what she represents," Zimmerman said who has served as a New York State Democratic Party committeewoman since 1970 said she will remain active in the Democratic Party and in the community "I’m the person that keeps going," she said a 94-unit rental complex with 19 affordable housing units Two fair-housing groups have filed a federal lawsuit alleging the Village of Great Neck Plaza and the Nassau County Industrial Development Agency violated fair housing laws The groups say eligibility criteria for affordable apartments at Maestro a rental complex with more than 90 units on Great Neck Road favored long-term residents in a predominantly white village and set up a tier system that all but ruled out African-American residents Attorneys for Long Island Housing Services Inc and Fair Housing Justice Center wrote in court papers filed Thursday that the village has discriminatory eligibility requirements for affordable apartments in the building for which the IDA granted 30 years worth of tax relief in 2011 Mayor Jean Celender said discrimination did not occur The village's code categorizes eligible residents in three ways The first applicants considered must be active in one of two fire companies for two consecutive years; a combat veteran and village resident; a village employee for five consecutive years; younger than 40 with a primary village residence at least 10 of the past 15 years; or 65 or older with a primary residence in the village at least 15 of the last 20 years before applying The second group considered would come from the Great Neck peninsula and face the same criteria most of the criteria would be applied to all of Nassau County Celender said the village had trouble filling units and had contacted various South Shore communities trying to fill the spots "We were trying to set something here that was meeting the needs of the community to have firefighters and employees close by in emergencies," and to serve young professionals and senior citizens looking to move to smaller locations But housing advocates said the system used by the village of 6,700 did not favor a racially mixed pool The groups said village rules excluded many Nassau County residents between ages 40 to 65 with a "tiered durational residency preference system" that favored long-term residents of the village and the peninsula Department of Justice sued the Town of Oyster Bay saying the town discriminated against blacks in two affordable housing programs one for seniors and another aimed at first-time buyers president of the Nassau County Chapter of the National Action Network "When you do the math you are knocking out African-Americans and the number of Hispanics," she said that's exactly how you can use the law to keep African-Americans out of a particular development or a complex The number of African-Americans [in Nassau County] is disproportionate to the rest of the population in Great Neck." NY — A Great Neck Plaza man was charged with assault after Nassau police say he struggled with a 27-year-old man — holding a knife to the back of his head and then grabbed him in a choke hold — and injured him at a local dry cleaner on Saturday morning Officers responding to a 911 call about a fight at about 9:30 a.m at Alpian Cleaners on Welwyn Road were told James Orfanos had gone inside the business and began to cause a disturbance in an area designated for employees only Orfanos started punching and kicking a 27-year-old man causing him pain and physical injury that then the argument escalated with Orfanos holding a knife to the back of the man’s head and put him in a rear choke hold Orfanos then took the man’s cell phone and threw it causing damage before splitting in an unknown vehicle who suffered multiple contusions and injuries to his neck andhis left elbow was taken to an area hospital for treatment and evaluation has been charged with second-degree assault He will be arraigned on Sunday at First District Court in Hempstead Officials are eyeing legislation banning drivers from parking a vehicle with display ads in the village's business district or on public property Great Neck Plaza officials postponed a vote Wednesday on a measure to restrict vehicles with advertising from the business district after a business owner and residents voiced opposition Village officials said they proposed the law — which would also prohibit drivers from parking in the district or on public property — because they believe motorists could be distracted by the ads and cause an accident Signage required by law or placed on public transportation “If you’re telling me that don’t distract anyone and it’s OK for buses to have signs on them you’re very wrong,” business owner Joseph Haghighat told trustees “The driver who is sitting right next to that bus is looking at the advertising they have.” Signs & Graphic Design and uses a BMW Mini Cooper with a trailer attached to advertise his clients He said the proposal hamstrings his company Signs attached or affixed to a vehicle and used primarily for advertising or used to direct people to the location of a business would be prohibited under the measure Violators would be fined $300 for the first offense $900 for three or more offenses and also face up to 15 days in jail Great Neck resident Tania Hannanian said that passing the law would kill businesses in Great Neck Plaza and that not everyone believes vehicle-mounted ads are a problem “I don’t think it’s a distraction,” Hannanian said “I don’t think it has caused any accidents.” Mayor Jean Celender noted that no such accidents have occurred in the village “I don’t want to wait for an accident to happen,” Celender said “I have spent my whole mayoral term working on traffic and safety improvements Trustees agreed to table the vote until Sept Celender said she will meet privately with Haghighat to hear more about his concerns Ribbon cutting for Great Neck mixed-use project The historic Allen Cemetery in Great Neck Plaza is squeezed in between houses and backyards a 19th century burial ground in Great Neck Plaza will be cared for and preserved by the village and Town of North Hempstead after a two-year effort to get the site properly maintained Six members of the prominent Allen family and an infant son from another family were buried in the 20-by-40-foot area on Pearce Place between 1810 and 1861 the site is wedged between two private homes and a small piece of land owned by the village Several headstones remain in their original locations Bamboo plants that have shot up in the area would be removed as part of the restoration The tiny cemetery was part of a large plot of land owned by the Allens who moved to the Great Neck peninsula in the late 17th century it can be viewed by the public only from the upper floors of an adjacent municipal parking lot North Hempstead historian Howard Kroplick started the effort to have the cemetery preserved about two years ago While a detailed plan for its maintenance has yet to be worked out progress has been made in having the town and village take responsibility for the upkeep The agreement was reached through a resolution passed by the town board at its Aug The burial ground is one of dozens of centuries-old private cemeteries across Long Island that have fallen into disrepair Scout troops and civic groups have made projects out of restoring or at least researching some sites historic preservation groups and municipal governments have started similar work Work on the Allen burial site in the past two years has included "establishing where the property was using ground-penetrating radar to find out where the grave sites are," Kroplick said The effort "pays honor and respect to the Allen family one of the original settlers of Long Island," he said Some of the Allen family's ancestors are said to include patriot Ethan Allen and Pyrus Allen Kroplick said that when he started the effort he discovered some of the headstones had been moved and stacked against a fence said one of the adjacent property owners had built a deck over part of the grave site said he is happy someone has developed a plan to prevent further neglect and abuse of the site "I think somebody went to a certain amount of effort to put those graves there and have them taken care of and this will look after those people's legacies and wishes," Allen said Town of North Hempstead officials said the owners of both private properties that include part of the cemetery are now on board with the preservation plan Neither owner could be reached for comment "I think it's wonderful what they are doing to maintain our family history," said Bob Allen's sister