The facility is the sixth Bristal locally to offer affordable...

The facility is the sixth Bristal locally to offer affordable apartments. Credit: Danielle Silverman

The Bristal Assisted Living facility in Westbury will designate 20% of its apartments as affordable in return for receiving an additional 15 years of tax breaks from Nassau County, according to documents and interviews.

B2K Development, which recently purchased 100% of the facility, said 28 of the 140 units will be affordable. They will be reserved for senior citizens with yearly income of not more than $95,440, which is 80% of the county’s area median income based on data from the mortgage provider Fannie Mae.

Peter L. Curry, a real estate attorney for the Jericho-based development company, said "standard monthly charges for new residents" of the Westbury Bristal start at $4,500. Rent represents about 30% of the charge and is discounted by 5% or more for the affordable units, he said last week.

The facility at 117 Post Ave. is the sixth Bristal locally — out of 16 — to offer affordable apartments. The others are in Bethpage, East Northport, Holtsville, Lake Grove and Sayville.

At the Westbury Bristal, Curry said the affordable units will remain so for 15 years to coincide with the duration of the property tax breaks awarded by the county’s Industrial Development Agency in a unanimous decision in November.

The property tax savings would total about $1 million over the period, according to a report from the research firm Camoin Associates that was obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. Curry said he agreed with Camoin’s estimate.

IDA board members praised the addition of affordable apartments, with Reginald Spinello saying, "That’s great. I like it."

By offering affordable units, B2K hopes to raise the Westbury Bristal’s occupancy rate, which plummeted to around 50% during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Steven Krieger, a founding partner of the development company, which used to be called the Engel Burman Group.

Besides the affordable apartments, he said, B2K plans to make $600,000 in interior improvements to the 120,200-square-foot building.

Curry, the attorney, said B2K was forced to scale back its plan for $3.3 million in renovations and raise the income restriction on the affordable units because state officials declined to approve the issuing of $44 million in taxable and tax-exempt bonds for the building improvements and property purchase.

"The state wanted the bonds to be used for a new construction project rather than a renovation project," he said in an interview.

In return for the property tax savings plus a sales-tax exemption of up to $35,000 and a mortgage-recording tax reduction of up to $225,000, B2K has promised to maintain the Westbury Bristal’s 75 jobs, according to the application for IDA assistance.

The Westbury Bristal was constructed in 2001 with tax aid and bond financing from the IDA. After the assistance ran out, B2K’s predecessor sought 10 additional years of tax breaks in 2012, documents show.

The IDA declined to vote on the request after nearly 100 people turned out for a November 2012 public hearing where the Westbury Union Free School District and Westbury Mayor Peter Cavallaro opposed the extra tax breaks.

This time around, neither the school board nor the village opposed the additional tax aid.

Robert Troiano Jr., the school board president, said the district now receives nearly $200,000 less in annual tax revenue than it did in 2022 because of B2K's successful challenges of the Westbury Bristal’s property assessment.

"The agreement with the IDA provides a contractual guarantee that the district’s revenue will increase over the next 15-year period" because B2K has pledged to not challenge the assessed value of the property, he said last week.

Troiano also said the district has had discussions with B2K about offering scholarships, internships and employment opportunities for students of all ages.

Cavallaro did not return voicemail messages seeking comment.

IDA executive director Sheldon L. Shrenkel told Newsday earlier this month that, "The Nassau County IDA believes it has a responsibility to support assisted living facilities to ensure our aging residents have quality places to live while still calling Nassau County their home."

The Bristal Assisted Living facility in Westbury will designate 20% of its apartments as affordable in return for receiving an additional 15 years of tax breaks from Nassau County, according to documents and interviews.

B2K Development, which recently purchased 100% of the facility, said 28 of the 140 units will be affordable. They will be reserved for senior citizens with yearly income of not more than $95,440, which is 80% of the county’s area median income based on data from the mortgage provider Fannie Mae.

Peter L. Curry, a real estate attorney for the Jericho-based development company, said "standard monthly charges for new residents" of the Westbury Bristal start at $4,500. Rent represents about 30% of the charge and is discounted by 5% or more for the affordable units, he said last week.

The facility at 117 Post Ave. is the sixth Bristal locally — out of 16 — to offer affordable apartments. The others are in Bethpage, East Northport, Holtsville, Lake Grove and Sayville.

At the Westbury Bristal, Curry said the affordable units will remain so for 15 years to coincide with the duration of the property tax breaks awarded by the county’s Industrial Development Agency in a unanimous decision in November.

The property tax savings would total about $1 million over the period, according to a report from the research firm Camoin Associates that was obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. Curry said he agreed with Camoin’s estimate.

IDA board members praised the addition of affordable apartments, with Reginald Spinello saying, "That’s great. I like it."

By offering affordable units, B2K hopes to raise the Westbury Bristal’s occupancy rate, which plummeted to around 50% during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Steven Krieger, a founding partner of the development company, which used to be called the Engel Burman Group.

Besides the affordable apartments, he said, B2K plans to make $600,000 in interior improvements to the 120,200-square-foot building.

Curry, the attorney, said B2K was forced to scale back its plan for $3.3 million in renovations and raise the income restriction on the affordable units because state officials declined to approve the issuing of $44 million in taxable and tax-exempt bonds for the building improvements and property purchase.

"The state wanted the bonds to be used for a new construction project rather than a renovation project," he said in an interview.

In return for the property tax savings plus a sales-tax exemption of up to $35,000 and a mortgage-recording tax reduction of up to $225,000, B2K has promised to maintain the Westbury Bristal’s 75 jobs, according to the application for IDA assistance.

The Westbury Bristal was constructed in 2001 with tax aid and bond financing from the IDA. After the assistance ran out, B2K’s predecessor sought 10 additional years of tax breaks in 2012, documents show.

The IDA declined to vote on the request after nearly 100 people turned out for a November 2012 public hearing where the Westbury Union Free School District and Westbury Mayor Peter Cavallaro opposed the extra tax breaks.

This time around, neither the school board nor the village opposed the additional tax aid.

Robert Troiano Jr., the school board president, said the district now receives nearly $200,000 less in annual tax revenue than it did in 2022 because of B2K's successful challenges of the Westbury Bristal’s property assessment.

"The agreement with the IDA provides a contractual guarantee that the district’s revenue will increase over the next 15-year period" because B2K has pledged to not challenge the assessed value of the property, he said last week.

Troiano also said the district has had discussions with B2K about offering scholarships, internships and employment opportunities for students of all ages.

Cavallaro did not return voicemail messages seeking comment.

IDA executive director Sheldon L. Shrenkel told Newsday earlier this month that, "The Nassau County IDA believes it has a responsibility to support assisted living facilities to ensure our aging residents have quality places to live while still calling Nassau County their home."

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