West Hempstead apartments nearly complete

The transit-oriented apartment complex under construction at the former site of the notorious Courtesy Hotel in West Hempstead is nearly complete.

The complex is expected to open in late October, and occupancy expected to begin in November, said Jamie Stover, vice president of the Northeast Division for property owner Mill Creek Residential, based in Wilton, Conn. Construction of the four-story building called West 130, at 130 Hempstead Ave. is on schedule, he said.

The luxury apartment building, next to the Long Island Rail Road's West Hempstead station, will feature 150 one-, two- and three-bedroom rental units. The 2.7-acre complex will have an outdoor pool, landscaped courtyards, a clubhouse, a fitness center and Internet lounge, a theater room, a cafe and a two-story underground parking garage.

Rents are expected to start around $2,100 for one-bedroom apartments, Stover said. "We are encouraged by the long list of individuals who have registered on the West 130 website for additional information."

LIRR officials have said the apartment complex could cause them to reconsider weekend service cuts on the West Hempstead branch, if there is a growth of ridership. There has been no weekend service there since 2010.

"Given the close proximity to the West Hempstead station, we anticipate West 130 will generate additional ridership for the LIRR," Stover said.

Demolition of the Courtesy Hotel, which was shuttered in January 2011, began in May of that year. The demolition was a victory for groups that had long sought to get rid of the hotel because of its history of drug and violent crime arrests as well as registered sex offenders who lived there.

SEE PHOTOSLIRR trains and commuters through the years