80-unit apartment complex replacing blighted hotel a 'huge win' for Lynbrook, mayor says

The proposal several years ago to build a Lynbrook apartment complex on the site of the blighted Capri Motor Inn elicited a reaction not often seen on development-wary Long Island.

Developer Anthony Bartone remembers receiving a surprisingly friendly reception from village residents at a public hearing where he outlined plans to buy the hotel — which had become notorious for what officials said were frequent robberies, drug busts and prostitution — and replace it with the 80-unit Cornerstone at Yorkshire.

"It was just terrific," Bartone, managing partner of Farmingdale-based Terwilliger and Bartone Properties, told Newsday. "I always say it was one of the few public hearings when we got applause from the crowd."

About two years after the hotel was torn down, the new apartments on Freer Street were opened on Jan. 20 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony that included speeches by the developers and Lynbrook officials.

The complex includes a mix of studio and one- and two-bedroom units with amenities such as balconies, quartz counters and parking for residents.

Standard monthly rents range from $2,325 for a studio apartment to $4,050 for a two-bedroom. Eight "affordable" units for income-eligible tenants range from $1,689 to $2,100 per month.

Closing Capri had become a major goal of Lynbrook and Nassau County officials, citing the hotel's frequent appearances in police blotters.

Lynbrook Mayor Alan C. Beach said in a statement that ridding the village of the motor inn was a big victory for residents, adding the new complex's Tudor design fit in with traditional architecture seen elsewhere in the community.

"Replacing an old, blighted motel with a new, state-of-the-art residential building is a huge win for the village," Beach said. "I'm proud of the collaborative effort that brought this to completion, including hearing feedback from so many residents to ensure this would be a structure that would stand the test of time."

The Nassau Industrial Development Agency voted 7-0 in 2020 to approve a tax break package to help speed development of the apartments, including a property tax freeze at about $230,000 annually, which gradually would increase to more than $1 million per year, officials said.

"It gets rid of a fleabag motel and replaces it with a beautiful development," Nassau IDA chairman Richard Kessel said in an interview Tuesday. "I think also it’s a big shot in the arm for the village of Lynbrook. ... It’s going to give a big boost to downtown businesses that need a lot of help."

Bartone said about one-third of Yorkshire's apartments had been rented, adding he expected occupancy to "stabilize" by April.

Terwilliger and Bartone also has built apartments in Farmingdale near the Long Island Rail Road station and is building a complex in Westbury that is expected to open next month, Bartone said.

"We focus on downtowns, near trains. ... It’s attractive for a number of reasons," Bartone said, citing the economic benefits of so-called "walkable" communities.

"It took a little while for Long Island to embrace these concepts," he said. "But now with the brick-and-mortar, people can see the amenities that come along with it."

By Carl MacGowan

carl.macgowan@newsday.comCarlMacGowan

Carl MacGowan is a Long Island native who covers Brookhaven Town after having previously covered Smithtown, Suffolk County courts and numerous spot news and feature stories over his 20-plus year career at Newsday.