North Hempstead begins nearly $5 million revamp of parking lot at Michael J. Tully Park

The Town of North Hempstead has begun a $4.8 million renovation of the parking lot at Michael J. Tully Park in New Hyde Park.

The 250,000-square foot parking lot, with its cracked pavement and potholes, has long been a source of frustration for town residents.

The parking lot is built on a landfill, which has settled over the years, leading to dips and hills and depressions. Now, the town is implementing what it hopes is a permanent remedy. Contractors are flattening out the parking lot and installing a layer of geogrid under the new asphalt to prevent settling and future damage, Seleski said.

"It’s a very well used facility, and the parking lot was really letting down the rest of the park," Kristin Seleski, commissioner of the town’s public works department, said. "We feel this is going to help elevate the overall park."

Funding for the project comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the town.

The town hired Galvin Brothers, a Great Neck-based contractor, to perform the work.

Robert Fazio, a town project engineer, expects the project to be completed by March 2025.

The project will be broken down into several phases. The first phase is complete, which resulted in a revamped firematics lot, an area where the fire department conducts drills. The town also finished a section where New Hyde Park High School students park their cars. The high school is across the street. The team is also working to renovate the main entrance, Fazio said.

The park took on major renovations last year, including the building of 14 new pickleball courts that cost $2 million. 

"Tully Park is one of our town’s most popular places, but these parking lots have spoiled the experience for residents for far too long," Supervisor Jennifer DeSena said in a statement. "It’s been 30 years of patchwork repairs that put band-aids on it, but this work is a long-term solution that addresses the infrastructure."

Robert Cutrone, president of the Lakeville Estates Civics Association, said he was at the park earlier in the week to play pickleball. He said he was pleased with the improvements to the lot so far.

"It looks great, nice and smooth," Cutrone said. "I’m happy with it. I think the community is happy."

Seleski said it’s been "extremely gratifying" to see the parking lot’s transformation.

She added there's a stark visual disparity in the parts of the parking lot that are finished, and those that are not. 

"It’s very clear that there’s a huge difference," Seleski said.

By Joshua Needelman

joshua.needelman@newsday.com

Joshua Needelman covers the Town of North Hempstead for Newsday. A Long Island native and University of Maryland graduate, his work has appeared in publications including The New York Times and The Washington Post.