TD Bank Requests Public Comment Be Closed on Town Application

An attorney for TD Bank requested Wednesday night that the Town of Huntington Planning Board close public comment on the company's site plan application. This action would further clear the way for the demolition of the and replace it with a bank branch with three lanes of drive-through service.

"I think you can tell by the lack of people here that we have support," the bank's attorney, John Armantino of Farrell and Fritz, said of the sparsely populated meeting room.

Board Chair Paul Mandelik, said the board would ponder that request but had reservations.

"We'll take it under consideration. It is a gateway site in to the Village of Huntington," Mandelik told Amantino. "We may not be ready to make a decision. We may want to consider holding another public hearing because of changes they've incorporated in what, I believe, is such a positive way."

"It is certainly a great improvement," Board member Jane Devine said.

The plan to demolish the building owned by Joe Willen won zoning board approval in December.

Residents have resisted its demolition, both for what some saw as the  building's historical value and because of concerns about traffic congestion and the safety of area children.

The Town Board voted down a resolution to schedule public hearing, despite vociferous opponents at its March 8 meeting and the project moved on.

The planning board made architectural requests it felt would make the style more in keeping with the Colonial-era style of downtown Huntington Village and used the TD Bank in Glen Head as well as the as examples. 

"It certainly looks as if they're going in the direction of something that is compatible to other businesses in downtown," said Mandelik.

One item board members requested be tweaked further are the size and shape of the second-story windows.

"Have you brought up the second story windows with the applicant?" Devine asked Assistant to the Planning Director Steven Haber.

"I e-mailed comments to [Armantino] the other day but I think TD Bank has its own idea of their brand," Haber said.

Devine was undeterred.

"Well we have a brand here in Huntington and it's an elongated second-story window," she said and also expressed a desire for awnings.

"We did receive the comments, " architect Douglas Cohen of Bergmennn Associates, said. "And we did take them to heart. We sat down and worked through the design and played with the proportions. We did alter the windows above the entrance and we increased height of storefront at the entrance and raised the four punched windows higher. But given the proportions, putting awnings on the upper windows didn't feel right.”

Cohen urged the board to trust TD. “We feel strongly about this. We love your town and want to be good neighbors here."

Armantino said one item on which they couldn't compromise is the sign.

"We aren't modifying that," he said. "That's the trademark of TD."

The board reserved decision.