VILLAGE OF LAKE SUCCESS OPENS NEW VILLAGE HALL & COMMUNITY BUILDING

Residents of the Village of Lake Success are enjoying the fitness center, restaurant and catering facility in their new $8.5 million Community Building and Village Hall located on Lakeville Road in Lake Success, New York. Lake Success, situated just east of the Queens-Nassau border on Long Island’s north shore, is a small but prestigious community that was once the headquarters of the United Nations.

The construction began in April 2001 with the demolition of almost the entire Vanderbilt Mansion and was completed within fifteen months. The original home built in the 1920’s remains having been refurbished inside and out. The new building construction consists of concrete foundations, metal stud exterior walls with EIFS (exterior insulation finish system) and GFRC panels, and asphalt shingle and EPDM roofs.

The lobby and reception area is finished with wood trim and crown moldings. The wood panels that adorn the walls were the original lockers installed in 1940. Marble tile floors covered with lavish rugs, couches, tables
and lamps and the refurbished gold-leafed “Egyptian” table that greeted visitors in the old building complete the décor. Most rooms, including the corridors and the banquet room are wallpapered.

The banquet room, designed to accommodate 250 guests is carpeted and adorned in wood trim and crown molding. There are extensive windows overlooking the lake and a 1,800 square foot bluestone terrace. A folding partition can be opened to accommodate smaller parties or for hosting two events simultaneously. A full service kitchen, restaurant, and bar complete the first floor of the community center portion of the building.

Replacing the old golf course clubhouse, the lower level includes a fitness center where private trainers use state-of-the-art equipment, an attendant area for golfers, steam and sauna rooms, and men and women’s locker rooms. Locker rooms include full and half height mahogany lockers with shelving, a mirror and a safe provided in each; fluorescent cove lights installed above the lockers; carpeted benches; grooming stations for men and make-up stations for women. Both locker rooms have a steam and sauna with showers, granite counters and lounge areas complete with televisions, sofas and chairs.

The second floor, which previously housed the locker rooms and attendant’s station, was converted to a caretaker’s apartment, bridal suite and caterer’s office.

With the contracts awarded $500,000 under budget, the Village was able to enhance the facility with bluestone pavers on the terraces, a larger parking lot, added moldings and upgraded wall finishes and lockers.

The first event held at the building was a charity golf outing, benefiting the New York City Firemen’s Children and Widows Fund on July 15, 2002. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and actors Dennis Quaid and Jerry Orbach attended the celebrity fundraiser. Mayor Robert Bernstein hosted the official dedication ceremony, held on July 21st. An estimated 575 guests that included officials from neighboring towns and villages, and the school district were in attendance as well as representatives from county government, who gave congratulatory speeches and presented the Village trustees with inscribed plaques on behalf of their offices.