HEMPSTEAD, NY- The Hempstead Village Planning Board on April 15 approved a proposal by Amenity Development Holdings, LLC, a real estate company based on 5th Avenue in Manhattan, to build a seven-story self storage facility at 46 Greenwich St. in Hempstead Village.

The building was once a funeral home and is now unoccupied. It is across the street from Nassau Rehabilitation and Nursing Center and south of Greenwich St. and Peninsula Blvd.

Rev. Reginald Benjamin of the Judea United Baptist Church (located next to the site) said he supported the proposal because he believed it would create jobs for community members. The church has a job training program that has over 1,200 people looking for work.

Alex Catalano, executive director of Amenity LLC, said the storage facility will create 100 construction jobs. Catalano is unsure when construction will begin, but said he expects construction to take about 18 months.

Nassau County currently has the lowest unemployment rate in New York, according to statistics from the state labor department.

“This is something that I think is going to greatly benefit our community and get more of those young men and women off the streets into a career-oriented job,” Benjamin said.

The storage facility will also include a business center that is open to the public. The church plans to use it for job training.

The proposal was initially approved by the Hempstead Village Board of Zoning Appeals. Even though this was not a final step, the ruling by the Board of Zoning Appeals is good news for the company. “The planning board is more likely to accept if the board of zoning has approved,” Zoning Appeals Board member Raymond Rhoden said.