Pearsall project seeks condo conversion after legal victory
Developer wants to turn 98 approved rental units on Pearsall Avenue into condominiums, four years after Cedarhurst approval.
Four years after Cedarhurst approved the Pearsall Project, the developer is asking Lawrence's planning board to let it sell the planned rental units as condominiums. Pearsall Rock LLC, led by Tommy Lieberman, received Cedarhurst's approval in July 2022 after the village created an overlay district that changed zoning on the nearly 2.5-acre property.
The project stalled because of litigation tied to its location within 300 feet of Lawrence and unincorporated Town of Hempstead land. In September, the Appellate Division affirmed a lower court ruling that upheld the zoning change, finding the Lawrence School District lacked standing to sue. The plans call for three three-story buildings with 98 units and 221 parking spaces on Pearsall Avenue.
At a Sept. 9 planning board meeting, Pearsall Rock's attorney William Bonesso argued the application only changes ownership from one entity to individual condo owners. Several residents, including Shoshana Tauber and Saul Friedman, supported the conversion for homeownership and downsizing opportunities. Others opposed it, citing traffic and infrastructure concerns.