Is Harley Culture Getting a Bad Rap in N.Y.?
Town drags out Harley-Davidson dealership decision, and it’s starting to irk some of the bike-riding locals.
If you’re looking to start a business in New Hyde Park, New York, the process is fairly straightforward. That is, unless you’re looking to build a new Harley-Davidson dealership. In that case, you’re likely to face lengthy delays, red tape and public outcry — even with zero proof that anyone’s concerns are actually warranted.
That’s exactly what’s happening to Amir Jarrah, who wants to build a new 14,200 square foot Harley-Davidson dealership in New Hyde Park. Jarrah’s plans for the project have been on hold with the village’s Board of Trustees since October of 2015 after some residents expressed concerns.
This, despite the fact that Jarrah submitted a detailed study in August 2016 proving there would be no problems with noise levels, traffic, quality of life, or harm to property values in the area. The village hired an engineering firm to validate that study, but a final decision has yet to be made.
And the current owner of the property marked for the dealership, Jim Miller, thinks the board is dragging out their decision.
“It feels like they’re abusing the people behind the [Harley-Davidson] project,” Miller tells The Island Now. “It’s a great project but [it is] being treated unfairly.”
‘It feels like they’re abusing the people behind the [Harley-Davidson] project. It’s a great project but [it is] being treated unfairly.’
Miller also pointed out that other recently-opened New Hyde Park businesses, including Maserati and Suzuki car dealerships, had a much easier time obtaining approval from the board. New Hyde Mayor Robert Lofaro acknowledged that the decision is taking longer than usual. He blames part of the delay on a decision to change engineering firms to avoid a possible conflict of interest.
In reality, it’s just another example of the different set of rules that prospective Harley-Davidson dealerships must abide by. Whether or not those rules stem from unfair public perception remains up for debate. But it sure looks that way on the surface.
