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For over a decade, the site of the former Selden Batting & Grand Prix has become a blight for the Selden community.
Since closing around 2012, the lot had remained vacant and fallen victim to constant graffiti and vandalism, despite its past popularity as a go-kart and batting cage park.
Brookhaven Town Councilman Neil Manzella told Greater Long Island that as soon as he took office, his goal was to initiate plans to demolish the old structure and bring in something new.
“For as long as I can remember, this has been an eyesore,” Manzella said. “And it’s just gone downhill since.”
Located at 1117 Middle Country Road in Selden, right next to Independence Plaza, the property might be seeing a new building and tenant soon.
Manzella mentioned that there is a proposal underway for a car wash, with plans for access to be from the Home Depot parking lot rather than from Middle Country Road. This adjustment aims to reduce traffic on the already congested street.
“It’s a nice concept as long as the entrance is not on Middle Country Road,” Manzella said.
Discussions about selling the property date back to early fall, and at the end of October, Manzella joined developers to witness the demolition.
The project is still in the early planning stages, but Manzella is happy to finally see movement after all these years.
“I always want to redevelop vacant properties rather than build new,” he said. “If the car wash plan goes through, it will be good for the community because it won’t be an eye sore anymore.”
As for its neighbor, a vacant Checkers location, Manzella, in December, said he had spoken with the property owner and that there are plans to reopen the restaurant under the same brand.
“This lot was sold to a new owner who accepted my first call and we had a very pleasant conversation,” Manzella wrote on Facebook. “They immediately went out and cleaned up the garbage and the graffiti on the building and said they are planning to renovate and reopen as a Checkers.”
Keep checking back with Greater Long Island for more updates on the changes to the property.
Top: The former Selden Batting & Grand Prix has been demolished after being vacant for over a decade. (GLI Photo/Nicholas Esposito)
