North Hempstead to weigh Sbarro family's pitch to reimagine Inspiration Wharf

North Hempstead on Tuesday will consider plans for a mix of new housing and restaurants at Inspiration Wharf, a mini business district overlooking Manhasset Bay, where some residents fear restricted public access.

Developers Gianni and Gennaro Sbarro hope to turn the area into a mixed-use development, with nearly 40 units of housing and some restaurants. The Sbarro family is behind the eponymous global pizza chain.

While the Sbarros pitched the idea as a much-needed revitalization of a moribund business district, some residents fear it could lead to increased privatization of the waterfront.

Last year, the town board revised the town code to lessen restrictions for waterfront development. The board on Tuesday will consider a site plan and special use permit for the proposal.

A stipulation of the proposed agreement, town documents show, forbids restricting the public's access to the public "promenade," save for several exceptions.

The Sbarros did not respond to a request for comment through a spokesperson.

North Hempstead Town spokesperson Umberto Mignardi said in an emailed statement  "it would be inappropriate for Town officials to comment on the application in advance."

The town code for the waterfront district previously set requirements for different floors in mixed-use developments: There needed to be “retail, office, hotel/boatel and/or restaurant space” on the bottom floor, and “residential units” on the top levels.

In February 2025, the town board voted to remove the floor-specific requirement, stoking fears a developer could meet the "commercial" requirement with a private marina, which became an approved use in 2020.

Residents have also pointed to the Knickerbocker, a neighboring apartment complex in the district with a private promenade.

The Sbarros have told Newsday they have no interest in blocking access to the waterfront. Gianni Sbarro has said he wants to build a boardwalk that would connect to the bay walk in neighboring Port Washington North.

As a condition of approval, the developer must not restrict access to the "promenade," according to a town resolution, as a public space.

The resolution states the promenade must be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and access to it can only be limited "for issues related to safety, maintenance, or repairs." 

"The Applicant shall install and maintain wayfinding signage both within the property and near the front property line directing people to the public promenade and clearly showing the hours of operation," the resolution reads.

The legislation also requires the developer to file a "Public Access Easement Agreement" requiring "perpetual public access to the public promenade" before the town issues a building permit. 

Shahnaz Autz, president of the Mitchell Farms Neighborhood Association, which covers the residential area adjacent to the wharf, said in an interview she appreciates that the developers have “listened to the constituents and our concerns.” But she said the “language needs to be more precise.”

“We are hoping the board will reject this plan and that we can have a conversation about what is the most beneficial and thoughtful and future-minded plan for the waterfront.”

By Joshua Needelman

joshua.needelman@newsday.com

Joshua Needelman covers the Town of North Hempstead for Newsday. A Long Island native and University of Maryland graduate, his work has appeared in publications including The New York Times and The Washington Post.