Residents: Neighborhood construction digs up old dumping ground

Some Great Neck homeowners have health-related concerns stemming from new houses being built in their neighborhood.

Eight new homes are being built on land that used to be an old dumping ground, according to Tom Toomla, who's lived there since the 1960s. He's now worried about how the project could impact his health.

"The original owner of the property in the '60s was using this as a landfill," he says.

Homeowners don't have a problem with the new homes being built, but they say they're concerned about what is being disturbed when machines dig up debris, including some piled up along a fence line.

Toomla says he feels fine now, but he wants to make sure the work is being done properly and won't have long-term, negative effects. He says he's reached out to the Village of Great Neck for assurance that the project is safe, but hasn't been able to get in touch with anyone.

News 12 tried to speak with the village mayor Friday night, but he said he was unavailable to discuss the matter until after the Jewish Sabbath.

However, John Angelitas, of Great Neck, says he's been at village meetings during the permit process and is not concerned about his health or safety.

"They were very thorough in looking at every aspect," he says.

News 12 reached out to the planning and design company that issued a notice to homeowners in the neighborhood about the project, as well as the construction company, but those calls were not returned.