In a unanimous vote, the North Hempstead Town Board approved a change of zone to pave the way for a new senior affordable-housing complex.

The 72-apartment complex would be built on the old Mt. Olive Baptist Church property on Community Drive and High Street in Manhasset.

The approved site has previously been contaminated with metals, lead and arsenic.

Representatives for the developer, G&G Acquisitions, told the board Tuesday night that the benefits to redeveloping the area goes beyond cleaning up the contamination. They say the property will be able to generate tax revenue for the town, county and school district.

The church had enjoyed a tax-exempt status and was not in a position to remediate the environmental conditions.

The developer must still go through a site plan review, get a zoning variance and then remediation will begin. There is no timeline yet on when construction may start.