Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi spent much of yesterday’s State of the County address discussing government consolidation and property tax relief, but also talked at length about responsible growth, calling for increased investment in downtowns that would attract new businesses and stem the exodus of young people from Long Island. This “New Suburbia” concept has been a theme of Suozzi’s during his entire tenure as county executive.
Suozzi emphasized the need to “expand our tax base, and create ‘cool downtowns’ that foster ideas, culture and education to attract young people and empty-nesters.” He recapped the progress made over the last year in putting “New Suburbia” into practice by working with town supervisors and city and village mayors to identify priority projects like as the Nassau Hub and the revitalization of the Village of Hempstead.
He also highlighted projects in downtowns like Great Neck, Rockville Centre and Garden City and expressed the need “to create more [downtowns] like these, with people living near the train station, and residents living and working in multi-story buildings within walking distance to fantastic restaurants and small shops owned by their neighbors.” All in all, Suozzi put forth a progressive vision with admirable, attainable, goals for the promotion of responsible growth.
Most notably, he urged the Town of Hempstead to move forward with the Nassau Hub project, a project that will redevelop the existing Nassau Coliseum area with mixed-use housing, a new sports complex, retail and open space. According to Suozzi, “this mega project will redefine our ‘New Suburbia,’ attract new high skill, high tech office space and bring young people to the center of our county.”
Unfortunately, there was no mention of how the County would mitigate traffic impacts from this project, an issue which was raised by the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, Vision Long Island, Sustainable Long Island, and the Long Island Progressive Coalition in a recent letter. The letter called for an updated Hub transportation study, as well as increased funding for Long Island Bus — another issue glaringly absent from the State of the County.
County Executive Suozzi has set a bold agenda and continues to move the discussion of a more sustainable “New Suburbia” from conceptual to practical. His efforts should be applauded. However, until he more comprehensively addresses smart growth issues, including the transportation impacts of his flagship project at the Nassau Hub, any excitement for future responsible development in Nassau County, and on Long Island, must be tempered.
Image: Rendering of residences in the “Lighthouse” project slated for the Nassau Hub (from project website).
Also, the hub could provide an excellent opportunity to finally get to work on the recreational multi-user trail that would follow the abandoned LI Motor Parkway and Central RR corridors east and west of the hub. Most major cities and suburbs already have such trails, or or in the process of building them. We have only 2, and they run north and south and do not bring people into or out of the population and work centers that exist or are proposed.
“Unfortunately, there was no mention of how the County would mitigate traffic impacts from this project, an issue which was raised by the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, Vision Long Island, Sustainable Long Island, and the Long Island Progressive Coalition in a recent letter. The letter called for an updated Hub transportation study, as well as increased funding for Long Island Bus — another issue glaringly absent from the State of the County.”
That, just about says it all!Concerened taxpayers and commuters need to look no further then the Glen Cove Ferry and Boat Basin, which is proposed for the CE’s home town.A project funded at $32 million,which proposes a reduction in service if not total ellimiination of the Oyster Bay branch of the LIRR.
Pamela Tamaddon
Prospect/Albin Traffic calming
[…] Bus by over 25%, from $10.5 million to $7.7 million. Given that County Executive Suozzi’s “New Suburbia” proposal depends on a robust transit network, this is a surprising […]