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2010 Smart Growth Awards welcome 600 Long Island leaders, honor outstanding projects, people and plans

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Friday's Smart Growth luncheon Long Island's strongest yet

The 2010 Smart Growth Awards took place on Friday afternoon, June 18th at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury, NY. The event hosted 600 attendees from diverse sectors including business, labor, civic, government, advocacy and more. Vision Long Island's Executive Director Eric Alexander helped set the mood for the event by blasting metal music to encourage people to find their seats. The program was jam packed full of guest speakers, Awards presentations, lunch and an overall upbeat, energized room.

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Richie Kessel, CEO of the NY Power Authority and former Smart Growth Award recipient, gave a spirited start to the program by introducing all the elected officials in the room. They included: Hon. Tim Bishop, Congressman US House of Representatives; Gerry Petrella, Office of US Sen. Chuck Schumer; Kristin Walsh, Office of US Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand; Hon. Dean Murray, Hon. Mark Alessi, Hon. Andrew Raia and Hon. Brian Foley (via phone) NYS Assembly; Joe Galante, Deputy Comptroller for Intergovernmental Affairs; Michael Harrison, Office of Gov. David A. Paterson; Hon. John Kennedy, Hon. Tom Cilmi, Hon. Vivian Viloria-Fisher, Hon. Ed Romaine, Hon. Kate Browning, Suffolk County Legislature; Pat Halpin, former Suffolk County Executive; John Cameron, LI Regional Planning Council; Hon. Ed Mangano, Nassau County Executive; Hon. Dave Denenberg, Hon. Denise Ford, Hon. Wayne Wink, Nassau County Legislature; George Maragos, Nassau County Comptroller; Tom Gullotta, former Nassau County Executive, Hon. Steve Bellone, Supevisor, Town of Babylon; Hon. Mark Mayoka, Councilman, Town of Huntington; Hon. Phil Nolan, Supervisor, Town of Islip; Hon. Trish Bergin-Weichbrodt, Councilwoman, Town of Islip, Hon. Sean Walter, Supervisor, Town of Riverhead; Hon. Jodi Giglio, Councilwoman, Town of Riverhead; Hon. Jim Wooten, Councilman, Town of Riverhead; Hon. Anthony Macagnone, Councilman, Town of Oyster Bay; Hon. Jon Kaiman, Supervisor, Town of North Hempstead; Hon. Dot Goosby, Councilwoman, Town of North Hempstead; Hon. Ralph Suozzi, Mayor, City of Glen Cove; Hon. Jack Martins, Mayor, Village of Mineola; Hon. Ralph Scordino; Mayor, Village of Babylon; Hon. Robert Rothschild, Mayor, Garden City; Hon. Joan Boes, Mayor, Village of Island Park; Hon. James Ruzicka, Mayor, Village of Island Park; Hon. Jorge Martinez, Trustee, Village of Freeport; Hon. Tom Kehoe, Trustee, Village of Northport; and George Graf, former Mayor, Village of Farmingdale. Holi Haerr from Verizon FiOS 1 News emceed the event.

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Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano spoke as a special guest. After announcing that he was throwing away his prepared speech, he commenced a review of his accomplishments thus far as County Executive. He spoke carefully about the proposal to build a casino at the Nassau Coliseum site, saying that ignoring a proposal that could bring in 6,000 jobs would be "malpractice." He added, “the future of Long Island depends on how we act now. It is vital that both government and the private sector work together on immediate and long-term issues like Smart Growth initiatives, protecting our environment, and creating sustainable places to live, work, and play." Mangano noted that he was waiting to see what the Town of Hempstead would propose this summer as an alternative to the Lighthouse project.

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State Senator Brian X. Foley was scheduled to attend, but was needed for votes in Albany that day. However, the Senator gave the crowd a great treat when he called in during the program to announce, via speakerphone, the Senate's overwhelming passage of the Smart Growth Public Infrastructure Policy Act. The Act amends the Environmental Conservation Law to prioritize all state infrastructure spending toward projects that align with Smart Growth principles. It favors "fix-it-first" projects and authorizes each State infrastructure agency to create a Smart Growth advisory committee. The Act has passed the Assembly and the Governor is expected to sign it into law. The Act is one of a handful that the Long Island Lobby Day Coalition has been pushing forward. Many of the Coalition members were present in the room and were invited up on the dais to hear Senator Foley's news.

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U.S. Representative Tim Bishop was the keynote speaker and his speech demonstrated how he lives up to his Award for Regional Leadership. He applauded the new State Smart Growth bill and promised to work to push forward a new and substantive Surface Transportation bill (to replace what is now SAFETEA-LU). He also promised to continue fighting for sewer and transportation infrastructure funding. He closed with a caution against a tendency, in these times, to attack the role of the public sector. “I am honored to be recognized by a group that does so much to revitalize Long Island by empowering citizens to participate in the future of their communities,” said Congressman Bishop, a member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. “Vision Long Island is a valued partner in my goal of promoting environmentally responsible and economically sustainable development. Smart Growth is a term that gets thrown around a lot, but Vision Long Island understands that it’s not possible unless you listen to communities. ”

Dr. Nathalia Rogers of Dowling College introduced West Islip High School senior Kelly Douglas, a vocal member of March 2010 Long Island Youth Summit who is ready to take the reigns and lead the next generation of Smart Growth advocates. "For my entire life I lived in West Islip, a community without a downtown of its own... Fortunately, my friends and I are able to go to Babylon’s downtown for local shopping, restaurants and entertainment including the local movie theatre... However, I now have a growing concern for my future on Long Island, which includes the availability of affordable housing for a recent college graduate and the promise of a strong, viable economy on which to build a career, family and future on Long Island," she said. Douglas was one of many representatives from West Islip High School in the room. Many students from Dowling College were also present.

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Three Town Supervisors provided a preview on what their communities were doing. Supervisor Sean Walter of the Town of Riverhead hailed some of the Town's new revitalization efforts, and finished with a lofty goal to implement 2-day site plan approvals for any new project. Supervisor Steve Bellone of the Town of Babylon joked, "We'll do one-day approvals!" Bellone supported the Village of Babylon's Award for creating a sense of place, and also talked about new sewers coming to Wyandanch. Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jon Kaiman concluded by talking about some of his Town's goals and accomplishments, including a current planning study in Port Washington.

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Upcoming events include a transit-oriented development conference in Hicksville on September 15th with NYS Comptroller Tom DiNapoli and Babylon Supervisor Steve Bellone. The 9th annual Smart Growth Summit will be held Friday, November 19th at the Melville Marriott.

Videos of each of the honorees are available on our YouTube page. The Awards journal, handed out at the event, is available here.

To see press coverage, visit LI Business News and Glen Cove Patch.

crowd From left: Sergio Argueta, S.T.R.O.N.G. Youth, Inc.; Hon Kate Browning, Suffolk County Legislature; Hon. Ed Romaine, Suffolk County Legislature; Ron Stein, Vision Long Island; Dr. Nathalia Rogers, Dowling College; John Durso, LI Federation of Labor; Hon. Ralph Suozzi, City of Glen Cove; Richie Kessel, NYPA; Hon. Tim Bishop, US House of Representatives; George Maragos, Nassau County Comptroller; Eric Alexander, Vision Long Island; Adrienne Esposito, Citizens Campaign for the Environment; Peter Fleischer, Empire State Future; Kelly Douglas, LI Youth Summit; Hon. Jon Kaiman, Town of North Hempstead; Hon. Sean Walter, Town of Riverhead; Neal Lewis, Sustainability Institute at Molloy College; Hon. Steve Bellone, Town of Babylon; Jorge Martinez, LI Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Holli Haerr, Verizon FiOS 1 News.

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The honorees were announced by Holli Haerr of Verizon FiOS1 News:

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Regional Leadership: Hon. Tim Bishop, US Congress

United States Congressman Tim Bishop is being honored as a regional leader. The Congressman’s most notable Smart Growth achievements come from his work on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, through which he has been leading the charge to improve infrastructure, protect the environment, and put Long Islanders back to work. He is an advocate for a sustainable transportation, sewers, and communities across Long Island like Greenport, Patchogue and Mastic.

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Creating a mix of uses: Glen Cove Waterfront, RXR Glen Isle Partners

The Glen Cove Waterfront Redevelopment by RXR Glen Isle Partners receives the award for creating a mix of uses. The project will transform 56 acres of a brownfield site into a vibrant, walkable community. Planned uses for the site include various types of residential units, retail to service locals and visitors, office space, restaurants, a cultural arts and entertainment district, open space and public amenities, a new intra-city shuttle, walking and biking paths, a luxury hotel, marinas and much more.

Pictured: Michael Posillico, Posillico; Kelli Morris, City of Glen Cove; Hon. Ralph Suozzi, Mayor, City of Glen Cove; Don Monti, RXR Glen Isle Partners; Matt Frank, RXR Glen Isle Partners

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Transportation: Green Rt. 347, NYS Department of Transportation

The Award for Transportation goes to the New York State Department of Transportation for their Green Route 347. First announced in January 2009, the vision plan will focus on a 15-mile strip of Nesconset Highway, stretching from the end of the Northern State Parkway to Route 25A in Port Jefferson. The plan includes lowering the speed limit from 55mph to 45mph, narrower lane widths, enhancing sidewalks for pedestrians and bicyclists through a continuous shared use path, shorter street crossing distances and longer crosswalk times, new medians, and an effort to improve transit options along the corridor.

Pictured: Mark Bocamazo, Heather Sporn, NYS Department of Transportation

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Preserving Open Space & Environment: Hon. Kate Browning, Suffolk County Legislature

Hon. Ed Romaine, Suffolk County Legislature

The Award for preserving open space and environment goes to Suffolk County’s 3rd District Legislator, Kate Browning. Throughout her two terms in office, Legislator Browning has preserved over 600 acres of open space, for which Suffolk County has invested over $37 million. She has also been a leader in downtown revitalization and transit-oriented development projects, including revitalizing Mastic Beach and the redevelopment of the Montauk Highway corridor.

The Award for preserving open space and environment also goes to Suffolk County’s First District Legislator Ed Romaine. Legislator Romaine began his legacy as an environmental advocate when he authored Suffolk County’s first Clean Water Act. Since then he has initiated many policies that have had a positive effect on the environment. His top priorities include saving farmland and open space, preventing road runoff from contaminating our bays and waterways, enhancing health and transportation services on the East End, and more.

Pictured: Hon. Kate Browning, Suffolk County Legislature; Eric Alexander, Vision Long Island; Hon. Ed Romaine, Suffolk Coutny Legislature

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Reinvesting in and strengthening communities: "Buy Locally Campaign," Huntington Township Business Council

The Award for reinvesting in and strengthening communities goes to the Huntington Township Business Council for their “Buy Locally” Campaign. The campaign’s goal is to create an awareness of the importance of local business districts, and to stimulate the economy through increased spending locally. The core of the campaign is a simple concept --Buy Locally--because money spent in the community stays in the community. The Buy Locally Campaign has sparked similar campaigns in other areas in the region.

Pictured: Bob Bontempi, LIBC and Lisa Harris, Portofino Cafe

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Stakeholder Participation: Sergio Argueta, S.T.R.O.N.G. Youth, Inc.

The Award for stakeholder participation goes to Sergio Argueta of S.T.R.O.N.G. Youth, Inc. Argueta’s personal history of gang involvement led him to form S.T.R.O.N.G., a gang prevention and intervention agency that was built on the belief that the cure for our region’s gang epidemic is in educating and empowering communities to provide alternatives for our youth. In addition to his gang prevention advocacy, Argueta has launched two successful businesses: a screen printing and embroidery business which provides jobs for previously incarcerated and at-risk youth, and the Roadside Fire Grill, a converted food bus with a full commercial kitchen that travels all over Nassau County.

Pictured: Sergio Argueta and S.T.R.O.N.G. Youth

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Walkability: David Glass, NYS DOT Bike-Ped Coordinator (posthumously)

For promoting walkability, we are posthumously honoring David Glass. Glass worked for the New York State Department of Transportation for many years, collaborating to reform the agency from within to emphasize non-motorized transportation options As NYSDOT Region 10’s Regional Bicycle & Pedestrian Coordinator, he was responsible for bringing millions of dollars to Long Island for traffic calming and safe streets programs. He advocated tirelessly to enhance facilities for bicyclists and pedestrians on Long Island for over a decade.

Pictured: Herb, Mary and Janine Glass

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Sense of Place: Village of Babylon

The Village of Babylon is being honored for creating a sense of place. The Village has a long list of positive attributes that combine to create a vibrant, successful place, including: a beautiful and well designed downtown, good density, walkability, new housing near the train station, a successful retail strip that thrives despite the difficult economic climate, many great restaurants, local shopping and culture, good water quality, sewer planning for future growth, incorporation of historic preservation (i.e., the Post Office Cafe took over the old Post Office building) and an overall excellence in how the Village is maintained.

Pictured: Mayor Ralph Scordino with Tony DeVito and Kevin Muldowney, Village of Babylon

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Compact Design: The C, Freeport

The Award for compact design goes to “The C” in Freeport, a mixed-use project developed by the Signature Organization. The building is located on Guy Lombardo Avenue in Downtown Freeport, just a few blocks away from the Freeport train station. The project consists of three retail ground level units and five duplex residential upper level units. The C features a unique modern shape and utilizes environmentally friendly materials, including those with a high recycled content and materials made locally on Long Island. unique feature of The C is that its duplex apartments are designed and marketed toward individuals in their 20’s and 30’s. In addition, the project is expected to serve as a catalyst for the redevelopment and revitalization of Downtown Freeport.

Pictured: Muzzio Tallini

Providing a range of housing types: Summer Wind Square, Eastern Property Consultants, LLC and Suffolk County

For providing a range of housing types, Eastern Property Investor Consultants, LLC and Suffolk County are being recognized for the Summer Wind Square project in downtown Riverhead. Summer Wind will be a 4-story, mixed-use apartment building overlooking the Peconic river, off Peconic Avenue, at the site of two current aging buildings. The first floor will include a 100-seat restaurant and 5,700 square feet of retail space. One hundred percent of the 52 units will be affordable to accommodate workforce housing. Summer Wind is a major part of the overall revitalization of Downtown Riverhead by providing great apartments in a walkable, active community. The building is located in the heart of the downtown, so residents can easily walk to nearby restaurants, shopping, educational facilities and cultural activities.

Pictured: Ray Dickoff and Martin Sendlewski, Eastern Property Investor Consultants; Hon. Jodi Giglio, Councilwoman, Town of Riverhead

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Providing a range of housing types: Concern Riverhead, Concern for Independent Living

The Concern Riverhead by Concern for Independent Living is being honored for providing a range of housing. Concern Riverhead is a 50-unit Single-Site Supportive Housing program located at 260 West Main Street in Riverhead. The site was once a hotel, built in 1929, and later became poorly run adult home. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. In 2004, Concern for Independent Living purchased the 37,000 square foot, 4-story building and rehabilitated it into lowincome housing units. Concern utilized equity raised through Low-Income Housing Tax Credits from the NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal, as well as a grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York and a loan by the Community Preservation Corporation.

Pictured: Ralph Fasano & the Concern team

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Affordable Housing: Roosevelt Development Group and LI Housing Partnership

The Affordable Housing Development by Roosevelt Development Group and Long Island Housing Partnership is being honored for fostering clean energy and green building development. The project, located in the Village of Hempstead, will feature LEED platinum certification and makes a concerted effort to promote green building design and affordable housing in a downtown. The project features six green, affordable, owner-occupied townhouses and will serve as a pilot program that can be adapted elsewhere. The building’s design is made to work in the context of the local community, dovetailing on downtown revitalization efforts currently underway in the Village of Hempstead. At the same time, the project will provide several cutting-edge features.

Pictured: Roosevelt Development Group and Peter Elkowitz, LIHP

Heather Sporn, NYS DOT; Michael Harrison, Office of Gov. David A. Paterson; Eric Alexander, Vision Long Island; Mark Bocamazo, NYS DOT	John Durso, LI Federation of Labor; Dr. Nathalia Rogers, Dowling College; Adrienne Esposito, Citizens Campaign for the Environment; Richie Kessel, NYPA
Paul Fleischman, Newsday; Hon. Trish Bergin-Weichbrodt, Councilwoman, Town of Islip; and Holli Haerr, Verizon FiOS 1 News	Jessica Zanka, AKRF; Scott Howell, LIRR; and James McAllister
George Schramm, Lake Ronkonkoma Civic Association, Lionel Chitty, Hicksville Chamber of Commerce; Eric Alexander, Vision Long Island	Jorge Martinez, LI Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Village of Freeport Trustee, BCM Solutions, AmeriTrans Insurance
Richie Kessel, NYPA and Former Nassau County Executive Thomas Gulotta	Cara Longworth, Forchelli Law; Michael Puntillo, Jr., Jobco Organization
Hon. Steve Bellone, Supervisor, Town of Babylon and Hon. Jon Kaiman, Supervisor, Town of North Hempstead	George Maragos, Comptroller, Nassau County
Hon. Steve Bellone, Supervisor, Town of Babylon; Michael Posillico, Posillico; Hon. Ralph Scordino, Mayor, Village of Babylon	Bert Cunningham, NYPA; representative from Long Island Buisness News; Eric Alexander, Vision Long Island
Holli Haerr, Verizon FiOS 1 News; Eric Alexander, Vision Long Island; Hon Vivian Viloria-Fisher, Suffolk County Legislature	Keith Archer, Harras Bloom & Archer
Dick Koubek, Jobs With Justice; Roger Clayman, LI Federation of Labor; Lisa Tyson, LIPC	Hon. Tom Cilmi, Suffolk County Legislature
Adrienne Esposito, Ciitzens Campaign for the Environment; Richie Kessel, NYPA; Hon. Tim Bishop, US House of Representatives	David Berg, Cameron Engineering, APA-LI
West Islip HS teachers, Kelly Douglas, LI Youth Summit, West Islip High School; Dr. Nathalia Rogers and Dr. Elana Zolfo, Dowling College	Hon. Sean Walter, Supervisor, Town of Riverhead; Hon. Jodi Giglio, Councilwoman, Town of Riverhead; Ray Dickhoff and Martin Sendlewksi, Eastern Property Investment Consultants; Chris Kempner, Town of Riverhead
Esther Levi, Len Garden and Maria Rigopoulos, Trammell Crow Residential	Jorge Martinez, LI Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Village of Freeport Trustee, BCM Solutions, AmeriTrans Insurance
Trudy Fitzsimmons, Leadership Huntington; Jane Fasullo, Sierra Club	Hon. Jack Martins, Mayor, Village of Mineola and Joe Scalera, Village of Mineola
Phil Robertson and James Pavone, Hicksville Chamber; George Graf, Nassau County; and Ron Craig, VIllage of Lynbrook	Larry Levy, Hofstra University; Judy Panullo, Suffolk Community Council
Keith Samaroo, PS&S; John Keating, National Grid	Peter Fleischer, Empire State Future

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