23rd Annual LI Smart Growth Awards Spotlights the Results of Local Planning

“Nearly 700 business, civic and government leaders set to celebrate the work of local planning for critical projects in downtown revitalization, affordable housing, walkability & infrastructure”

Continuing Vision Long Island’s long-time practice of honoring Long Island development projects, community leaders, non-profits and municipalities which promote downtown revitalization efforts, the 23rd Annual LI Smart Growth Awards took place Friday, June 14th, at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury. The event brought together nearly 700 local civic groups, chambers, municipal governments, elected officials, walkability advocates, human services and infrastructure professionals from over 50 downtowns across Long Island.

Opening the awards ceremony was Eric Alexander, Director of Vision Long Island and founder of the Long Island Main Street Alliance. “Welcome everyone to the 23rd Annual Long Island Smart Growth Awards,” Mr. Alexander boomed, greeting the honorees and attendees.

Tawaun Whitty, Director of Operations of Vision Long Island, acknowledged with heartfelt thanks the sponsors who made this event possible, including Platinum Sponsor, National Grid; Gold Sponsor, RXR; and Silver Sponsors, AT&T, M&T Bank, B2K Development, Terwilliger & Bartone, St. Joseph’s University, Concern, PSEG Long Island, VHB Engineers, Third Street Associates, Heartland Business Center, Cameron Engineering, Mill Creek Residential, G2D Group, H2M Architects & Engineers, and Southwest Airlines. The many Bronze Sponsors were also thanked. “There are so many supporters of Vision Long Island and this event in this room today,” Ms. Whitty stated.

Discussing all that is happening on Long Island, Mr. Alexander stated, “There are one hundred business districts on Long Island, forty five have done at least one multifamily housing project. Fifty of them have revitalization plans. 17,500 units of multifamily housing have been approved since 2006. 10,000 units are going through the planning process now. Twenty communities are pushing sewers, thirty communities are pushing walkable streets and in eighty communities, there are over 400 community events. A lot is happening on Long Island.”

Featured Remarks

	Suffolk County Executive Edward Romaine “Good morning, and congratulations to all the winners that we are going to celebrate today at the Smart Growth Awards,” Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine said via a taped introduction. “This is a tremendous gathering to talk about what we can do to revitalize our downtowns and to make sure Long Island continues to be a great place to live, work and play.”
	Suffolk County Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey “I want to thank everyone here that supports Smart Growth on Long Island,” Presiding Officer McCaffrey stated. “Suffolk County is doing its part. We have approved sewers for Kings Park and Huntington Station. We will be taking the first step in putting up a ballot referendum that will fund $50 million of revenue each year towards clean water.”
	Nassau County Comptroller Elaine Phillips “I learned more about government by being a trustee and mayor of my village,” Ms. Phillips explained. “That is where I learned to be a public servant. I look at the room and I think what drives Long Island is sales tax revenue, so for all the businesses out there, thank you.”
	New York State Senator Mario Mattera “We are doing our part, but we need to bring the money back home from Albany,” the Senator stated. “We have to make sure infrastructure is key."
	National Grid External Affairs Director Brian Sapp “National Grid is really proud to sponsor Vision Long Island,” Mr. Sapp stated. “National Grid is a leader in energy transition. We plan to be 100% fossil free by 2050, but we can’t do that without each and every one of you. We look forward to partnering with you in the years ahead.”
	NYS Senator Jack Martins “Housing has been a priority in Albany. We can agree on that need. What we disagree on is that there is a one size fits all top down approach to housing which has been pushed the last two years and has failed because we here on Long Island know a couple of things about building affordable housing. The priority on Long Island is to build locally, where it makes sense.”

You can view a video the full Awards Ceremony here, and a Photo Gallery here.

You can check out our Journal for this year's Long Island Smart Growth Awards here.

Congratulations To This Year’s Distinguished Honorees!

More transportation choices lead to better health, stronger communities, and an improved environment. In the Town of Huntington, resident transportation choices include the Huntington Area Rapid Transit (HART), a municipal transit agency that provides public transportation services within the Town of Huntington.

The Town of Huntington operates regularly scheduled, ADA-accessible Fixed-Route buses for the general public, as well as Paratransit for disabled persons and non-driving senior citizen residents who cannot use services offered to the general public.

One distinctive feature of HART is there is no need to wait at a bus station. A rider can hail a HART bus anywhere along its route and use a chime to notify the driver when they want to debark the bus. What also makes HART’s bus routes so versatile and expansive is its connectivity to neighboring bus systems operated by Suffolk County Transit, Nassau Inter-County Express and the Long Island Rail Road.

Transportation choices can influence development, increase property values, and shape a neighborhood's character. It also has a positive impact on air and water quality, climate change, and open space preservation. The Town of Huntington, through its Huntington Area Rapid Transit, is affording the residents of Huntington all of these benefits.

“Huntington is a well run town,” Huntington Supervisor Ed Smyth explained. “I inherited a great administration and I thank them all.”

You can view the video showcasing our honoree here.

This three-story, 20 residential unit apartment building, to be sited on 37 West Cherry Street in Hicksville, is less than a half mile from the LIRR and directly adjacent to the William Bennett Hicksville Community Center.

With a 10% affordable component, the building will have an enclosed structured parking on the ground level, amenities and a lobby line with West Cherry, providing an active pedestrian experience in this revitalized Hicksville neighborhood. The L-shaped building frames the corner of Cherry Street and the Access Drive into the Hicksville Community. The second level landscaped deck will also provide amenities and a place for quiet recreation for all residents.

As part of the Hicksville Downtown Gateway Transition District HD-II, this project is an example of the kind of redevelopment that can occur within middle zones, where a smaller project can provide a real solution for a community in need of quality housing in walking distance to transit.

The development team, the design team and the town worked to provide a solution that was properly scaled, architecturally fitting into the neighborhood.

Accepting the award, Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino stated, “This is the template. This is the right way to do it, to encourage the stakeholders to take part in planning.”

You can view the video showcasing our honoree here.

The Baldwin community has long recognized its unique assets, including its diversity, its short commute to New York City, and the quality recreational opportunities it enjoys. With the Town of Hempstead’s adoption of an overlay zoning district in 2019, developers are now investing in projects generating rental housing and new commercial space along the 1.4 miles of the Grand Avenue corridor that stretches from Merrick Road to Stanton Avenue.

One developer’s plans that will begin the revitalization of Baldwin’s downtown is G2D Group’s $28 million transit-oriented project, which will bring 54 apartments and commercial space just steps from the Baldwin Long Island Railroad station.

The project, located at 2238 Grand Avenue on the east side of Grand Avenue, will bring a four-story, mixed-use building with 12 one-bedroom units and 42 two-bedroom units, with approximately 2,344 square feet of ground floor commercial space. The project will earmark a percentage of its affordable units to people with autism and other disabilities, opening up housing opportunities for all community members.

Daniel Wiener. Director of Acquisitions for G2D, described how setting aside a portion of units for adults with disabilities is near and dear to the company’s heart. “We will continue to do so in our projects here on Long Island,” Mr. Weiner pledged.

You can view the video showcasing our honoree here.

Historic Centennial Hall in Floral Park, an 8,500-square-foot, four-columned Greek Revival building, at the intersection of Carnation Avenue and Tulip Avenue, was built in 1925. It was used primarily as a Masonic Temple, but soon it will be home to a $10.9 million, 24-unit apartment complex, close to the Village of Floral Park’s downtown and a block away from the Floral Park Long Island Rail Road station.

The village purchased Centennial Hall in 2005 for $1.5 million. Once determining it was unfit for governmental use, the property was ultimately sold to the Friedman Group, a Hewlett-based real estate developer, in July 2018 for $1.2 million as part of a contract that would preserve the facade of the former temple and restrict it to residential uses for 30 years.

The project, planned locally, will consist of 12 two-bedroom apartments and 12 one-bedroom apartments on the .48-acre site. One Carnation Avenue brings both sorely need quality rental housing rentals to Floral Park, as well as stimulating downtown economic development. Vision Long Island extends its warmest congratulations to the Village of Floral Park and the Friedman Group.

“We really encourage Long Island to continue with this type of development. It is very much needed,” Ryan Friedman told those in attendance.

You can view the video showcasing our honoree here.

Utilizing the Town of Islip’s Downtown Development District zoning, which allows for the removal of blighted properties and the redevelopment of a quality residential mixed-use building, Greenview Properties is planning a 222,000 square foot, four-story apartment building with 140 senior (55 and older) rental apartments, with 9,900 square foot commercial space on the ground level, and 21,000 square foot, and nine non-age restricted ownership townhouses.

The site is located on the north of Union Boulevard between 2nd Avenue and 3rd Avenue. The apartment building is designed to have parking beneath the residential units. Amenities will include storage room, fitness and mail rooms, roof patio, other outdoor amenities and a landscaped garden.

There will be a minimum of 20% of the total units deemed affordable, meaning at least 28 apartment units and two townhouse units. This $50 million transit oriented development apartment building is within .25 miles of the LIRR Bay Shore station, and Suffolk County bus routes run adjacent to or are a short walk from the property.

You can view the video showcasing our honoree here.

No matter the need, some things just take time, but they are worth the wait. This sentiment rightly reflects redevelopment efforts of the long-shuttered New York State Central Islip Psychiatric Center, originally home to the hospital over 135 years ago. The first phase of this $300 million development project, called The Belmont at Eastview, affords 354 units of housing on the 87 acres site, adjacent to the Long Island Ducks ballpark on Carleton Avenue in Central Islip.

Bethpage-based Steel Equities is now hard at work on the second phase of the project, which will bring an additional 281 rental apartments and 81 for-sale condominiums for people aged 55 and over. It will also add a commercial component, including nearly 55,000 square feet of retail space, an 18,000-square-foot grocery store, a three-story, 40,000-square-foot medical office building, and the transformation of several existing structures on the property to create an entertainment venue and a home for the NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine Family Healthcare Center.

What makes this development exceptionally successful is the developer and the Town of Islip’s willingness to listen to the community.

You can view the video showcasing our honoree here.

Community leaders have a profound impact both within their communities and in our broader society.

They understand the unique needs, challenges, and aspirations of community members and it is their vision and advocacy that drives positive change in the lives of many. Sister Mary Reid of Bay Shore is one such leader, dedicating her life to serving others in Bay Shore, the Town of Islip, and the broader Suffolk County community.

Born in North Carolina, Mary has lived in Bay Shore since 1947. After retiring from Pilgrim Psychiatric Center in 1995, her efforts to improve the lives of people in her community and surrounding areas grew. Her decades of volunteerism is extensive, including her activities with the First Baptist Church of Bay Shore, establishing a revitalization committee, holding positions on the Brentwood Public Library Board of Trustees, the Long Island Retiree Chapter of PEF, and the Islip Housing Authority. She is a member of the NAACP and is a grants committee member of the LI Fund for Women & Girls.

Mary’s volunteer activities are wide-ranging, spanning from civil rights, to education, social services, affordable housing, downtown revitalization, women’s issues, and labor relations. She stands constant in dignity, good grace and humor, earning the respect and admiration of her colleagues, family and friends.

“Community service is in my blood. My mom started us when we were young. We always volunteered. Those are my roots. At 87 years old, I am still volunteering,” Sister Mary Reid explained. “We have to love each other if we are going to make it.”

You can view the video showcasing our honoree here.

Nassau County Legislature Siela Bynoe was first elected to the Legislature in a special election in 2014. A former member of the Westbury School Board and a former executive director of the Huntington Housing Authority, she graduated LIU Post with a master’s degree in public administration. Legislator Bynoe’s tenure in the Nassau County Legislature has been dynamic in many areas, none more remarkable than in the area of walkability and safe streets. Legislator Bynoe has been the driving force behind the securement of $69 million in capital funds for infrastructure upgrades in her legislative district, including for roads in Westbury, Hempstead and Lakeview.

With a keen understanding how to make her voice heard in the echo chamber of local government, her commitment to marshal resources necessary to enhance the services and safety of her constituents is unwavering.

Because of Legislator Bynoe’s steady dedication to deliver safe roadways to her district, along with her collaborative work with all levels of government and community stakeholders, Nassau County a better and safer place to live, work and play.

Talking about the issue of reimagining roads, Legislator Bynoe stated, “I have been working on this during my tenure as a legislator and I have been mindful to ensure that we are investing in a form of equity across the district.”

You can view the video showcasing our honoree here.

Georgica Green Ventures, the developer on this $34 million project, and the Town of Brookhaven worked collectively to move this transformative, community driven project forward, breaking ground in May of 2024. Fulfilling a very important need for the greater Patchogue community, The Grove will not only bring affordable and supportive housing to East Patchogue, but it will also help energize the East Patchogue corridor.

The three-building, 55-unit mixed-use, affordable and supportive housing development at 400 East Main Street will have one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. Proposed rents start at $1,227 for the five one-bedroom units reserved for people earning no more than 50% of area median income, which is $53,900 for an individual. Three-bedroom units will rent from $1,671 to $2,994, depending on the tenant’s income. The development will includes 17 apartments for residents in need of support services, provided by New Ground Inc., a Long Island-based non-profit.

The Grove sits atop land rezoned by the town of Brookhaven, in line with its Montauk Highway Corridor Revitalization Plan to reduce blight and enhance neighborhood walkability. It includes nearly 1,000 square feet in commercial space along East Patchogue’s walkable downtown. The Grove adds affordable and supportive housing, as it grows East Patchogue’s walkable downtown.

Shannon Boyle, Executive Director for New Ground, noted, “Affordable housing on Long Island is not easy. Georgica Green is dedicated to building as much affordable and workforce housing as is necessary to keep young Long Islanders on Long Island, working, growing and making this the best community possible. We are grateful to them for also recognizing that we need supportive housing for our most vulnerable.”

You can view the video showcasing our honoree here.

Port Jefferson Crossing, part of the longtime transit-oriented development plan to revitalize the Upper Port neighborhood in the Village of Port Jefferson, has injected over forty rental apartments based on median income to the area.

The $24 million project on Main Street is directly across from the LIRR Port Jefferson station. Developed by Conifer Realty, in partnership with the Community Development Corporation of Long Island, it was the first project built under the Village’s zoning district which allows for greater density and height along Main Street. It has also been the catalyst for both continued affordable housing and economic redevelopment in the Upper Port area.

The three-story mixed use development, with underground parking and over 3,200 square feet of ground level retail space, is a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments available to those earning between 30 percent and 95 percent of the area median income. Five apartments are restricted to people earning 30% of the area median income or less; 29 one-bedroom apartments allow household income up to 60% of the area median; and several units allow incomes up to 95% of the area median. There are also five adapted mobility and visually impaired units.

“The community welcomed us with open arms,” stated Rogelio Pine, Vice President of Development at Conifer Realty. “We believe in a community based approach where we work collaboratively through every step of the development process.”

You can view the video showcasing our honoree here.

D&F Development Group proposes to build a $44 million affordable senior housing project on .69 acres of the .98-acre parcel of the Refuge Apostolic Church of Christ at 106 Broadway in Freeport. The development will be called the Bishop Ronald H. Carter Manor, in honor of the longtime leader of the church who died in November of 2022.

The five-story, 76,669-square-foot 80 unit residential apartment building is a 100% affordable project. The development includes eight units (four one-bedroom and four two-bedroom) at 30% of AMI, which will be Section 8; 48 one-bedroom units at 50% of AMI (40 units of which are for Frail Elderly/Senior); 23 one-bedroom units at 60% of AMI; and one superintendent’s unit. It will have a community room, lounge and outdoor courtyard, as well as below-ground and ground-level parking for 94 cars.

Bishop Carter’s vision for the Freeport community has been the driving force behind the project. This development will not only help meet the tremendous need on LI for affordable housing, but also helps those who are most vulnerable, the frail and elderly.

Village of Freeport Mayor Robert Kennedy stated, “I am honored to be here today to celebrate Bishop Ronald H. Carter Manor. Affirmative housing is the key to economic development.”

You can view the video showcasing our honoree here.

Across New York, homeowners face the challenges of rising costs and aging in place. Regulations often limit what homeowners can do with their property, often forcing families to move farther away from their loved ones or to live in uncomfortably cramped houses.

The Plus One ADU Program is an initiative to help address these problems by providing grants to local government and not-for-profit organizations committed to crafting community-specific programs for generating safe, quality ADUs. It provides a full-service program to support low- and middle-income single-family homeowner occupants who wish to build a new ADU on their property or improve an existing ADU that needs to be brought into compliance.

By working with local government and community development partners, including the Long Island Housing Partnership, this pilot program helps families, including seniors hoping to spend their retirement years in their chosen neighborhood, young parents in need of space for their in-laws, families with children returning from college, and homeowners looking for an extra source of income.

James Britz, Executive Vice President & COO of the Long Island Housing Partnership stated, “We have been promised that funding will continue for years to come if it is a successful program, which we hope it will be.”

You can view the video showcasing our honoree here.

Following the completion of its merger with Suez North America, Veolia North America now operates Nassau County's wastewater treatment plants and sewers. Veolia Water Long Island (VWLI) operates three water treatment plants, Cedar Creek, Glen Cove, and Bay Park (now called South Shore). With Nassau County, they work to identify and solve water quality issues using different technologies. Since 2015, VWLI has identified over 2,500 assets that have issues, from low to high priority.

Locally, VWLI is involved in many charitable and educational events. Some include partnering with America’s VetDogs which provide service dogs for veterans and first responders, partnering with Marine Corps Toys for Tots, and offering tour programs to students.

Everything Veolia Water Long Island does has a direct effect on the environment. From minimizing its own impacts by treating, conserving and recycling wastewater, to implementing water reuse programs, or partnering with local environmental organizations, each engagement contributes to a stronger social network and a healthier environment

Vice President of Veolia Long Island, Vincent Desiderio, told the attendees, “It really takes a lot for what we do. The underground infrastructure is out of sight, out of mind, but it’s my team’s hard work that makes sure everything flows and the environment is well and good.”

You can view the video showcasing our honoree here.

From commercial fishing to recreational uses, water is an integral part of life on Long Island. The mission of the of the Suffolk County Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Marine Program is to protect these waters and provide a clean environment for our fish, fowl, and plants.

The program’s goals include engaging local communities in the vital effort to improve water quality, habitat, and shellfish populations on Long Island. Projects are designed to bring back the Island’s once thriving eelgrass and shellfish populations, ensure the commercial fishing industry continues to thrive while limiting bycatch, provide public education about stormwater runoff, and introduce young people to marine sciences and marine life on Long Island.

CCE Suffolk’s popular Back To The Bays Initiative has made significant progress in enhancing the health of Long Island’s local waterways. The Marine Program of the Suffolk County Cornell Cooperative Extension is making a key difference in the health of Long Island’s waters.

Christopher Pickerell, Director of Suffolk County Cornell Cooperative Extension, explained they work with every town on Long Island. “We are celebrating our shellfish program today.” Shellfish are a keynote species on Long Island, without them, our waters would be in a lot of trouble.

You can view the video showcasing our honoree here.

Hofstra University’s new $76.8 million state-of-the-art Science & Innovation Center offers the most up-to-date education and training for the engineers and nurses of tomorrow, helping to meet the workforce goals and economic growth of Long Island and New York State.

Nurturing the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers, the 75,000-square-foot facility is shared by the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies and the DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science. The energy-efficient, four-story new construction has been designed to maximize hands-on learning and team collaboration, and incorporate the latest technology.

Projects of this scope, with the ambition of meeting the challenges of the next century, are only realized through successful partnerships. Here, Cameron Engineering, an IMEG company, provided structural, MEP, fire protection, and civil services for the building.

You can view the video showcasing our honoree here.

The cooperation, trust, and regular communication between community members and their government leaders is the cornerstone of every healthy community. This statement is not just a sentiment but is at the heart of Fred Thiele’s life in public office.

Fred W. Thiele, Jr. is a lifelong resident of Sag Harbor. Mr. Thiele was Southampton Town Attorney and in November 1987, he was elected to the Suffolk County Legislature. His career in public service only grew from there. In 1991, he was elected to serve as Southampton Town Supervisor and in 1995, he was elected to the New York State Assembly, representing the South and North Forks of Eastern Long Island.

Assemblyman Thiele’s many accomplishments include authoring legislation creating the Peconic Bay Community Preservation Fund Act, promoting environmental initiatives to improve water quality, preserving farmland, and promoting state acquisition of critical environmental parcels. Mr. Thiele has also focused on affordable housing. During the 2019 Session, the Legislature passed his bill to permit the Peconic Bay region towns to establish Community Housing Funds, which provides up to $20 million annually to provide financial assistance and new housing opportunities for local residents.

After almost 30 years in the State Assembly, Assemblyman Thiele will not be seeking reelection, but is looking forward to other opportunities to continue to serve his community.

You can view the video showcasing our honoree here.

Bernard Macias, Associate State Director of AARP Long Island, and the many AARP LI volunteers, work and walk tirelessly to make Long Island pedestrian-safe for not only the senior population of our communities, but for all community members, from parents with strollers, to children walking to school.

AARP has sponsored over 20 walk audits in communities around Long Island, from Rockville Center to the Shinnecock Tribal Nation. Working with Vision Long Island, locations are selected where residents are walking. These areas include train stations, parks, schools, libraries, and shopping destinations. Areas are chosen where road conditions have led to a significant number of crashes involving people walking or biking.

Each walk is approximately a mile in length and looks at road and sidewalk conditions, intersection geometries, level of comfort/stress, driver speeds and other factors. It is a methodical assessment of how friendly an area is for pedestrians and bicyclists. The observations are documented and recommendations for improvements are developed into a report that is presented to involved community organizations and local elected officials.

Mr. Macias and the AARP volunteers recognize Long Island communities are often designed for automobile travel, with very little consideration given to the needs of pedestrians of all ages. Their dedicated work is changing this dangerous reality.

“Long Island’s roads are some of the most dangerous in the state. We have done twenty walking audits with AARP and they have been fantastic to work with,” Elissa Kyle. Placemaking Director at Vision Long Island, explained. “They help make our roads safer all across Long Island.”