Bids have been opened from two contractors for approximately $1.5 million vying for the final phase of upgrading the New Hyde Park business district under the Operation Mainstreet project and work could begin early next month.
Village of New Hyde Park Trustee Donald Barbieri said the board is currently conducting “due diligence” on the low bidder, Bohemia-based J Anthony Enterprises, which submitted a bid of $1.46 million.
Bethpage-based New York Paving submitted a bid of $1.52 million, Barberi reported at Tuesday night’s village board meeting.
“The bids came in at a level where we think we can finish the project,” Barbieri said.
The final phase of Operation Mainstreet plans, designed by Saratoga Associates, include bulb-outs – rounded corners that would extend slightly into the roadway – to be added at locations yet to be determined, along with installation of solid medians with plantings and access to water sources to maintain the plantings.
Benches will also be installed on sidewalks, which would be paved with the same rustic red brickwork already in place in some sections of the road near the intersection of Jericho Turnpike and Lakeville Road.
The New Hyde Park project is being funded through a federal transportation appropriation of $1.425 million secured by U.S. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy under the community block grant program.
“It’s the slow process of utilizing the federal funds. We’re in the home stretch,” said Barbieri, who had been seeking a green light on the project from the state Department of Transportation for the past several months.
The village will coordinate its work with repaving of Jericho to be done by the DOT in August, Barbieri said. The DOT contractor, Flushing-based Tully Construction, has been resurfacing Jericho between Herricks Road and Glen Cove Road in the first phase of a $21.1 million DOT project aimed at improving the roadway and increasing pedestrian and motorist safety. Installation of count-down traffic lights by the DOT to make Jericho safer to cross, will precede the work the village will commission.
In other developments:
• Nassau County Police Deputy Inspector Robert Musetich, deputy commander of the 3rd Precinct, reported the police had issued a summons for disorderly conduct on June 15 to Empire Billiards on 1215 Jericho Turnpike in response to a complaint about excessive noise from a resident. Musetich said the summons would require Empire’s owner to appear at an administrative hearing before the state Liquor Authority.
Empire recently received two summonses from the village, one for operating without a permit, which it was to answer on Wednesday night in village court.
New Hyde Park Mayor Robert Lofaro said the village board had recently met with Inspector Sean McCarthy, commanding officer of the 3rd Precinct to “develop some ideas” to address recurrent incidents involving excessive noise and violence at Empire Billiards.
• Barbieri said the village board is planning to restrict evening parking on the west side of Memorial Park to address late-night disturbances neighbors have reported with teenagers congregating in the area. One resident suggested the village post signs prohibiting loitering in the area.
“I don’t know if we’re prepared now to start with ‘No loitering’,” Lofaro said.
Nassau County Police officer Nick Mosesso, the local problem-oriented policing officer, suggested village officials canvas the neighborhood before imposing new parking restrictions.
“If you don’t know ahead of time what the residents want, then you could be stuck,” Mosesso said.
Lofaro said village officials will speak to residents on Albert, Lincon and Williams streets around the park before acting.
• Lofaro said the village is expecting reimbursements from the Federal Emergency Management Agency of $650,000 from costs incurred during and after Hurricane Sandy. He had originally estimated the village would receive $300,000 to cover damages sustained during the storm, but FEMA representatives said the village could submit claims for overtime pay and other expenses related to the cleanup.
Village Trustee Donna Squicciarino reported the village recently received two checks from FEMA for $750 and $1,187 for damage to village parks.
• Barbieri said the summer lineup of concerts in Memorial Park include: Disney’s Camp Rock Musical on July 10 at 7 p.m.; Stages, a concert of classic rock, disco and ethnic music styles on July 24 at 7 p.m.; and Abba Girlz, an Abba tribute band on Aug. 14 at 7 p.m. The July 24 concert is sponsored by Joe Palazzolo & Son with Applebees sponsoring the Abba Girlz show. A magic show, The Magic of Amore, will conclude the free live performances in the park oh Aug. 27.
Barbieri also reported auditions for a children’s play, “The Princess That Had No Name” will be held on Thursday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. this week. Local director Marilyn MacLean will be directing the production for a fall run in the William Gill Theatre on the second floor of New Hyde Park Village Hall.
