Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposed 2020 budget includes $40 million toward the Nassau Hub, an ambitious $1.5 billion-dollar development project, he announced Friday in Woodbury.
The allotment is part of the $18.3 billion in New York’s 2020 budget that he wants to earmark for Long Island, he said.
The hub would be a neighbor of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
“From economic development to academia to transportation to the environment, our proposed budget includes the largest and most aggressive investment for Long Island in the history of the state of New York,” Cuomo said when announcing Long Island’s share Friday. “This year is not about plans and visions, it’s about getting big projects done and we will continue delivering results across the board with a balanced and on-time budget once again this year.”
In addition to the $40 million, the budget includes $6 million toward Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum improvements.
The state had already invested $85 million in the hub, which would add housing, shopping and other business amenities to create a destination downtown, particularly intended to attract younger working adults, developers BSE Global and RXR Realty told the county legislature in December.
The county Legislature unanimously voted later that month to approve the two companies to spearhead the project and draw up plans for the space.
Northwell Health is planning to have a new “Innovation Center,” which could include laboratories, research facilities and educational space, and be the hub’s anchor tenant.
Cuomo’s other commitments to Long Island in his proposed budget include completing modernization of 16 Long Island Rail Road passenger stations, two of which are in Floral Park and Great Neck, by the end of the year.
In May, the state will announce new wind projects offshore of Long Island, Cuomo said.
The $18.3 billion investment in Long Island is “the largest and most aggressive investment in Long Island in the history of the state of New York,” Cuomo said.
“This is the budget we want to pass,” he continued. “This year it’s not about plans. It’s not about visions. We know what needs to be done; we just have to get it done. And this year is the get it done year.”
