The Village of New Hyde Park has developed preliminary plans to expand its Jericho Turnpike streetscape improvements using federal funding, if it’s available, to cover some of the cost, village officials said.
An initial engineer pegged construction costs at roughly $450,000 for the project, which would redo sidewalks, planters and medians along Jericho Turnpike between Hillside Boulevard and Cherry Lane, Village of New Hyde Park Trustee Donald Barbieri said.
“The last project ended at Hillside Boulevard,” Barbieri said. “We’re looking to continue a version of the project from Hillside Boulevard to the border with Floral Park at Cherry Lane.”
The village will seek federal funding from Community Development Block Grants, which the expanded area qualifies for based on census tracts, such as income level, Barbieri said. The strip did not qualify at the time the village began its previous beautification initiative.
“The area that we finished between Ingraham and Hillside Boulevard no longer qualifies to spend that kind of money, but the area now from Hillside Boulevard to Cherry Lane qualifies,” Barbieri said. “So I have this stretch on Jericho where we can do a piece of what we’ll call the streetscape aesthetic improvement to the area.”
Like the $1.46 million streetscape improvement project completed last year, he said, the village would once again seek funding from a variety of sources including the state, county and village.
“We’ll make it happen,” Barbieri said. “That’s what we did with the previous project. There was funding coming from everywhere.”
The next phase of streetscape improvements would likely be more modest than the initial round, and rather than full-blown brick pavers, the village may pursue a less expensive alternative like repairing sidewalks and stamping the concrete to look like brick pavers, Barbieri said.
“I don’t think we’re going to be able to get large additional funding like we had from Congresswoman (Carolyn) McCarthy 10 years ago,” Deputy Mayor Lawrence Montreuil said. “But I think that with a scope that’s not as aggressive we can still make it look very nice and continue the theme of improving the streetscape and making the New Hyde Park stretch of Jericho Turnpike more of a destination, more pedestrian friendly and more of a Main Street setting.”
The amount of federal funding available will play a large role in determining which route the village will eventually take, Barbieri said.
The next step for the village is developing plans and consulting three engineers for plans and pricing.
Barbieri said he does not expect construction to begin for at least two years, by the time the village develops plans, secures funding and picks a bid.
Barbieri and Montrieuil both said the past streetscape project contributed to the aesthetic of the village and a more business-friendly environment, encouraging new businesses such as Vortex Asian Bistro and a florist.
“They’re a great addition to the neighborhood, and I think both of these new businesses have come to New Hyde Park,” Montrieuil said. “It was always our plan that we would kickstart the economic development of the area with some public funds and then the private funds would follow.”
