Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino today announced that the Town of Oyster Bay was awarded a $150,000 in competitive Transit-Oriented Development grant funds from the Nassau County Office of Community Development to assist in redevelopment of downtown Hicksville. These funds will be used to beautify the downtown and improve safety for pedestrians traversing the area to access parking and local stores.
Supervisor Saladino stated, “Downtown Hicksville is on the edge of a renaissance thanks to a commitment from the Town of Oyster Bay, New York State and the private sector. We will transform the downtown area into a vibrant destination with new housing opportunities, local jobs and open space. I thank Nassau County for investing these Federal dollars in the project as they will assist us with pedestrian safety improvements and beautification initiatives.”
Under the leadership of Supervisor Saladino and the Town Board, Hicksville was awarded nearly $10 million in New York State Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) grants for revitalization of the downtown area near the Hicksville Long Island Rail Road station. These State funds will support increased access to transportation, improve walkability, and attract new housing opportunities. These projects, along with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s $132 million investment in the rail road station, will continue to transform Hicksville into a vibrant destination for millennials, families and senior citizens alike.
This February, a new transit-oriented development will open at 35 Broadway, replacing formerly vacant commercial space with 18 residential units above a “Work Smart” office-sharing concept on the ground floor. To attract private sector investments, the Town of Oyster Bay applied for and received approval for State tax credits to be offered to developers willing to remediate Brownfields and blighted areas in downtown. Additionally, the Town is reviewing zoning changes to complement this revitalization initiative.
Councilman Lou Imbroto added, “The award of this new transit-oriented grant from Nassau County is just yet another sign that Hicksville is in the midst of a revival, one that will help transform it into an important transit hub that fosters smart growth throughout our area while creating jobs and new housing opportunities for residents.”