VHB and Town of Brookhaven honored

VHB and the Town of Brookhaven's Ronkonkoma Hub Transit Oriented Design (TOD) Study recently earned a Vision Long Island 2009 Smart Growth Award. The Ronkonkoma Hub TOD planning study is being recognized for providing transportation options and revitalizing a multi-block area around the Ronkonkoma Long Island Rail Road Station, the busiest along the entire LIRR system. "We envisioned that the Plan would set a new standard for planning and development opportunities around commuter rail stations on Long Island," said VHB director of planning Ken Schwartz. "VHB is pleased to share in this award with the Town of Brookhaven and would like to thank Vision Long Island for recognizing the progress the project has made toward achieving Smart Growth solutions for Long Island's communities." Working closely with the Town of Brookhaven, VHB developed a land use plan that provides a long-term development strategy establishing clear and predictable guidance for the revitalization of the area. "The Ronkonkoma Hub presents unique challenges and opportunities for Brookhaven's future," said Brookhaven town councilman Timothy Mazzei. "By carefully planning development of this area to incorporate the rail, air and ground transportation network that runs through the hub, we're creating job and business opportunities, as well as affordable housing, all within walking distance of mass transit." Setting significant milestones in Smart Growth, VHB's comprehensive land use plan for the Ronkonkoma station includes a comprehensive inventory, analysis and recommendations for zoning, parking, and circulation improvements. The Plan will be the guiding document for future mixed-use development around the station. Recommended changes to existing zoning will help promote transit-oriented development within vacant and/or under utilized parcels. "The Ronkonkoma Hub study addresses one of the most important redevelopment opportunities in Brookhaven," said Brookhaven town supervisor Mark Lesko. "Since we began this study, the Town has worked to bring all the stakeholders to the table and create a plan that addresses everyone's concerns. A wide span of private and public partnerships has been created, geared toward creating meaningful transit-oriented development." The Smart Growth Awards celebrate the people, projects, and policies advancing smart growth on Long Island. VHB and the Town of Brookhaven are one of eleven honorees chosen out of nearly fifty submissions received this year. Vision Long Island promotes more livable, economically sustainable, and environmentally responsible growth on Long Island through Smart Growth principles. The Smart Growth Awards Luncheon was held on June 19 at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury, N.Y.