Village of Hempstead moves closer to adopting an updated comprehensive development plan

In January 2006, the Village of Hempstead commenced its first attempt since 1993 to update its Comprehensive Development Plan. The focus of this update, however, has been the Village's Downtown, which had been devastated due in part to the two regional malls that emerged in neighboring towns. Some may remember the days when Downtown Hempstead was the HUB and central business district for much of Nassau County. This slow and steady decline over the years significantly impacted the fiscal base of the Village's economy. Because of the Village's centrality and connectivity attributes, it became a haven for those tax exempt entities that had a competitive advantage over tax paying ratables. The proliferation of sub-prime businesses became symptomatic of the growing perception of the Village's downtown being a less than desirable location, with increasing crime rates, older building stock, inadequate parking among others. The updated plan, which focused on an advocacy approach, was derived through a series of community visioning sessions. The goal ultimately was to build consensus among the various stakeholder groups and generate sustainable strategies for the long term growth and development of the Village. Most recently the Village appointed itself Lead Agency for the Environmental Review under SEQRA. The most important recommendations of the plan include the following: * Provide a 24-hour downtown, through residential development; * Provide for mixed-use development in the downtown; * Provide a range of residential options including mid-risk, with integrated parking; * Foster a pedestrian friendly environment with an inviting atmosphere created through attractive signage, street furniture, well maintained sidewalks, street lighting and landscaping; * Maximize development of underutilized lots. Once this plan is adopted after the completion of the SEQRA review, the Village will issue a Request for Proposal for its North Main Street Urban Renewal Area. All developers who had expressed interest are welcome to respond. The anticipated date for the issuance of RFP is late summer 2008. Claude Gooding is the commissioner of the Village of Hempstead CDA.