Downtown

Revitalization

Initiative

Hicksville

An Office of the New York Department of State

Local Planning Committee

Meeting 2 – November 16

Downtown Revitalization Initiative

•Committee Discussion • Vision Statement • Goals • Public Engagement Plan • RFIs from Private Sector Interests • Project Ideas • Next Steps

Agenda

‘Our goal is the creation of a vibrant downtown area that returns to its “main street” character while improving upon opportunities for local business owners, new housing markets to create a model community, and with emphasis on walkability, open spaces, places to congregate and engaging commuters to view Hicksville as a destination and not merely a transit hub.’

Vision Statement

1. Create public open spaces in Downtown

2. Reduce traffic impacts to protect pedestrians and calm traffic

Goals

1. Promote walkability to capitalize on Hicksville’s high level of connectivity

2. Re-configure parking to leverage land use for people-centric activities

Goals

3.

4.

1. Support business activity and provide new housing in Downtown

2. Foster design quality to enhance the character of Downtown

Goals

5.

6.

Key Comments from Public Meeting November 9th 2017

1. Reduce Congestion

2. Walkability

3. Small Local Business

4. Pedestrian Amenities

5. Landscaping

6. Green Space

7. Bicycle Infrastructure

8. Housing Options

9. Pedestrian Plaza

10. Pedestrian Bridge

11. Quality of Life

12. Community Gathering Space

Less Support:

12. Elevated Public Space

13. Farmer’s Market

14. More Parking

15. Hospitality Industry

16. Transit Oriented Development

17. Historical Connections

18. Bike Racks

19. Art Space

20. At Grade Crossings

•Public Workshops • Public Workshop 1 – District Priorities • Public Workshop 2 – District Projects • Public Workshop 3 – Strategic Investments

•Mobile Workshops

•Key Stakeholder Interviews

Public Engagement Plan

•A few DRI communities actively sought projects ideas from the private sector

•A Call for Projects process is being considered for Hicksville

Call for Projects – Private Sector

•Downtown Walking Path

•Mini Parks

•Elevated Community Space (highline)

•Pedestrian Plaza (event space)

•Complete Streets Plan

•Signage Program

Project Ideas from DRI Application

Opportunity: (For Discussion)

• Need for the community to have Downtown that feels coherent

• Connecting the Hicksville Public Amenities

• Define local roads which can then take on a character that is treated similarly, and is recognizable as such for both walking and biking

Hicksville Downtown Walking Path

Challenges: (For Discussion)

• Too thinly spread to affect a changed perception of Downtown

• Not the creation of addresses or settings for new development

• Needs to be a completed system to succeed

• Politics of which streets to define and getting a consensus

Hicksville Downtown Walking Path

Hicksville Downtown Path

Gregory Museum

Hicksville Train Station

Hicksville Public Library

Hicksville Community Center

Hicksville Athletic Center Je

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.

Opportunity: (For Discussion)

• Greatly enhance the walking experience in the whole of Downtown

• Possibilities for theming with distinct character, different places in Downtown

• Opportunity to coordinate with new development, connecting to public realm ideas

Hicksville Downtown – Mini Parks

Challenges: (For Discussion)

• Staying within the public right-of-way limits what the parks can be

• Too thinly spread to have an impact on downtown

• Continued attractiveness will require extensive

maintenance

• Will need cooperation from adjoining properties

Hicksville Downtown – Mini Parks

Mini Parks

Gregory Museum

Hicksville Train Station

Hicksville Public Library

Hicksville Community Center

Hicksville Athletic Center

Suggested Mini Parks

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Opportunity: (For Discussion)

• Keep commuters on a level walkway which is pleasant, convenient and takes away pedestrian/vehicular conflicts

• Combine with an intermediate-level attractive plaza

• Capture the 2-3 million per year commuters in a well-

designed setting that can be added to with appealing amenities

Hicksville Station – Elevated Path

Challenges: (For Discussion)

• Will be at the cost of having as many pedestrians as possible on street level

• Problem of growth further from the elevated platform wanting to enhance street environment

• Has succeeded (Huntington) where people have better access from platform to the parked car, defeating the goal of having people spend time in Downtown

• Ideal is multiple points of entry

Hicksville Station – Elevated Path

Elevated Community Space

Barclay St

Jeru

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Kennedy Park

Hicksville Station

From the North

From the South

Rt. 106, Rt. 107 and Jerusalem Ave. cross under the Rail

AVOID VEHICULAR CONFLICTS

AVOID VEHICULAR/PEDESTRIAN CONFLICTS

15

’0”

North South Section Station – Existing Conditions

Existing Station Section: Circulation

How to separate pedestrians ?

Huntington Station

Go above the Rail to connect everything

How to connect to the Platforms?

Above the Rail

Investigate a mezzanine Level

How to connect to the Platforms?

Investigate a Mezzanine

Elevate over Rt. 106

Up

Up

Headroom over Rt. 106

Find a way for Headroom over Rt. 106

Elevated Event Plaza

Barclay St

Jeru

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ve

Kennedy Park

Hicksville Station

Elevated Event Plaza

Terrace from ‘High Line’ to the Community Event Plaza

Terrace Down to Event Plaza Event Plaza – Parking below

Elevated Community Space Options

Mezzanine Option

Above the Rail Option

Event Plaza – Parking below

Event Plaza

Mezzanine

Connect to Barclay St.

Barclay St JFK Park

Event Plaza Section

Elevated ‘High Line’ to Raised Public Plaza to Barclay’s St.

Rail Station with Overpass Event Plaza – Parking Below Barclay St

Opportunity: (For Discussion)

• Sites South of the Railway are primed for redevelopment • Nelson Ave potential for a Special Place close to the

Station • Blocks are appropriate scale for Mixed-Use, New Housing • Potential to connect to an expanded JFK Park • Connects to Historic Broadway • Potentially connects to the Gregory Museum

Create Center around Nelson Ave.

Challenges: (For Discussion)

• Needs the commitment of the property owners and public to work together to maintain the integrity of the vision for the long term

• Needs another layer of ‘operation’ to incentivize public amenity and maintenance

• Needs a traffic entry/service approach to investigate the potential of making Nelson Ave pedestrian only.

• Commitment to making the Elevated Rail Structure part of an attractive environment, up to the Gregory Museum.

Create Center around Nelson Ave.

Nelson Ave District and JFK Park.

JFK Park

Gregory Museum

Jerusalem

Ave.

Nelson Ave District extends to Gregory Museum

Nelson Ave District extends to Gregory Museum

Combination of ‘High Line’, Elevated Park and Nelson Ave, District.

•Committee Discussion

Other Project Ideas

December 13

District Projects •Local Planning Committee Meeting 3

•Public Workshop 2

Next Steps

December 13, 2017

5pm to 6:30pm

Hicksville Athletic Center 167 Broadway

Hicksville, NY 11801

LPC Meeting 3

December 13, 2017

7pm to 9pm

Hicksville Community Center

28 W. Carl Street

Hicksville, NY 11801

DRI Public Workshop 2

Thank You

Downtown Revitalization Initiative