Vision Long Island

09/04/2026

Here is the September edition of the LI Main Street News e-newsletter which includes a round up of community projects, new housing redevelopments, LI Greenway progress, downtown and community events calendar and LI Main Street News interviews.

In the middle of the newsletter look for a incomplete listing of 9/11 events across Long Island as well commemorating the 25th Anniversary of the terrorists attacks on NYC.

Vision Board, staff and LI Main Street Alliance members have been out and about this summer and, despite a world of division that is sold to us daily, we are continually heartened by the collaboration and spirit of local community members working together on amazing projects!

Check it out and hope everyone has a fantastic Labor Day weekend with friends, family and neighbors in your community.

Brought to you by, Vision Long Island

09/03/2026

We are headed to the 25th Anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on NYC. This year there are at least 50 events in Long Island communities and downtowns commemorating the loss of loved ones.

Here is an incomplete list of events. Please email us at [email protected] for any additional events we missed.

Nassau County

Bethpage

Bethpage 9/11 remembrance ceremonies. The Bethpage Fire Department will hold its annual 9-11 remembrance ceremony on Sunday Sept 6,2026 in front of fire headquarters at 225 Broadway at 10am. In addition the Bethpage community will be holding a 9-11 ceremony on Saturday September 12, 2026 at 7pm at the 9/11 monument located on Stewart Ave and the LIRR tracks.
https://www.facebook.com/100064855594019/posts/as-the-25th-anniversary-of-911-approaches-we-would-like-to-remind-the-community-/1515604627278043/

Village of East Williston

9-11 Memorial Service, Friday, September 11, 2026 at 7:00 PM.
https://eastwilliston.gov/index.asp?SEC=B6C4D0BF-5961-4536-B79A-77D16A0C9583&DE=89BC933D-D331-487D-A016-85BCD386C631

Village of Farmingdale

The Farmingdale United Methodist Church, 407 Main Street, will hold a Remembrance Service at 9:30 AM on Sunday, September 6, 2026, the 25th anniversary of 9-11. Following the service flowers will be laid on the Memorial Tree dedicated to Lt. Christopher P. Sullivan, FDNY, who generously led our Nursery School children in fire safety. All Farmingdale firemen/emergency responders and their families are invited to attend, as is the general public.
https://www.farmingdalenychamber.org/news/details/news-release-8-12-2026-08-12-2026

Farmingdale 9/11 remembrance ceremony at Farmingdale Public Library (September 10, 2026), 6 PM. Farmingdale Remembers - Join the Farmingdale Community Summit, officials, local community members, organizations & others on Thursday 9/10 at Farmingdale Public Library.
https://www.facebook.com/farmingdalenychamber/posts/farmingdale-remembers-join-the-farmingdale-community-summit-officials-local-comm/1488350963321657/

Village of Floral Park

Incorporated Village of Floral Park will host its 25th Anniversary 9/11 Memorial Service on September 11, 2026, at 8:30 AM, 9/11 Relic Steel Monument.
https://floralparkny.gov/news/25th-anniversary-9-11-memorial-service/

Village of Freeport

The Incorporated Village of Freeport and the Freeport Fire Department will host their annual 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony on Friday, September 11, 2026, beginning at 7:00 PM, South Bayview Avenue Traffic Circle (in front of Bayview Hose Co. Firehouse No. 3), Freeport.
https://www.facebook.com/freeportfd/posts/1430216465877067/

Village of Garden City

The Garden City Fire Department will hold its annual 9/11 Remembrance Service on Friday, September 11, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. on the Village Green.
https://www.gcnews.com/

Village of Great Neck Plaza

The local 25th-anniversary 9/11 commemoration for the Great Neck community will be held by Temple Israel of Great Neck on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at the Saddle Rock 9/11 Memorial Bridge (Bayview Avenue, next to the library.
https://www.tign.org/happenings/calendar/

Town of Hempstead

Town of Hempstead 9/11 sunrise memorial 25 years later. Friday, September 11 at 7:30 a.m. at Town Park Point Lookout for our Sunrise Memorial Service, honoring those who lost their lives and those whose courage and sacrifice helped carry our nation through one of its darkest days.
https://www.facebook.com/HempsteadTown/posts/this-year-marks-25-years-since-september-11-2001-supervisor-john-ferretti-and-th/1491265239713432/

Village of Hempstead

9/11 - Celebrating Legacy, the Village of Hempstead will be celebrating a 9/11 legacy. This will take place at Denton Green on 9/11/2024 at 6pm.
https://www.villageofhempstead.org/Calendar.aspx?EID=2149

Hicksville

Hicksville Fire Department 25th Remembrance of September 11 with Memorial Mass and Ceremony Community Observances will be held September 11 and September 13, 2026. Friday, September 11, 2026, at 7 p.m. Holy Family Church, Fordham Avenue, Hicksville. Sunday, September 13, 2026, at 10 a.m. Strong Street Fire Station Memorial, Hicksville.
https://hicksvillefd.com/hicksville-fire-department-announces-25th-remembrance-of-september-11-with-memorial-mass-and-ceremony/

City of Long Beach

9/11 Remembrance Memorial Service, Friday, September 11, 2026. The City of Long Beach and the Long Beach Fire Department will hold a ceremony to pay tribute to the victims and honor the first responders; firefighters, police, rescue, and military members who’ve died following the attacks while protecting our freedoms and our way of life. The event will commence at 7:00pm on West Park Avenue at Lafayette Blvd.
https://www.longbeachny.gov/?DE=A16F8779-4BB4-4B87-9B1C-1513D51B1731&SEC=3B2FBA1A-DF24-4F0C-9964-B8F658D4F579&utm_source=chatgpt.com

Village of Lynbrook
The annual September 11 memorial service for the Incorporated Village of Lynbrook is traditionally held at the 9/11 Memorial Garden located behind Lynbrook Village Hall at 1 Columbus Drive, 6 PM.
https://lynbrookvillage.gov/announcements/9-11-memorial-service/

Village of Malverne

The Village of Malverne will host its annual 9/11 25th Anniversary Candlelight Vigil and Remembrance Ceremony on Friday, September 11, 2026, at 6:00 PM at the Gazebo at Reese Park on Church Street.
https://www.malvernevillage.gov/village-calendar

Massapequa Park

The Village of Massapequa Park will hold its annual 9/11 remembrance ceremony on Friday, September 11, 2026, at 7:00 PM at the 9/11 monument in front of Village Hall, located at 151 Front Street, Massapequa Park.
https://masspkny.gov/event/court-trials-117?instance_id=1446

Village of Mineola

9/11: Another Day That Will Live in Infamy — 6:30–8:00 PM, Mineola Memorial Library, 195 Marcellus Rd., Mineola.
https://mineola.librarycalendar.com/events/month?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Town of North Hempstead

September 11th Memorial Service at Manhasset Valley Park. The Town of North Hempstead invites residents to its September 11th Memorial Service at Manhasset Valley Park. The service starts promptly at 8:30 a.m., so if you plan on attending, please arrive by 8:15 a.m.
https://www.facebook.com/townofnorthhempstead/posts/the-town-of-north-hempstead-invites-residents-to-our-september-11th-memorial-ser/1524302819727095/

Town of Oyster Bay

Town of Oyster Bay Ceremony: Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino and the Town Board invite residents to the Town’s Annual September 11th Memorial Ceremony scheduled for Wednesday, September 9th at 7:00 p.m. at TOBAY Beach.
https://oysterbaytown.com/town-to-host-9-11-walls-of-honor-ceremony-september-9th-at-tobay-beach-2/

Plainview

9/11 Interfaith Remembrance Service in Plainview, NY on September 10, 2026, St. Pius X RC Parish on Thursday, September 10 at 7:00 PM.
https://www.facebook.com/LegislatorArnoldWDrucker/posts/join-st-pius-x-rc-parish-on-thursday-september-10-at-700-pm-for-the-911-interfai/1674964574638105/

Port Washington

The 25th-anniversary 9/11 Memorial Event in Port Washington is hosted by the Port Washington VFW on Friday, September 11, 2026, from 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM.
https://portwashingtonvfw.org/event/september-11-2026-memorial-event/

Village of Rockville Centre

A special 25th anniversary commemoration, Friday, September 11, 2026, 6:00 PM, Village Green, Corner of Lee Avenue & Maple Avenue.
https://www.facebook.com/VillageofRockvilleCentre/posts/the-village-of-rockville-centre-invites-residents-to-join-us-as-we-come-together/1655853293219923/

Village of Valley Stream

Friday, September 11th for our annual 9-11 Memorial Service in Hendrickson Park, 6 PM.
https://www.facebook.com/valley.stream.5/posts/please-join-us-on-friday-september-11th-for-our-annual-9-11-memorial-service-in-/1399431779028456/

Village of Westbury

A special 25th-anniversary 9/11 remembrance Mass will be held on September 11, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at the Catholic Cemeteries of Long Island September 11 Memorial located at the Cemetery of the Holy Rood in Westbury.
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1412530147408171

September 11, 2001, A Community Comes Together in Westbury, Join Westbury Arts from August 23 through September 25, 2026 for a powerful 25th-anniversary exhibition: “September 11, 2001, A community comes together.” Exhibition hours are September 11: 11 AM to 7 PM, Thursdays 12 PM to 4 PM, Fridays 2 PM to 6 PM, Saturdays 10 AM to 2 PM. The gallery is located at 255 Schenck Avenue, Westbury.
https://www.westburyarts.org/?fbclid=IwY2xjawUD5jdwZG9mBWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAGJyaWQRMU9ZYkp1MEM0WXFpZ3A2NjhzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeKXpVl5Ud0oA1hgSTJg_rcNsySUQbLDeWs_rkSoVl07S8BM7-XmWHQXKebdo_aem_SVzjmhmpXsB2ffXKIpcruQ

The Village of Williston Park

9/11 MEMORIAL A NIGHT OF REMEMBRANCE, Kelleher Memorial Field Friday, September 11th 7:30 pm.
https://www.willistonparkny.gov/home/events/11496

Suffolk County

Village of Amityville

Village 9/11 Memorial Service, 4:30 PM, Amityville Fire Department 9/11 Memorial Plaza, 55 W. Oak St., Amityville.
https://amityville.gov/calendar.aspx?view=list&year=2026&month=9&day=11

Centereach

Memorial Ceremony, Friday, September 11, 2026, 7:00 PM, Centereach Fire Department, 9 South Washington Avenue, Centereach.
https://www.facebook.com/61576264760636/posts/122193304904875492/

Center Moriches

Center Moriches Fire Department 9-11 Memorial Services, Center Moriches Fire Department - Main Street, Friday, September 11, 2026, 6:00 PM to 6:30 PM.
https://www.centermorichesfd.com/apps/public/events/eventView.cfm?Event_ID=5

Commack

25th anniversary remembrance ceremony begins at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 11, and will include a 500-drone patriotic light show, symbolizing the spirit of remembrance, resilience, and American unity. The community is invited to attend. Commack High School.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Dceq3icibBa/

Deer Park

Memorial Mass — 11:00 AM, Cyril & Methodius Church, Remembrance Ceremony — 1:00 PM
Deer Park Fire Department, 94 Lake Avenue, Deer Park.
https://www.facebook.com/deerparknyfd/

Hauppauge

Remembering 9/11 — 25 Years Later. On September 11, 2026, Suffolk County Fire Rescue and Emergency Services will join Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine and our community at the H. Lee Dennison Building as we pause to honor, reflect, and remember the lives lost on September 11, 2001. H. Lee Dennison Building, Friday, September 11, 2026, 12:00 PM.
https://www.facebook.com/SCFRES/posts/remembering-911-25-years-later-on-september-11-2026-suffolk-county-fire-rescue-a/1491994789624324/

Village of Huntington

9/11 25th Anniversary Commemorative Service, on Thursday, September 10th at Heckscher Park at 5 PM. Seating will be available for the ceremony.
https://www.huntingtonny.gov/news/?FeedID=6478

Village of Lindenhurst

9/11 Service, September 11, 2026 7:00 pm, 9-11 Memorial Garden
https://villageoflindenhurstny.gov/resources/events-calendar/

Medford

25th Anniversary of September 11, 2001, 6:00 PM, Medford Fireman’s Park.
https://www.facebook.com/medfordfireny/

Melville

25th Anniversary September 11 Memorial Service, 7:00–8:00 PM, Melville Volunteer Fire Department Substation #3, 274 Old Country Rd., Melville, World Trade Center Monument.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Huntingtonmatters/posts/24964906469760639/

Nesconset

Annual 9/11 Naming Ceremony – September 12, 2026, Saturday, September 12, 2026 at 10:00 AM, Corner of Smithtown Blvd and Gibbs Pond Rd.
https://fealgoodfoundation.com/events_custom/annual-9-11-naming-ceremony-september-12-2026/

Village of Northport

Northport 9/11 Memorial Ceremony, Annual community remembrance. September 10th at 6:00 PM in the Village Park.
https://northportny.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/08172026_THURSDAY-SEPTEMBER-10-2026.pdf

Village of Patchogue

The Congregational Church of Patchogue will offer a solemn yet joyous service of remembrance on Friday, September 11 at 11AM. 95 E Main St, Patchogue.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1829434821556380/?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[%7B%22surface%22%3A%22external_search_engine%22%7D%2C%7B%22mechanism%22%3A%22attachment%22%2C%22surface%22%3A%22newsfeed%22%7D]%2C%22ref_notif_type%22%3Anull%7D

Village of Port Jefferson

25th Anniversary tribute to the brave first responders, and reflect on the strength and unity of our nation. Friday, September 11, 2026, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM, Harborfront Park at the Port Jefferson Village Harbor (Behind the Village Center).
https://www.facebook.com/OSDIAVIGIANO/

Riverhead

The Town of Riverhead commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks with a memorial ceremony on September 11 at 10:00 a.m. at the Calverton 9/11 Memorial, located at the corner of Edwards Avenue and Riley Avenue in Calverton.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://townofriverheadny.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3817/8-19-26---25-Year-Anniversary-Memorial-Ceremony-for-Sept-11&ved=2ahUKEwjouaufkryWAxUTGVkFHUcYMI4QFnoECB0QAQ&usg=AOvVaw3gRtwBZu79SE746Tu2pyYW

Sayville/West Sayville

Commemoration hosted by the West Sayville Fire Department (Tully Hose Co. #1) on Friday, September 11, 2026, at 6:30 PM out front of the firehouse.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Db0ZVK7RJfy/

Smithtown

The annual September 11th Remembrance Ceremony on Thursday, September 10, 2026, at 6:30 PM at the Long Beach Pavilion in Nissequogue.

St. James

The St. James Fire Department invites the community to its annual September 11th Memorial Ceremony on Friday, September 11, at 6:00 PM at the St. James 9/11 Memorial on Woodlawn Avenue.
https://www.facebook.com/saintjamesfd/photos/st-james-fire-department-to-hold-25th-anniversary-911-memorial-ceremonythe-st-ja/1477383781097226/

Setauket & Stony Brook Village

Memorial Service, September 11, 2026, at 7:00 PM, Three Village 9/11 Memorial Park (Setauket Fire Department, 394 Nicolls Rd)
https://www.facebook.com/StonyBrookFD/posts/please-join-us-as-we-gather-to-pay-our-respects-honor-the-fallen-and-fulfill-our/1401853958754013/

Stony Brook University

Stony Brook University Commemorations: Stony Brook is hosting a series titled "In the Shadows of the Twin Towers," beginning with a kickoff talk on September 9, 2026, at 12:30 p.m. in the Humanities Institute. Additional events include 9/11: An American Requiem at the Staller Center on September 10 and a symbolic 110-story stair climb at LaValle Stadium on September 13.
https://calendar.stonybrook.edu/site/humanities-institute/?view=list&search=y

West Islip

911 Ceremony - Dorthe's Island at the Higbie & Udall Merge, Sep 11, 2026, 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM, West Islip, Higbie Ln & Udall Rd, West Islip.
https://www.westislipchamber.org/events

08/29/2026

Shared Office Space Opens In Garden City

The Franklin, a 19,160-square-foot, three-story structure situated on Franklin Avenue in Garden City, recently enjoyed a ceremonial ribbon-cutting ceremony. The Franklin, which is just a short walk from the Long Island Rail, is the long awaited renovation of a circa-1950s, long-vacant office building whose redevelopment was years in the making.

Featuring flexible suites, shared office space, state-of-the-art lounge areas and virtual office memberships, the renovated boutique property kicks off with 14 tenant businesses. It is already bringing new energy and opportunity to the town, noted Garden City Chamber of Commerce President John Wilton. “It is a wonderful addition to our business community,” he added. “We look forward to supporting The Franklin and its tenants as they grow and become an important part of our local business community.”

Click here to learn more.

Discover the Ideal Modern Workspace Environment at The Franklin The Franklin, situated on Franklin Avenue in Garden City, NY, provides unmatched convenience, as it is just a short walk from the Nassau County seat, the Long Island Rail Road, courthouses, and numerous prestigious companies. Newly buil...

08/29/2026

Long Island Sound Community Impact Fund 2027 RFA

The Long Island Sound Community Impact Fund (LISCIF), a partnership among Restore America’s Estuaries, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Long Island Sound Partnership, is opening its fourth round of funding, with Letters of Intent due November 20, 2026, by 4:00 PM EST.

Up to $1,200,000 in competitive funding will be awarded to support projects in New York and Connecticut. Projects must incorporate Actions of the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) and be located in the LIS watershed.

The purpose of LISCIF is to provide technical and financial assistance to communities for addressing environmental issues and to improve the quality and accessibility of the Long Island Sound. Technical assistance will be provided through LISCIF and is available to communities/organizations even if one does not submit a proposal for funding.

For 2027, LISCIF’s main funding themes are:
• Clean Waters and Healthy Watersheds
• Thriving Habitats and Abundant Wildlife
• Sustainable and Resilient Communities
• Informed and Engaged Public

Informational Webinars will be held Tuesday, September 8 – 10:00 am EST and Wednesday, September 17 – 2:00 pm EST.

More information will be forthcoming on September 1, 2026. Click here for details.

Long Island Sound Community Impact Fund 2027 RFA

08/29/2026

$4.5 Million In Funding To South Shore Estuary and Resiliency Projects

The New York Department of State has announced $4.5 million in funding through three programs supporting climate resilience across New York. Funding will support planning and projects that help communities with nature-based shoreline protection, green infrastructure and stormwater improvements.
Relevant grants for Long Island include:

• Countywide Resilience Implementation Strategy Program (CRISP) $1,000,000
The New York State Department of State’s Countywide Resilience Implementation Strategy Program provides funding to help counties develop actionable resilience strategies that reduce climate-related risks and advance projects toward implementation to strengthen community resilience. It will serve as a practical roadmap for future resilience investments and decision-making. Eligible applicants include NYS counties within NYS ECL Article 14 (The Ocean and Great Lakes Ecosystem Conservation Act) New York coastal water areas, regional planning councils and not-for-profits that meet the program’s eligibility criteria.

• Long Island South Shore Estuary Reserve Local Assistance Grant Program ($2,000,000)
This program provides funding for projects in the following four priority categories identified in the South Shore Estuary Reserve (SSER) Comprehensive Management Plan (CMP):
1. Water quality improvement projects
2. Design, engineering and implementation of coastal resilience projects
3. Design, engineering and implementation of public water access and blueway trail implementation
4. Projects supporting the goals of the SSER CMP
Eligible applicants include municipalities (counties, towns, villages, cities), Soil and Water Conservation Districts, the Shinnecock Indian Nations, the Unkechaug Indian Nation, Academic Institutions, and Not-for-Profit organizations within Long Island’s South Shore estuary.

The New York State Department of State’s DOS will hold a webinar on all three programs from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on September 10.

Click here for more information.

Funding Supports Countywide Resilience Planning; Resilience Projects Along Lake Ontario, St. Lawrence River and Niagara River Shor

08/28/2026

Suffolk To Break Ground On Walking And Biking Path From Manhattan To Montauk

Future hikers and bikers might traverse the Island much more easily if a plan to build a 175-mile recreational trail across Queens and Long Island comes to fruition, Newsday reports. The concept has percolated within outdoors and conservation circles for decades, but plans for the Long Island Greenway have gained momentum since 2020, when the Empire State Trail, which it would connect to, was completed.

Suffolk County, according to the outlet, plans to break ground on the first 12.3-mile section, from the Nassau-Suffolk border at Bethpage State Park to Brentwood State Park, in the spring. Ninety percent of it will be off-road; except for a half-mile stretch on private commercial land, it will use existing public property, following underneath Long Island Power Authority power lines and skirting the Pilgrim Psychiatric Center. The overall route, which is projected to cost $114 million, is being coordinated by the national nonprofit, Trust for Public Land (TLP).

Getting the rest of the trail built will require further funding, approvals from state and federal agencies and support from other local governments, civic groups, businesses and residents, according to TPL.

Proponents of the Long Island Greenway point to its potential health, environment and tourism benefits."We need to preserve as much of our green spaces as possible, and the best way to do that is have people use them," Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine told Newsday. "The Greenway does that, and will link the island to other trails that we have. I want to see people outdoors and enjoying what this island has to offer." He added that while Nassau officials are free to make their own decisions, "I would encourage them to seriously consider being part of the Greenway."

Mr. Romaine’s office advised the county plans to complete the Brentwood-Bethpage section by late 2028, which will be maintained by a "combination of town, county, utility and volunteer organizations," with costs "minimal." Next it will move on to the Riverhead-Montauk part, eventually finishing the entire Suffolk County portion of the trail by 2035.

Noting public support for the Greenway has been strong, engaging residents, business owners and environmental and civic organizations in the effort, County Executive Romaine told the outlet, "I think it benefits Long Island in the long run and it connects us."

Click here for the complete Newsday article.

A perilous trek could be much easier if a plan to build the recreational trail across Queens and Long Island comes to pass.

08/28/2026

Groundbreaking For Workforce Housing Project In Port Jefferson

A groundbreaking ceremony was held to mark the start of construction on a workforce apartment development in Port Jefferson, Long Island Business News (LIBN) reports. The $34.75 million mixed-use project, called Perry & Main, from Conifer Realty and CDC LI will bring 53 apartments and 2,500 square feet of commercial space in a three-story, 78,807-square-foot building on a .57-acre site at 1601-1605 Main Street, just a block from the Port Jefferson Long Island Rail Road station.

Perry & Main will have a mix of 32 one-bedroom apartments, 20 two-bedroom apartments and a one-bedroom unit for a superintendent, according to the outlet. The apartments will be restricted to tenants earning between 30 percent and 80 percent of the area median income. Plans include 60 parking spaces, a fitness room, community room, lobby, mail room and laundry facilities. There will six fully adapted units designated for residents with mobility impairments and two units adapted for residents with hearing and vision impairments.

The project received financial assistance from the Town of Brookhaven Industrial Development Agency, including sales tax and mortgage tax exemptions and a 30-year payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) agreement. Construction of the new development is expected to take 18 months to complete.

Click here for complete LIBN article.

Conifer Realty and Community Development Long Island start construction on $34.75 million Perry & Main workforce housing project in Port Jefferson.

08/28/2026

MTA Push For New Housing At LIRR Stations Goes Off The Rails

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) spent nearly $1 million on studies that explored the potential for adding thousands of new housing units at Long Island train stations, Long Island Business News (LIBN) has learned, but the effort has been derailed amid vehement pushback from local elected officials.

The initiative began in January 2024 when the MTA issued a request for proposals for a consultant to “assist the MTA to maximize future development opportunities for housing and mixed-use transit-oriented development around seven stations within MTA’s suburban commuter rail network,” the outlet reports. Five of those stations were Long Island Rail Road stations in Farmingdale, Babylon, Hempstead, Hicksville and Huntington Station. In April 2024, the MTA selected AECOM USA Inc. to perform the consulting work.

A FOIL request by the LIBN revealed reports presented by AECOM on four train stations, including two in Westchester County and two on Long Island - Hicksville and Huntington Station.

The MTA said the TOD studies were born out of Governor Kathy Hochul’s Executive Order 30, which directed state agencies to review parcels under their ownership or control to identify potential sites for housing development, but when AECOM and MTA representatives began speaking with local elected officials and their planning staff, those development hopes went off the rails, LIBN reports.
According to the outlet:

• In its Hicksville study, the MTA suggested that at least 516 more apartments and about 37,000 square feet of retail could be built “as-of-right” on Town of Oyster Bay-owned parking lots just north and east of the train station, and two new parking garages built to make up for spaces that would be lost to the new development. Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino, who was not pleased by the MTA’s effort, said the public doesn’t want developments shoved down their throat.
• The MTA’s “Summary Development Program” for Huntington Station proposed 10 new residential buildings on 2.35 acres of MTA-owned parking lots on the south side of the tracks and 3.96 acres of parking lots owned by New York State Department of Transportation along New York Avenue. The study also suggested a new 1,000-spot parking garage be built to make up for lost surface parking. Huntington Town Supervisor Ed Smyth called the MTA study misguided. “Clearly the MTA study goes outside property under their ownership and control.”

While the MTA studies of Babylon, Farmingdale and Hempstead were withheld from LIBN’s FOIL request, the elected officials of those communities said they had little room for more housing:

• “I told them not here,” said Babylon Mayor Mary Adams. “The MTA lot has about 100 spots and it’s not very big. There would be problems with density.”
• Sedgwick Easley, director of publicity for the Village of Hempstead, said that there are already several hundred units of new housing recently built and under development over the past few years.
• In Farmingdale, where Mayor Ralph Ekstrand has approved the development of 550 new apartments over the past several years, the reception to more multifamily housing on the MTA-owned parking lot on the north side of the village’s LIRR station was chilly.

Although the MTA has collaborated with Long Island municipalities on new housing development around LIRR stations over the past dozen years, Eric Alexander, director of Vision Long Island, which has worked on planning efforts around several LIRR stations, including Hicksville, Huntington Station, Farmingdale, Westbury and others, tells LIBN, “For these plans to become successful, collaboration is needed with the local municipality, civic and business leaders through a transparent process with local governments holding clear land use authority.”

Click here for complete LIBN article.

The MTA spent nearly $1 million on studies for housing at LIRR stations but faced strong pushback from local officials.

08/28/2026

State DOT To Host Public Information Meetings On Proposed Active Transportation Strategic Plan

The New York State Department of Transportation has announced that the agency will host a series of four public information meetings in the coming weeks on the Department’s ongoing efforts to develop an Active Transportation Strategic Plan

The plan seeks to improve accommodation for walking, bicycling, wheelchair use or micromobility services throughout New York State. The meetings – three in-person gatherings and one virtual session - will allow participants to learn about the plan’s goals and objectives and also provide input on the plan’s strategies and actions for implementation.

Four 90-minute meeting will feature presentations from NYSDOT staff and consultants. Participants will be invited to provide feedback on progress made and next steps. The public forums will be held at the following dates/times and locations:

• September 1 - Albany Library, Large Auditorium (5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.) 161 Washington Avenue, Albany
• September 2 - Rochester Public Library, Kate Gleason Auditorium (5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.) Bausch & Lomb Public Library Building, 115 South Avenue, Rochester
• September 3 - Hauppauge Public Library (5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.) 1373 Veterans Memorial Highway, Hauppauge
• September 4 - Virtual (12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.). Login available here: https://vhb.zoom.us/j/83539982166?pwd=WLYBl8ss7GFUiQFwUaL8DmKKXZKkbg.1

Active Transportation includes both human-powered modes of transportation—walking, bicycling, and operating a wheelchair—along with small-scale electric vehicles such as e-scooters, also known as micromobility.

Click here for more information.
https://www.dot.ny.gov/portal/page/portal/news/press-releases/2026/2026-08-21