Hempstead’s Revitalization of Franklin Avenue
A sign lets viewers know improvements are coming to Hempstead’s Franklin Avenue. (Remy Melina photo)
$3 Million Investment for Revitalization of Franklin Avenue
A soft spring breeze is blowing and Samantha Lawrence is enjoying the warm sunshine as she leans against a graffiti-scrawled concrete wall. A 19-year-old high school senior, she has grown up in Hempstead and strolls down Franklin Avenue nearly every day. As Samantha stands facing the street, she sighs and begins to describe her discontempt with what she sees.
“It’s just so empty and bare, you know? Other towns have trees and decorations and things like that. We just have concrete going on and on. There’s barely anything to break it up. Everything is gray and it’s pretty depressing, especially during the winter.”
With spring fully bloomed and summer not far away, a plan to spruce up North Franklin Avenue is in the works, bringing a fresh wave of hope to Hempstead residents.
The Comprehensive Visioning Plan, introduced by Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi and Village of Hempstead Mayor Wayne J. Hall Sr., is a $3 million investment initiative for the revitalization of Franklin Avenue in Hempstead Village’s downtown. Local residents and business owners are wary but optimistic as the plan continues to be fleshed out.
“It’s a good idea and hopefully we’ll be seeing some results soon,” said Luis Tores, a 36-year-old resident who works as the manager of A+H Deli and Grocery, located on the corner of Maple and Franklin Avenue. “I’ve been here eight years and haven’t really seen any improvements around this area. Maybe this will change that.”
The plan calls for a new Franklin Avenue streetscape, which will include the construction of brick paved sidewalks, decorative streetlights, benches, and trash cans.
The $3 million cost will be covered by funding from Nassau County’s Capital Project and spending will be carefully monitored and distributed to achieve the best possible construction and installation quality results, according to Nassau officials. Many residents are hopeful about the project’s outcome, noting that an aestetical improvement may bolster the area’s economy.
“From what I’ve heard about the plan, the improvements would be good for business,” said Alfredo Mancia, who has been the manager of Santana Restaurante, a cozy Spanish restaurant located on Franklin, for three years.
Residents and visitors agree that the street needs improvements. From the cracked, uneven sidewalks, the defeated benches and the desperate lack of foliage, the street needs a facelift. Local and state officials are working together to make North Franklin Avenue more aesthetically pleasing by fall 2008. Others, however, are more dubious about what exactly the new plan will change.
“Sure, it would make the street look better, but there are bigger underlying issues here,” said David Bridson, a 39-year-old local resident. “The Hempstead school system, for example, is in need of a lot of work. Is three million dollars being spent to improve that as well?”
Public meetings, the first of which was held in early March, aim to focus on and narrow down what improvements town residents would like to see and how the funds should be spent. Input from village of Hempstead residents has proven to be helpful to officials as they begin to design the plan.
“At the first meeting, we received many suggestions for what can be done to improve North Franklin, as well as other areas of Hempstead Village. The Comprehensive Visioning Plan is a step towards bettering the lives of our residents and increasing the growth of our businesses,” said Latasha Conyers, project manager of Hempstead Village.
A blueprint for the Comprehensive Visioning Plan shows many possible changes, and that officials and designers are continuing to brainstorm.
“At this stage, we are developing the project and considering suggestions for other possible improvements. This will be a very important step for the village of Hempstead and we want to be sure that we make it the best it can be,” said Administration Patrick G. Duggan, who is deputy county executive in the Office of Economic Development.
Nassau County has selected the firm of Urbitran Associates Inc., an engineering, architecture and planning firm, to provide design services. A member of the U.S. Green Building Council, Urbitran incorporates environmentally aware design concepts. Construction is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2008.
“We are pleased to be working with Mayor Hall and the Village Trustees to support their efforts to help Hempstead realize its economic potential,” Suozzi said in a statement. “The Village of Hempstead has many assets: it is a major public transportation center with rail and bus terminals, it has a large downtown, and most importantly, it is centrally located. These improvements will reflect the pride of the residents of the Village of Hempstead and help spur economic activity. There is no reason that Hempstead can’t be a growing and vibrant business center.”
Hempstead officials are optimistic about the Comprehensive Visioning Plan, citing the positive effect these improvements will have on property value, local businesses and town pride.
“Improving the image and overall quality of life in the Village of Hempstead is not only critical to economic growth in the Village and the Hub at large, it also helps create the kind of community that we want our children - and their children - to grow up in,” said Mayor Hall. “The revitalization of Franklin Avenue is just the beginning.”
Take a visual tour of Franklin Avenue by clicking on the following image to launch a slideshow narrative for this article.
Mayor Wayne J. Hall, Sr. of the Village of Hempstead and Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi have announced a $3 million investment initiative for the revitalization of North Franklin Avenue in the downtown area of Hempstead Village…Click here to read reporter’s full Wiki for this article.
