Baldwin resident walks Grand Ave. — twice — to detail conditions along the way

In January, Baldwin resident Vincent Kish expressed his frustration to the Herald that Grand Avenue was slowly dying, as government promises of downtown revitalization seemed further off with each passing month.

So, in February, battling through snowstorms and shoveling-induced backaches, Kish walked the length of Grand Avenue to see just how blighted Baldwin's main road had become. Then, he did it again.

Early this month, Kish presented his findings to the Herald. His comments are his own. They do not reflect the opinion of the Herald.

I recently took a walk down the main commercial strip of Grand Avenue, from the border with South Hempstead to Merrick Road, and back again. Just to make sure that I didn’t miss anything, I did it again a week later.

I should mention that I truly enjoy going for walks. Weather permitting, I walk every day of the year. Along with trying to be environmentally conscious, getting exercise, and clearing my head, I like a close-up view when seeing the sights in lieu of fleeting glimpses through a car window. To me, a four-plus-mile round trip walk is a piece of cake, especially when there are interesting things to look at along the way.

But there’s not much to look at on the ironically named Grand Avenue. Nor are there many places to shop. Some blocks seem neglected; a few are outright blighted. But overall, the feeling is that everything is nondescript ... functional, but certainly not fun or inviting. If your day’s shopping plan is to grab take-out, buy lottery tickets, or get your hair and nails done, your choices are almost limitless. If you want to browse a book store, buy a nice gift, or take friends out for dinner, you are in the wrong town.

You can’t window shop either, because many windows have little, and very often, nothing to look at. On my walk, I noted 51 empty storefronts. This is a conservative count. I’m not including empty spaces in office buildings, businesses that seem to be on their way out, stores that I’ve never seen open but which display a “By Appointment” sign, and temporary businesses which may soon be empty, such as some of the tax preparation services.