63.0°,
A Few Clouds Nassau County: A model for the nation?
Suozzi proposes master plan hinging on Lighthouse, downtown revitalizations
High property taxes, traffic congestion and the flight of young professionals are serious challenges facing Nassau County. To address these problems, County Executive Tom Suozzi has proposed "New Suburbia: the 90/10 Solution," in which 90 percent of Nassau would remain the same while the other 10 percent is "re-imagined" and "re-visioned" through a number of megaprojects and the revitalization of downtowns across the county.
"We've stopped growing — we are suburban sprawled," Suozzi said, adding that while Nassau was the fastest growing county in the 1940s, '50s and '60s, it now is built to capacity, and has nowhere else to expand. "It's time for us to stop playing defense...stop trying to hang on to the way it was in the good old days and start playing offense. Let's make it better than it is today. Let's make Nassau County a model for the entire nation under the sign of new suburbia."
The county executive held a forum at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Sept. 23 to discuss details of his vision for the future of the county.
Megaprojects
One part of the 10 percent is the Lighthouse project, a $3.7-billion venture that includes a complete renovation of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum while building up the surrounding 150 acres of Uniondale property with storefronts, restaurants, a movie theater, office space and parkland. The project is being touted its supporters and Suozzi as one that will create jobs, spread out Nassau's tax base and keep the New York Islanders — Long Island's only professional sports team — in Nassau.
The project has generated increased attention as an Oct. 3 deadline set by Islanders owner Charles Wang approaches. Wang has said that he will start entertaining offers to move the team off Long Island if the Town of Hempstead — which has been accused by Lighthouse officials of delaying the approval process — does not okay the project by that date. But Town Supervisor Kate Murray said that the Town Board does not make its decisions based on deadlines set by developers.
