Planners see bright future for Valley Stream

According to representatives of the Planning Division of the Nassau County Department of Public Works, Valley Stream is faced with similar problems related to economic development as other Long Island communities — its population is aging, some properties are vacant and residents have questions about the meaning of affordable housing. But Senior Planner Sean Sallie said the numbers show that Valley Streamers have a lot to build on.

“Statistics show that here, people are less reluctant to do things like use public transit,” he said. “Having things like a transit option allow for real possibilities for development in downtown areas. We can’t say that for other communities.”

Sallie and other representatives from the Department of Public Works presented findings in the updated master plan for development in the county at the June 29 meeting of Envision Valley Stream, answering questions and offering suggestions as to how the community fits into Nassau’s future.

David Sabatino, president of Envision Valley Stream, said he invited Sallie and Satish Sood, the Planning Division commissioner, to present at his public interest group’s meeting because members had concerns and wanted to know more about the master plan that was updated in October.

“They have some questions about it and want to know where we stand at the county level,” Sood said. “We want to spread awareness about the master plan, which goes until 2035. Communities like this should embrace what they can from it.”

The first part of the plan examines issues related to housing. Sallie said 2010 reports show that approximately 80 percent of all units in the county are owned, while the rest are rentals. Valley Stream’s average mirrors the county, which some residents pointed to as a reason why working age people are leaving the community.

With the elderly population rising countywide, Sallie said there is an even greater need to keep working aged residents in the county to support the dependents and contribute to the local economy.

Anthony Gonzalez, who said he hopes to run for Nassau County Legislature his fall, said he is a young person who has been in Valley Stream since 1995 and is trying to stay in spite of the lack of affordable housing.

“My sister left and went to Queens,” he said. “The city is offering cheaper options, as cities generally do nationwide. This is indeed a national problem, and this community is going to need to offer more options if they want to keep young people here.”

Residents expected construction to begin more than a year ago on an apartment complex that Sallie said could attract younger tenants. However, development of a 39-unit apartment building behind the Gibson train station has not begun, with residents wondering if Dr. Leonard Bleicher’s project has fallen dead after being challenged by others.

Mayor Ed Fare, who attended last week’s presentation, said village officials will continue to try their best to get development going to replace the boarded up buildings in Gibson, but they cannot dictate what Bleicher does with his property.

“We have heard many positives and negatives regarding the Gibson project before,” he said. “We want to be clear, though, that the village is not interested in becoming a landlord. If the village can help him receive financing, that’s great. But everyone should remember that this property is privately owned, and we operate under capitalism.”

Sallie said 2010 reports show that the vacancy rate in Valley Stream stands at 6.4 percent, with more than 55 acres of developable land within half of a mile of the “downtown center.” Because this is defined as the area surrounding the Long Island Railroad station and reports show that nearly 20 percent of Valley Streamers take public transportation to work, Sallie said there is a strong chance that businesses or housing complexes would flourish in these parts of the village.

Sabatino said he was encouraged by the findings regarding public transportation and business in the village, with rankings measuring the intensity of commercial development throughout the county placing Valley Stream ahead of Mineola and other areas.

“This information helps paint a brighter picture,” he said. “One of the popular complaints and points is that our downtown is dead. People will say that Rockaway Avenue is dead. But this seems to compare us and put us on par with communities that, to me, seem bustling.”

Sallie said it is important for those in communities like Valley Stream to realize that the county’s transit oriented plan includes many projections regarding what is to come by 2035. “It’s a forecast,” he said. “And we always want residents to be a part of this planning. The people of Valley Stream are taking those steps.”