By Scott Brinton
Merrick's downtown commerce zone is about to get a bit greener. Last Wednesday, State Senator Charles Fuschillo Jr. and Hempstead Town Supervisor Richard Guardino unveiled plans to construct an old-fashioned "village" green adjacent to Merrick's Long Island Rail Road station.
Mr. Fuschillo (R, Merrick-Eighth District), who is up for re-election this year, secured a $300,000 state grant for construction of the green. The town will now carry out the project.
"The new village green," Mr. Fuschillo said in a prepared statement, "will be a cornerstone to the Merrick Revitalization Project, which includes new streetscaping and facade improvements on Merrick Avenue. It will also compliment the newly constructed Merrick station and plaza improvements. Supervisor Guardino and I foresee the new village green as a charming park for outdoor concerts and performances, and as a gathering place for residents, shoppers and commuters."
Announcement of the village green, which is to measure some 8,800 square feet, came during a news conference at Mr. Fuschillo's Freeport district office. Plans for the green, in fact, include more space for red brick than green grass. When asked about that point, Supervisor Guardino said with a smile that the green part of the project will be the landscaping surrounding the "green."
The project will also include a gazebo for outdoor concerts and other performances. "We want it [the green] to be a gathering place," said Mr. Guardino (R, Point Lookout).
Marlene Kastleman, Hempstead Town spokeswoman, said that some commuter parking spaces at the train station will have to be removed to make way for the green. Ms. Kastleman, however, said that, by "reconfiguring" the lot so that new spaces are added to the lot's west end, no parking places will be lost.
Local business officials noted that the project could benefit Francis Corva, a Merrick architect who is proposing to build a movie theater at Broadcast Plaza, near the planned village green. The green could become a popular spot for local residents to stop off at before going to the movies.
A question arose during the news conference as to what will become of monuments already located at the site of the green. Mr. Fuschillo said that they will be moved to a safer location within Merrick, adding, "If not, they'll stay. We're not building this project to offend anyone and have any of these monuments broken."
David McDonough, the Merrick Chamber of Commerce revitalization coordinator, said of the green: "We look forward to it as a big step in the revitalization."
Construction of the green is expected to get under way by the end of September, with the project's completion to come by December, said Mr. Guardino. Mr. Fuschillo said additional announcements about Merrick's downtown revitalization are expected in the coming weeks.
