By Andrew Coen
The project, slated to begin in early July, is designed to add parking spaces, create a centralized meter system and improve traffic flow. Deputy Mayor Simon Felder voted against the project, citing the high cost and saying it would be better to work on improving Central Avenue rather than parking lots. The approved lowest bid - $394,000 - came from A.I.I. Allan Industries, an Amityville firm recommended by the village's engineering firm Cameron Engineering.
Nearly the entire project will be covered by grant money, with $350,000 coming from the state through the efforts of Sen. Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre). Nassau County Legis. Jeff Toback (D-Oceanside) is hoping to provide an additional $25,000 of county money for the project, according to Lawrence Mayor Dr. Jack Levenbrown. Taking into account engineering costs and extra features that will be added to the new centralized meter system, village officials estimate the total costs to be around $440,000.
Levenbrown hopes that improving the design of the parking lots and adding additional on-street parking spaces will improve the overall climate of the village shopping and restaurant area on Central Avenue from Rockaway Turnpike to Washington Avenue. "[On June 9] the Board of Trustees made a very serious commitment to the upgrading of the Lawrence business district," Levenbrown said in a phone interview the morning after the project was approved.
The project includes remodeling Lawrence's two municipal parking lots and the addition of more than 60 business-district parking spaces. The parking field between Frost Lane and Rockaway Turnpike will be redesigned and 24 parking spaces will be added to the current 155 spots by changing the angles of the spots from diagonal to perpendicular. Two spots will also be added to the parking lot across Central Avenue, behind Super Sol Supermarket. The project will also improve traffic flow from the Super Sol lot by making William Street, a one-way exit, into a two-way street.
Frank Leone, owner of Gino's Pizzeria, at 318 Central Ave., embraced the project, saying there aren't enough parking spaces now. "Whatever improvement can be made is welcomed," said Leone.
The new centralized system will be similar to the ones used in the villages of Rockville Centre, Hempstead and Mineola, with drivers entering their parking-space number on a computerized meter system located at the exit of the parking lot. Drivers will not have to walk back to their cars and place a ticket on the dashboard like they do under the New York City centralized parking system, according to village officials.
The meter system will give motorists the option to pay either by quarter, dollar bills or with a village debit card that can be obtained at Lawrence Village Hall and re-filled at the five machines that will be installed. Three of the five machines will be in the large municipal lot and two behind Super Sol. The five machines cost an additional $2,000 each to install the dollar-bill and debit-card features.
The project would allow cars to exit and enter on both sides of the Frost Lane-Rockaway Turnpike municipal lot, which currently has an entrance on the western end and an exit on the eastern side.
"I think by doing [the parking project] we're going to start rejuvenating the business district," said Levenbrown.
Village officials may take the meters removed from the lots and install them on Frost Lane and on Central Avenue, adding around 27 more on-street parking spaces. Some of the new spots would be on Central Avenue in front of the former Number One School, where drivers used to be able to park until that privilege was taken away about a decade ago to allow for safer school bus drop-off, according to Levenbrown. An additional 15-20 metered parking spots may also be added next to the alleyway just off Rockaway Turnpike and Central Avenue, the mayor said.
In addition to re-striping the lots, officials plan to beautify the business district between Washington Avenue and Rockaway Turnpike by putting in new benches, plants and garbage pails. Levenbrown said he is hopeful that merchants will soon comply with village code and have more visible signs in front of their stores to let shoppers better know the businesses the village has to offer as another way of improving the business district.
The next Lawrence Board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, July 14, at 7:30 p.m. at village hall.
Comments about this story? Acoen@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 210.
