Thursday, October 1, 2026
The long-awaited transformation of the Shore Road and Glen Cove Avenue intersection has officially taken shape, unveiling a nautical-themed gateway that residents say marks a defining moment for one of the area’s most heavily traveled waterfront corridors. The project—supported by a nearly $10,000 grant from the PSEG Long Island Community Thrive Program—was spearheaded by the Glen Cove Beautification Commission and Shore Road Neighbors, the community group founded by Glen Cove resident Lora Cusumano.
Cusumano, who also serves as chair of the Beautification Commission, created Shore Road Neighbors to bring attention, collaboration, and improvements to a roadway shared by both Glen Cove and the Village of Sea Cliff. She said seeing the new landscaping and signage finally installed felt like a milestone years in the making. “This is what I always envisioned and just in time for Thanksgiving—and it feels like a dream come true and I am so grateful,” she said. “Our mission has always been about bringing Safety, Beauty, and Enjoyment to our waterfront community. This project is not only a celebration of that vision, but a powerful symbol of community pride.”
The upgraded gateway includes custom-carved welcome signs, nautical-style pilings wrapped with rope, perennial drought-resistant plantings, ornamental grasses, and more than 500 spring bulbs that will bloom in 2026. The installation was completed by Laderer & Sons Landscape.
“Bill Laderer went above and beyond. He’s not only a professional, but a Shore Road Neighbor who cares deeply about our area,” Cusumano said. Additional support came from local property owners who allowed the enhancements on their corners, A+ Graphics & Signs, and RXR Realty, which donated leftover piling materials.
Cusumano explained that she had imagined a sign at the corner long before forming Shore Road Neighbors. “I’ve always dreamt about doing the sign, since I started, before I started even doing Shore Road Neighbors,” she said. “I just thought it would always be nice to have something there because the corner was not the most attractive.” Beyond beautification, she said the updated design may discourage tractor-trailers from mistakenly cutting through Shore Road, a persistent problem for the narrow residential corridor. “I felt like [the sign] would make it look more residential, and maybe some of the tractor trailers would think twice before cutting through the street… then they end up backing down our road because they can’t do the hairpin turn at the end,” she said.
Residents and officials say the new gateway also serves a broader purpose: setting the tone for what lies ahead. As Nassau County, Glen Cove, and Sea Cliff prepare for the upcoming Nassau County Shore Road Drainage, Paving, and Streetscaping Project—one of the largest infrastructure investments in the county—Cusumano said this new landmark reflects the type of environment the community hopes to see expanded throughout the corridor.
The grant itself represents the kind of partnership PSEG Long Island aims to foster. “PSEG Long Island’s Community Thrive grants provide business community organizations the ability to finance projects like this one to enhance their community,” said Veronica Isaac, Manager of Customer and Community Partnerships. “We are excited to see the positive impact this new landmark will have on the community.”
The gateway also marks the launch of the Glen Cove Neighborhood Beautification & Awareness Program, introduced by the Beautification Commission in summer 2025. Cusumano said she used Shore Road Neighbors to pilot the effort. “I actually used Shore Road Neighbors as like a guinea pig… to start to get it going for other neighborhoods around the area,” she said. The initiative encourages residents citywide to form beautification teams, apply for microgrants, organize cleanups, plant native species, and—if they choose—even create gateway signs of their own. “We want to be able to help them be Glen Cove Beautification,” she said.
Cusumano said she hopes the new sign inspires improvements far beyond Shore Road. “We’d love to see teams form in neighborhoods across Glen Cove,” she said. “Shore Road Neighbors is just the beginning.”
