By Anthony Rifilato
Clearly, many residents and community leaders said, people were noticing the great things happening in the community, and 2007 was a pivotal year for Baldwin.
On Nov. 13, the Town of Hempstead adopted an urban renewal plan and chose a developer to revitalize Grand Avenue and Merrick Road, an $18 million project that is expected to attract national retailers and create a bustling shopping district downtown. The project's cost is being assumed by the developer, a partnership between Basser Kaufman and the Engel Burman Group.
Town Councilman Anthony Santino and Supervisor Kate Murray said that the project's final result would not be a strip mall. In December, they presented a preliminary design of the project to the public, which includes antique lighting, pedestrian walkways, awnings and "high-end" retailers like a Borders, Starbucks and more. Town officials said they are not stopping with the downtown project, and are looking to continue revitalization efforts on Grand Avenue, from Atlantic Avenue to the Southern State Parkway.
Most residents scoffed at an earlier proposal - one of three - to bring in a Kohl's department store on Grand Ave., and both Santino and Murray agreed that a department store was not right for the project. Best Buy was welcomed, however, when it opened its doors earlier this year. Residents said that it was the first time in recent memory that they could shop at a national retail chain in town, and Best Buy is expected to attract other well-known retailers as well. A Toyota dealership is slated to open on Sunrise Highway in 2008, and the Waldbaum's on Atlantic Avenue recently began an expansion and beautification project after a five-year setback.
And while efforts to return the historic Nunley's Carousel to Baldwin didn't quite work out that way, the ride is currently in Ohio receiving a major restoration and will be the centerpiece of a planned expansion project at Museum Row. Nassau County Legislator Joe Scannell (D-Baldwin), who was re-elected in November, said that ultimately, the landmark's new building would include a visual history of Baldwin, and would be accessible to all county residents.
The Baldwin Board of Education announced that it would begin its search for a new school superintendent, following the abrupt, controversial resignation of Dr. Robert Britto in June. The board said it hoped to fill the position - following community input and the hiring of a consulting firm to initiate the search - by July 2008.
But it was more than politics and business in Baldwin this year. A television pilot - "Babylon Fields" - was filmed in Baldwin last March, which starred actor Ray Stevenson of the hit HBO series "Rome." Baldwin became a stage for exploding cars and zombies. Even actress Susan Sullivan made a return to town in 2007, as she performed a reading of "Agnes of God" at Hofstra. Danny Cepero, a 2003 Baldwin High School graduate, was drafted by the New York Red Bulls, a Major Soccer League franchise, while Joe Esposito, also a 2003 graduate of Baldwin High, was signed by the Baltimore Orioles to its minor league program.
Residents grieved this year as well. In July, hundreds mourned the loss of Baldwin Fire Commissioner William St. George, a respected leader in the community and member of the FDNY. In October, the community mourned the loss of Baldwin resident Sarah Rafalowitz - the president of the Special Education Parent Teacher Association and an advocate for students - who died after a long illness. Legendary restaurateur Bobby Van passed away also, and they were just a few of the beloved residents Baldwin lost this year.
And while residents grieved, they celebrated as well. Ninety-six percent of Baldwin High School's class of 2007 continued their education after graduation. The Business Teachers Association of New York State named Baldwin High's business department the 2007 Business and Marketing Department of the Year, among other accolades.
It was a phenomenal season for the Baldwin Bruins too, who defeated Freeport 35-27 in November in a Nassau Conference I semifinal game at Hofstra's Shuart Stadium. The Bruins advanced to face Farmingdale in the championship game, and although they were defeated, the team was lauded for its stellar performance during the season.
The basketball team was exceptional as well. Baldwin faced an uphill climb from the first quarter of the Nassau County Class AA basketball championship game against Hempstead at SUNY Old Westbury this year. Although the team proved tenacious in its first title game appearance since 1993, the Bruins fell 61-51. "This will always be a special team," said Coach Darius Burton. "Nobody expected us to get this far."
