By Scott Brinton
Ken Bauer, the LIRR president, who was on hand for the event, said, "I am very pleased with the results of all the planning and hard work that went into the Merrick station renewal."
New York State Sen. Charles Fuschillo Jr. (R-Merrick), who secured funding for the project and who is up for re-election, said, "Only a few years ago, residents, commuters and merchants participated in community meetings, answered surveys and submitted their suggestions on ways to revitalize Merrick. This station comes as a direct result of their efforts."
The new station, he said, "serves the needs of commuters, encourages use of the downtown business district and is now a community landmark for all to enjoy and admire.
"I applaud the Long Island Rail Road and the hundreds of workers who made it their priority to build a quality station with minimal interruption of service to commuters and residents and for completing the project three months ahead of schedule."
The station revamp is one part of a multi-pronged effort to revitalize downtown Merrick along Merrick Avenue from Sunrise Highway north to Chatterton Elementary School.
This past July, Sen. Fuschillo had secured $600,000 in state Senate funding for the station. The monies came in addition to the $3.2 million that the Senate had already earmarked for the project.
The restoration includes the new station, with a larger waiting area and ticket vending machines, as well as landscaping and decorative, antique lighting fixtures and new sidewalks in the surrounding area.
Additionally, the original ticket office and upper-level waiting room, which sit a half-block east of the station, will be refurbished to match the upgraded station. The original ticket office is to become a temporary satellite library while the Merrick Library undergoes reconstruction in the near future. Upon the library's completion, the old train station will be available for community use and will also house a satellite police station for Nassau County and Metropolitan Transit Authority police.
