Lynbrook Village Exploring Downtown Development Options

The Nassau County Infill Redevelopment Feasibility Study is underway in the Village of Lynbrook. 

The Housing and Urban Development (HUD) planning phase study was presented at Monday night's Village Board meeting. The study is an effort by the federal government to “coordinate investments in economic development in local communities.” Lynbrook was one of three local communities chosen, along with Valley Stream and Baldwin.

“What this project is about, is coming up with the first step to carry the ball forward, to take this from a plan into some kind of implementation that supports development,” said Thomas Jost, Senior Urban Strategist.

The study came up with three ways to leverage the ongoing hotel and Lynbrook movie theatre development in Lynbrook: increase the depth and quality of Lynbrook’s retail options, attract additional visitors from nearby South Shore communities, and explore new housing opportunities to support local retail.

Related: What Should Replace the Vacant Feather Factory?

“We are thinking about ways to develop new multi-family residential as a way of getting more people to live in the downtown near the station, and make the downtown community a 24-hour community,” said Satish Sood, Deputy Commissioner for Planning.

To accomplish this goal, the study suggests that the Village first "define a unique identity" for downtown Lynbrook and then explore the housing options. The County then may offer incentive programs to attract development, Sood said.

After Lynbrook commissions a branding study for Downtown, they would have to create a zoning overlay to include best practices from recent rezoning initiatives, and then work with the County on incentive programs to attract developers.

Jeff Greenfield, resident and Chairman of the Nassau County Planning Commission, said he was delighted that Lynbrook was one of the communities selected for the study.

"We just need some help and some guidance from these consultants and we can hopefully put it all together and put the Feather Factory building as part of the past of Lynbrook," Greenfield said." "And look forward to some development that puts taxable properties here in the village, as well as attracting people here to the downtown to live, work and play.”

More details of the Nassau County Infill Redevelopment Feasibility Study can be found online here.