Early Results of Downtown New City Renovation Starting to Show

With the early results of downtown New City's renovation project becoming visible, Clarkstown officials showed off the ongoing work along Main Street Thursday to U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey.

While Clarkstown town Supervisor Alex Gromack was the congresswoman's official tour guide, she was filled in on most of the details of the project by local business owners who have been closely watching the work and were along for the walk up Main Street.

"This is going to be amazing when it's all said and done," said Steven Weiss, owner of Original Designs In Gold and Diamonds at 187 S. Main St., where he's been in business for 27 years.

Business leaders like Weiss and Mike Di Bella, president of the New City Chamber of Commerce, showed Lowey the various elements of the project that have been built so far, including the new sidewalks and curbs on Main Street going north from Third Street. They highlighted the spots where landscaping elements and specially-designed street lighting will soon be installed.

"You don't have to ask the town about this project, just talk to the business people who are living with it," Gromack joked the group made its way up Main Street.

Lowey, D-18^th Congressional District, represents New City and Congers, although most of her district is in Westchester County. For Gromack, it was important of Lowey to see the work on the project because it includes elements – environmentally-friendly street lighting – that were made possible with federal funding.

Town officials, however, noted to Lowey that the town could not apply for funding for the New City project through the federal stimulus program because of rules and regulations that would have actually increased the cost of the project.

On the tour with Lowey, Di Bella said local business owners are happy with the  progress of the project.

"Now that people can see something of the finished product, the people are pleased with what they see," said Di Bella.

The current phase of the project, which involves renovations from Third Street north to Congers Road, is slated to be completed by November. Traffic on Main Street continues to be detoured onto Maple Avenue for several blocks to allow for construction. Also ongoing is the renovation of Landau Park at the corner of Main Street and Congers Road, which is designed to be a centerpiece for the downtown renovation.