Two Hicksville LIRR parking lots to close as Town of Oyster Bay launches downtown projects
Properties in Hicksville that the Town of Oyster Bay is looking to seize through eminent domain to create more public parking downtown. Credit: Howard Schnapp
The Town of Oyster Bay will close two commuter lots by the Long Island Rail Road station in Hicksville next month and is expected to seize four nearby properties as it prepares to launch a multimillion-dollar revitalization of the downtown.
The work includes a new pedestrian path to the station to be called Festival Plaza, converting a parking lot next to the station into green space that extends Kennedy Park and establishing The Underline, a new area under the train trestle with pop-up shops and outdoor cafes.
The projects will take up to a year to complete and cost $13.6 million, town officials said.
While work is underway, two commuter parking lots off Jerusalem Avenue — H-5 and H-6 — will be closed starting May 3, town officials said.
Also this month, the Town of Oyster Bay moved to acquire four properties on Herzog Place, between Broadway and Jerusalem Avenue, by eminent domain to build new parking near the station. The town in January 2024 initially expressed interest in seizing the properties, which include an auto repair shop, a hair salon and tire store, Newsday reported.
“This continues to be an exciting time for Hicksville, as downtown revitalization projects are proceeding with millions of dollars being invested in the community,” Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino said in a statement. “With many public and private investments, the Hicksville business district will transform into a vibrant downtown with something for everyone.”
New York State awarded the Town of Oyster Bay $10 million to revitalize Hicksville as part of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative. Town officials previously allocated $1 million of that funding for a mixed-use project on Newbridge Road, and spent another $300,000 on consultants.
The price tag for the revitalization has risen to $13.6 million since the state first announced the grant funding in 2017, town officials said.
The town also plans to allocate $2.8 million in federal coronavirus relief aid for the open space projects and $2.1 million for streetscape work, town spokeswoman Marta Kane said. The streetscape work is expected to start later in the summer, town officials said.
“COVID came along and the prices of everything went up, so our initial estimates of the work that was designed increased significantly,” Jim McCaffrey, the town’s director of operations, told Newsday in an interview.
The pedestrian and streetscape projects will be vital to the success of the downtown, said Eric Alexander, executive director of Vision Long Island.
“You’ve got a lot happening with new development, so that’s going to be more people walking,” Alexander said in an interview. “You want people to park and walk and you want a climate of safety.”
The Town of Oyster Bay will use eminent domain to acquire properties on the north side of Herzog Place for future parking lots.
“We always make good-faith efforts to avoid eminent domain and try to purchase the property outright because it was for sale,” McCaffrey said. He added the town and the owner of the properties weren’t able to agree on a price.
James O'Brien, an attorney for the property owner, declined to comment.
In an eminent domain case, the court determines a fair value for the acquisition. The case has a return date of May 6 and McCaffrey said he expects the town to be transferred the title shortly after.
The town plans to demolish the structures “soon after the rights of the property are turned over to us,” McCaffrey said, adding that work would likely begin this summer.
Construction on several mixed-use developments also is underway.
In late 2023, construction began on the first such development in downtown Hicksville — a 189-unit project with 338 parking spaces and 7,660 square feet of commercial space. Late last year, the Nassau County Industrial Development Agency granted tax breaks to a 20-unit apartment building as well as a 104-unit mixed-use complex, both near the train station.
Town officials said at least two other projects — one bringing town houses to the area and another development with a rooftop bar — are also expected to boost the number of residential units in the area.
The Town of Oyster Bay will close two commuter lots by the Long Island Rail Road station in Hicksville next month and is expected to seize four nearby properties as it prepares to launch a multimillion-dollar revitalization of the downtown.
The work includes a new pedestrian path to the station to be called Festival Plaza, converting a parking lot next to the station into green space that extends Kennedy Park and establishing The Underline, a new area under the train trestle with pop-up shops and outdoor cafes.
The projects will take up to a year to complete and cost $13.6 million, town officials said.
While work is underway, two commuter parking lots off Jerusalem Avenue — H-5 and H-6 — will be closed starting May 3, town officials said.
Downtown Hicksville plan
Plans for new open space and pedestrian walkways will break ground next month near the Hicksville LIRR train station.
The town will close two commuter lots.
The Town of Oyster Bay plans to seize four properties to build new parking lots.
Also this month, the Town of Oyster Bay moved to acquire four properties on Herzog Place, between Broadway and Jerusalem Avenue, by eminent domain to build new parking near the station. The town in January 2024 initially expressed interest in seizing the properties, which include an auto repair shop, a hair salon and tire store, Newsday reported.
“This continues to be an exciting time for Hicksville, as downtown revitalization projects are proceeding with millions of dollars being invested in the community,” Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino said in a statement. “With many public and private investments, the Hicksville business district will transform into a vibrant downtown with something for everyone.”
Revitalization underway
New York State awarded the Town of Oyster Bay $10 million to revitalize Hicksville as part of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative. Town officials previously allocated $1 million of that funding for a mixed-use project on Newbridge Road, and spent another $300,000 on consultants.
The price tag for the revitalization has risen to $13.6 million since the state first announced the grant funding in 2017, town officials said.
The town also plans to allocate $2.8 million in federal coronavirus relief aid for the open space projects and $2.1 million for streetscape work, town spokeswoman Marta Kane said. The streetscape work is expected to start later in the summer, town officials said.
“COVID came along and the prices of everything went up, so our initial estimates of the work that was designed increased significantly,” Jim McCaffrey, the town’s director of operations, told Newsday in an interview.
The pedestrian and streetscape projects will be vital to the success of the downtown, said Eric Alexander, executive director of Vision Long Island.
“You’ve got a lot happening with new development, so that’s going to be more people walking,” Alexander said in an interview. “You want people to park and walk and you want a climate of safety.”
Town to seize properties
The Town of Oyster Bay will use eminent domain to acquire properties on the north side of Herzog Place for future parking lots.
“We always make good-faith efforts to avoid eminent domain and try to purchase the property outright because it was for sale,” McCaffrey said. He added the town and the owner of the properties weren’t able to agree on a price.
James O'Brien, an attorney for the property owner, declined to comment.
In an eminent domain case, the court determines a fair value for the acquisition. The case has a return date of May 6 and McCaffrey said he expects the town to be transferred the title shortly after.
The town plans to demolish the structures “soon after the rights of the property are turned over to us,” McCaffrey said, adding that work would likely begin this summer.
Construction on several mixed-use developments also is underway.
In late 2023, construction began on the first such development in downtown Hicksville — a 189-unit project with 338 parking spaces and 7,660 square feet of commercial space. Late last year, the Nassau County Industrial Development Agency granted tax breaks to a 20-unit apartment building as well as a 104-unit mixed-use complex, both near the train station.
Town officials said at least two other projects — one bringing town houses to the area and another development with a rooftop bar — are also expected to boost the number of residential units in the area.
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