Praise for Mineola's downtown efforts in LI Index report

Mineola's downtown redevelopment efforts were praised in the Long Island Index 2010 report, "Places to Grow: An Analysis of the Potential for Transit-Accessible Housing and Jobs in Long Island's Downtowns and Station Areas."

THE CHALLENGE. Traffic congestion and large volume of workers by day, thanks to a hospital, and private and government offices, but very little pedestrian traffic at night.

THE PROCESS.

It adopts "overlay district." This enables mixed-use or residential development proposals to cut through the red tape of the permitting process - and lets proposals go straight to the board of trustees for approval. Negotiations can take place with developers, resulting in compensation to village. These can be streetscape improvements, capital improvement funds and senior housing construction.

COMPLETED PROJECT. The Marquis, a three-story, converted office building that has 28 one-bedroom apartments, retail space and 42 parking spaces, with housing above it, at Main Street and Harrison Avenue. UNDER CONSTRUCTION. 22-unit rental apartment complex at Mineola Boulevard and Old Country Road.

MORE TO COME. A 285- unit condominium development and a 257-unit condo development has been approved.