Great Neck gets first look at revitalization plan
The Village of Great Neck accents its downtown area with clocks like this one. The village is preparing for a revitalization project called Old Village, New Main Street. (Sept. 28, 2011) Credit: T.C. McCarthy
Architects commissioned by the Village of Great Neck will introduce revitalization plans for the downtown area at a special meeting on March 26.
The meeting will be from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Great Neck House, 14 Arrandale Ave.
Dubbed the Old Village, New Main Street effort, the goal is to turn Middle Neck Road’s commercial area into a safe, vibrant area for residents, merchants and shoppers.
The presentation will include plans for traffic calming measures, pedestrian safety programs and sidewalk and parking lot entrance enhancements. Guidelines for signs, awnings and facades will also be discussed, as will rezoning portions of Middle Neck Road.
Great Neck considers itself the “old village” because it had the first stores, school, library, bank and telephone switchboard on the peninsula. It’s time to modernize and think anew about what attracts people, Great Neck Mayor Ralph Kreitzman said.
“We want to think of ways to help our merchants make the downtown area vital and vibrant again,” he said.
In addition to input from architects and designers, the village also had 13 focus group meetings and a public meeting to generate ideas.
Updated now Newsday travel writer Scott Vogel took the ferry over to Block Island for a weekend of fun.
Updated now Newsday travel writer Scott Vogel took the ferry over to Block Island for a weekend of fun.
