Hempstead Village group receives approval for Main Street enhancement grant

The Village of Hempstead Community Development Agency has received state approval for its $1.6 million Main Street Pedestrian Enhancement and Improvement Project.

The village was awarded the funding for pedestrian enhancements on Main Street in 2007 from the Federal Highway Administration through the state Department of Transportation. The village CDA is overseeing the federal grant and is in the process of receiving approval for construction bidding, agency Commissioner Claude Gooding said.

The project includes replacing sidewalks in the public right of way, new curbs and gutters, replacing and improving street lighting, street furniture, pedestrian crossings, plantings and signage. The project covers a two-block area on Main Street between Front and Centre streets.

The improvement plan is part of the village’s efforts to revitalize its downtown area. The project is meant to make sidewalks pedestrian-friendly and to help revitalize the area to attract customers to local stores, Gooding said.

The agency has partnered with the village’s public works department and Syosset-based Gedeon GRC Consulting, an engineering firm with expertise in road and pedestrian enhancement design.

For more information about the Hempstead CDA and future projects, visit hempsteadcda.org.