Neal A. Stone MCIP AICP Department of Planning & Economic Development

New Cassel Revitalization Project CIP/MPPI Conference July 14, 2008 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

www.NealStone.net Managing Complexity: Taking Care of the Parts, to Help the Whole

The New Cassel Project:Leveraging Public and Private Support for the Revitalization of a Greater New York Region’sDisadvantaged Neighbourhood

Neal A. Stone MCIP AICPDepartment of Planning & Economic Development

Town of North Hempstead, Nassau County, New York



New Cassel, NY

► Metro NYC Suburban Neighborhood

► Unincorporated Area in the Town of North Hempstead

► +/- 15km east of NYC in Nassau County

► 3.8 km² in land area



Population Density

+/- 3,500 people per km² (New Westminster, BC) +/- 13,500 residents

New Cassel…

Manhattan…+/- 26,000 people per km²

or 18.8M, Metro Stat Area



History

Prospect Avenue

Long Island Rail Road – Main Line

Old Country Road

WANTAGH STATE PKW

Y

Brush

Holl

ow R

oad

New Cassel

early 1950s Aerial Photo

► Quakers clear land 1600s

► Hessians settle 1780s► residential/agricultural mix

until 1940s

► freed slaves settle 1700s



History

Prospect Avenue

Long Island Rail Road – Main Line

Old Country Road

WANTAGH STATE PKW

Y

Brush

Holl

ow R

oad

New Cassel

2004 Google Earth Aerial Photo

► post-WWII housing boom► existing minorities make

this a welcome growth area for new minorities

► intensification of land use to full suburban potential



History

► lack of investment► continued emigration of low-income minority population (Blacks, Latinos, migrant

workers, illegal immigrants)

► vehicles dangerous to pedestrians along Prospect Avenue (2.1km “main street”)

► one of the most notorious illegal drug markets in the nation► 17 designated Superfund (or toxic waste) sites needing remediation



History

► increase in soft and violent crime rates

► vacant lots, run-down storefronts, illegal residential conversions

► decommissioned Grand Street School, former neighbourhood elementary school



History

MAJOR CRIME STATISTICS

for New Cassel

TRAFFIC VIOLATIONSfor Prospect Avenue

Homicides 5 Automobile Accidents 242

Sexual Assault/Abuse & Criminal Sex Acts

19 Auto Accidents with Pedestrians

3

Robbery 109 Auto Accidents with Bicycles

16

Assault 79

Burglary 150

Stolen Automobiles 80



Laying a FoundationB

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July, 2002



► Sustainable Long Island

► Horace & Amy Hagedorn Foundation

► Long Island Community Foundation

► Walkable Communities (Mr. Dan Burden)

► Long Island Housing Partnership

► Unified New Cassel Community Revitalization Corp. (UNCCRC)

► Bishop Lionel Harvey, First Baptist Church of Westbury as well as 15 local clergy and congregations

Laying a Foundation

Nonprofit & Community Organizations take the lead…



► Town of North Hempstead (ToNH)

► ToNH Community Development Agency

► Nassau County (Public Works, Housing, Planning & Economic Development)

► New York State (Transportation, Environmental Conservation)

► Empire State Development Corporation

► New York Department of State

► Federal Housing & Urban Development, Federal Highway Administration, Environmental Protection Agency

Laying a Foundation

… and government supports and collaborates with community and nonprofit leadership…



Laying a Foundation

Community Goals from Visioning …

Better schools

Safe, clean

streets

Community / Youth Center

Movie Theatre

Narrow Prospect Avenue from 4

lanes to 2

Senior Citizens Center

Day Care

Center

Improve Police

Protection

Landscaped Public Spaces

Better Street

Lighting

Economic Development

More Jobs & Local Businesses

… Traffic Speed Control …

… Traffic Speed Control …



Laying A Foundation

Undeveloped properties

to be acquired by the Town or Community Development Agency (CDA).

PARK

SCHOOL

c.2000 – Town looks to buy vacancies



Laying A Foundation

Urban Design Principles from Vision Plan:

Streets: narrower with textured crosswalks, bulb-outs, and speed tables

Land Use: mix of retail and residential

Sidewalks: wider, with benches / seating, and trash receptacles

Setbacks: minimal front-yard and side-yard setbacks

Parking: rear-yard, on-street or underground

Bicycles: bike racks; and dedicated lanes connecting to Wantagh State Pkwy

Transit Stops: bus shelters, benches, and signage

Landscaping: community art, street trees, planters, and kiosks

Facades: brick facades, hanging plants, outdoor seating, sign / light standards



Community Development Agency

Site “A”

► Mixed Income, 50-80% AMI

► Commercial Area = 1,900m²

► Residential Units = 57

► Private:Public = 86.5 : 13.5

► +/- USD$20M




Site “B”

► Affordable, 50-60% AMI

► Commercial Area = 1,100m²


► Private:Public = 90 : 10

► +/- USD$9.5M

► Grocery Store




Site “C”

► Affordable, 50-60% AMI

► Commercial Area = 375m²



► +/- USD$6.9M

► Bank and Convenience Store




Site “D”

► Commercial Area = 560m²

► Mixed Income = 50-80% AMI

► Rental Units = 3


► +/- USD$3.2M

► Condo Units = 3




CDA Success Summary… (to date)

► Homeownership Units = 50

► Commercial Space = 4,400m²

► Active Development Sites = 7

► +/- USD$63.8M

► Several possible new sites…

► Rental Units = 148

Site “E” TBD



1.

2.3.

Community Center

CDA-acquired property immediately adjacent to:

1. Bunky Reid Park & Playground / Fields

2. Magnolia Gardens Senior Living Complex

3. Grand Street School site (old elementary)

3,950 m² site (one acre)



Community Center

Magnolia Gardens Senior Living Complex

Bunky Reid Park

Community Center SiteCommunity Center Site



Community Center

Community Center Site



Community Center

► Construction: May / 09

► USGBC LEED-certified “Silver-rated”…33+ points

► Preliminary Design completion in Sept / 08

► +/- USD$15M

► USD$10M: Neptune

$150K: HUD

$50-60K: LIPA



Streetscaping2004: NYS DOT – Local Safe Streets and Traffic Calming

…BUT…

► Placed onto MPO 4-year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) 2006-2010

► Federal grant, administered by NYS

► Incipient funding for road reconstruction (speed reduction, not volume)

► East End of Prospect Avenue – five blocks

► Design Approval Request granted (FAPP)

► Declared a “non-exempt” Air Quality project, but given an AQ modeling waiver due to World

Trade Center 9/11 Attacks► Scheduled to begin construction Spring 2006.

► USD$992,000



Streetscaping2005: NYS DOT – Transportation, Community & System Preservation

► Federal grant, administered by NYS

► Subsequent funding for road reconstruction

► Prospect Avenue – all 20 blocks

► Also on MPO 4-year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) 2006-2010

► USD$1,000,000

…BUT…



StreetscapingAugust 2005: SAFETEA-LU - Federal 6-Year Transportation Bill

► TWO Federal Earmarks under SAFETEA-LU

► USD$2,000,000 and USD$800,000

► Prospect Avenue – all 20 blocks

► NOT on MPO 4-year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)

► NEED to combine this $2.8M with existing $1.9M

► 2006, the project needs to be incorporated into the new 2008-2012 TIP

► Re-run the Air Quality Conformity Modeling

THEREFORE:

► Re-do the Design Approval Request

► Combine all funding into one common project on the TIP = $4.7M

BEGIN CONSTRUCTION IN SPRING 2009



Streetscaping… will include:



Streetscaping… will include:



Streetscaping… new off-street parking lot:



Streetscaping… new off-street parking lot:



Streetscaping… new pocket park at Swalm Street:



Streetscaping… connecting Prospect Ave. bicycle lanes to the Wantagh State Pkwy trail system:



Streetscaping… burying overhead utility lines:



FTA NYSDOT

NASSAU COUTY OPEN SPACE

BOND ACT

HUD

UTILITIES

UTILITIES HUD

NYSEDAP

NEPTUNE

EPA ESDC

HUD

NASSAU COUNTY

INVESTORCAPITAL

VISIONING NGOs

FOUNDATION CAPITAL

VISIONING NGOs

COMMUNITY ART WORKING

GROUP

Summary

Prospect Avenue

Streetscaping

Swalm Street ParkOff-street

Parking Lot

Community Center

Grand Street School SiteCommercial/

Residential Properties

TOWN OF NORTH HEMPSTEADNEW CASSEL



Summary

Prospect Avenue

Streetscaping

Swalm Street ParkOff-street

Parking Lot

Community Center

Grand Street School SiteCommercial/

Residential Properties

$63.8M

$0.1M

$5.9M

$0.1M$0.1M

$16.5M

TOWN OF NORTH HEMPSTEADNEW CASSEL



Summary

► $86.5M + in Private, Public, Non-profit, and Philanthropic Investment

► Over 35 NGOs, Government Agencies, Foundations, and Community Organizations (not including consultant teams)

► Approximately 20 years of Due Diligence, Planning, Visioning, and Funding Procurement

= NEW CASSEL: a “work in progress”

Testimony to what perseverance, public participation, leadership,intergovernmental agency cooperation, financing and soundplanning can and will continue to accomplish!



The New Cassel Project:Leveraging Public and Private Support for the Revitalization of a Greater New York Region’sDisadvantaged Neighbourhood

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Neal A. Stone MCIP AICP Department of Planning & Economic Development