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Forchelli, Curto, Crowe, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo & Cohn, LLP
For more, see their website here. Become a Supporter of Smart Growth Vision Long Island prides itself on having a broad range of supporters. Become one today. A donation as small as $50 buys outreach materials to help a community build support for their vision. $500 sponsors an entire newsletter. $5,000 makes you a lead sponsor of our Smart Growth Summit, buying 10 tickets and a key branding opportunity for your organization.
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Founded in 1976, Forchelli, Curto, Crowe, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo & Cohn, LLP is one of Long Island's most acclaimed and distinguished law firms. With offices in Mineola and Melville, the firm is conveniently located for clients in Nassau and Suffolk counties, as well as those in New York City. The firm is poised for the 21st century with a team of attorneys who are supremely qualified with the talent, experience and skill necessary to meet the legal needs of any client. 
2009 Smart Growth Awards are Fast Approaching!Vision Long Island is pleased to announce the winners of the 2009 Smart Growth Awards!
The 2009 Smart Growth Awards will take place on Friday, June 19th from 11:30am-2:00pm at the Crest Hollow Country Club. Sponsorship packages are available. Be sure to register for the Awards by visiting www.visionlongisland.org and downloading a registration form. For more information, you can also contact our office at (631) 261-0242 or email info@visionlongisland.org. We look forward to seeing you there! To read about past winners or to find out more about the Awards, visit our website here.
SAVE THE DATE! Register Today!
SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES still AVAILABLE! • Visionary package includes: Logo in materials and advertisements, prominent full-page advertisement in journal, special recognition at event and on website, banner display, table for 10 THanks to our sponsors gold sponsors
Sponsors
Register Now! __Visionary - $15,000 __Leader - $10,000 __Gold Sponsor - $5,000 Journal Ads Now Available for the The 2009 Smart Growth Awards are fast approaching and the Smart Growth Awards Journal is a great way to advertise your company while supporting the Awards and Vision Long Island. Ads are due by noon on Friday, June 5th. Contact our office with any questions. Details are as follows:
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Stakeholder Participation: Lori Baldassare of the Mount Sinai Heritage Center for the exceptional use of stakeholder participation in the planning of their facility and grounds.
Revitalizing Communities: Trammell Crow Residential is being honored for the Alexan at West Hempstead which will transform a blighted hotel into much-needed rental housing. 
Preserving Open Space: Lisa Ott of the North Shore Land Alliance is being honored for her efforts to pass environmental bond resolutions in multiple municipalities in Nassau and Suffolk
Mix of Uses: TRITEC is being honored for their development in the heart of downtown Patchogue, which includes office, retail, mixed-income housing, and a hotel.
Encouraging Walkability: Kingdom Family Holdings is honored for the Marquis at Mineola, a multifamily residential project in downtown Mineola that is part of the community's Master Plan. 
Providing a Range of Housing Types: The Nassau Suffolk Coalition for the Homeless will be honored for their work in helping Long Island’s homeless find sufficient housing and support services.
Creating a Sense of Place: Hon. Steve Flotteron and Hon. Phil Nolan of the Town of Islip are being honored for the reconstruction of the Bay Shore Marina, turning what was a large parking lot into a place for recreation. 
Compact Design: The Dennis Organization is being honored for Hawthorne Court, a multifamily housing project in Valley Stream which provides walkable access to the Valley Stream train station.
Providing Transportation Options: The Town of Brookhaven is receiving an award for the plan for the Ronkonkoma Hub, which will change zoning to allow for transit-oriented development and a variety of transportation options. 
Green Building & Energy Efficiency: The Village of Amityville is receiving the award for the green building renovations to Village Hall.
Providing Certainty: Glen Cove Mayor Ralph Suozzi will be receiving the award for making development decisions fair and predictable for the Glen Cove Master Plan. This plan successfully involves the community and lays the groundwork for multiple redevelopment projects from the waterfront to the downtown. 
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Hamburg, NY Carries Out Vision of Walkable Community
The project is visibly successful, as a large number of pedestrians and bicyclists make use of the new streets. A letter discussing the project reads, "There are an abundance of new buildings, new activities. The walk-up line at the ice cream store was 150 people deep, with more arriving by the minute (the ice cream indicator)." The roads are much safer, going from very dangerous roadways to nearly accident free. The road even allows for very efficient truck transport, although freight vehicles often bemoan roundabouts. The roadway is winning top awards, and "breaks every myth and rule known to street making." NYSDOT, who paid $23 million for the project, is still adding more money for landscaping, parks, and plazas.
New "Vlog" on New York's Solar Success Stories
NNEC director Kyle Rabin said, "New York is a cradle of innovation, and we are absolutely thrilled to be launching this vlog, which illustrates our residents' and business owners' leadership and their desire for renewable energy. We look forward to working with our partners to continue showcasing renewable systems throughout New York." Transportation for America Releases Blueprint for a 21st Century Federal Transportation Program
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The small Village of Hamburg, NY (near Buffalo) completed a visioning charrette in 2002, led by Walkable Communities, Inc. The Village has exemplified streetmaking and community enhancements. New street features include five roundabouts at former signalized intersections, narrower nine foot wide travel lanes, six foot wide on-street parking, low speeds (which lessen the need for bike lanes), and wide sidewalks. There is plenty of attention to detail, all on a narrow, constrained right-of-way NYSDOT roadway.
To highlight renewable energy success stories in the Empire State, the Network for New Energy Choices (NNEC), in partnership with Vote Solar and Solar One, has launched 
This week, national transportation coalition Transportation for America released "The Route to Reform: Blueprint for a 21st Century Federal Transportation Program. The group works to shape transportation investments and ensure that auto-alternatives are given their fair share. Most importantly is the upcoming SAFETEA-LU bill, which will determine the next six years of transportation spending. The Blueprint is a detailed plan and official proposal to restructure the nation's transportation program in order to build a smart, safe, and clean transportation system that provides real choices to all Americans. More funding for transportation is key, but can only come if accompanied by reform.|
Great Neck Opens Eco-Park
The Village acquired the property in the 1930s, and up until about 20 years ago it was used as a transfer station for leaves, wood, and street sweeping. The Mayor was a member of the Strathmore Civic Association over 30 years ago, and had fought for a long time to turn the site into a passive park. "So, it was a long time, but, I believe it was worth the wait," said Mayor Kreitzman. The park was built using Nassau County's Environmental Bond, which is 2004 was set for $25 million. This park, at $250,000 for construction, is the first project built using this fund that is not a County project. Some of the funds also came from the Village of Great Neck's Park Fund, which accumulated over the years from payments from people who subdivided property. The park came at no cost to taxpayers. Read more in the Great Neck Record. GreenStreet LI Offers Ways for Long Islanders to Go Green
The GreenStreet LI Advisory Group consists of volunteer non-profit organizations hand-selected by Newsday’s Community Affairs department to collaboratively inform and support the responsible launch and development of Newsday’s GreenStreet LI program. Members of the Advisory Group are other Long Island non-profits chosen for their dedication and expertise in local environmental, sustainability and smart growth issues. The Members are: Adrienne Esposito - Citizens Campaign for the Environment; Sarah Lansdale, - Sustainable Long Island; Eric Alexander - Vision Long Island; Gordian Raacke - Renewable Energy Long Island; Neal Lewis – The Sustainability Institute at Molloy College; and Demosthenes Maratos - Neighborhood Network. Check out greenstreetli.com for some great tips on green living! |
The Village of Great Neck held a ribbon cutting ceremony on May 3rd for its new Strathmore Eco Park. It is the first park built by the Village, and was designed with environment-friendly principles. It is a passive park, and has all native trees, shrubs, grasses, and even weeds. There is a boardwalk and a winding path to walk through. Construction was completed entirely by hand with as little disturbance to the land as possible. The planking on the boardwalk is made of Cumuru, "a Brazilian hardwood that is grown specifically for commercial harvesting, without depleting the natural supply found in rain forests. Mayor Ralph Kreitzman said that "the concept for the park is based on our relationship to water, and its connection to this site through flowing streams, rolling waves, nautilus shapes, bridges and overlooks."
Along with its print series, GreenStreet LI has launched a new website that offers Long Islanders simple (and free) ways to go green. Eat local food--it doesn't travel thousands of miles in a truck to get to your plate (plus, it keeps money in the local economy). Use cold water to wash your clothes and use a rack to dry. Plan a LI "Staycation" this summer and reduce your carbon footprint by visiting some of LI's top vacation spots.|
Germany Creates the Car-free Suburb
The New York Times quotes, "'When I had a car I was always tense. I’m much happier this way,' said Heidrun Walter, a media trainer and mother of two, as she walked verdant streets where the swish of bicycles and the chatter of wandering children drown out the occasional distant motor." Americans have been wondering if this type of model could work here. Auto-centric suburban communities will need a huge buy-in to these concepts in order to accomplish what Vauban did, but it is possible. In fact, given the direction of our environment and exponential increases in traffic, it is not only possible but a necessity to begin planning this way. Read the feature story in the New York Times here. |
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Public Hearing to be held for Pilgrim State Property: May 28
A public hearing will be held on the DGEIS, including zone change applications, on Thursday, May 28 at 6:30pm at Brentwood High School's Sonderling Center, 52 3rd Avenue in Brentwood. Comments on the DGEIS are requested and will be accepted through July 28th (mail to Islip Town Hall, 655 Main St, Islip, NY 11751). The developers proposal is available online here. To read a notice from the Town on their areas of disagreement, learn more here. Take Action on the "Clean Energy Bank" provision: No Unlimited Money for Nuclear Reactors!
The Nuclear Information and Resource Service wants you--the environmentalists and advocates for safe communities--to help stop this misguided piece of legislation, which few Congress members have even read yet. Click here to send a letter to your Representative in Congress, or click here to write to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. |
Last month, the Town of Islip adopted the Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (DGEIS) for the redevelopment proposal of the Pilgrim State Psychiatric Center Property, located in Brentwood at the crossing of the Long Island Expressway and the Sagtikos State Parkway. Heartland Town Square would be "a unique mixed-use development of approximately 9,130 residential units, 105,000 square feet of civic space, 1,030,000 square feet of retail space and 4,150,000 square feet of office space to be built over a 15-year period." 
Legislation proposed by Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Representative Jay Inslee (D-WA) would create a "Clean Energy Bank," which seems to be anything but clean. The fund would allow UNLIMITED taxpayer loan guarantees for technologies such as clean coal (which does not exist) and nuclear reactors (which are not safe). Nassau County Hosts Gun Buyback, No Questions Asked THis Saturday Spring Hike and Food Drive May 16th
This Saturday, May 16, from 9am-1pm, come anytime rain or shine to Makamah Preserve (at Route 25A and Makamah Road). Please bring a canned or non-perishable food donation. Even if you are unable to join in the hike, you can still drop off a food donation. All food collected will go to the Ecumenical Lay Council Food Pantry of Northport. For more information, contact kpneighbors@aol.com. Free Radiology Services for Long Island's Uninsured On May 17th
The entire program is staffed by volunteers, including radiologists, technologists, receptionists, etc. In turn, they are encouraging patients to donate their time and effort to other volunteer organizations. "The goal is to inspire more people to help each other on Long Island. This project will give the Zwanger Pesiri volunteers a true sense of pride and public service, but more importantly give people the diagnostic imaging studies they need and cannot afford." To be eligible, patients must have a doctor's referral, live in Nassau or Suffolk County, and not have health insurance. The next Give Back Sunday will be on May 17th at 80 Maple Avenue in Smithtown. For more information, see their website. To schedule an appointment, please call the volunteer Give Back Sunday line @ 631-930-9460. Fourth Annual Energy Conference at NYIT June 5th
Visit their website for more information or contact sustainable@nyit.edu. Sponsorship information and opportunities to display at the conference are also available; please contact lschranz@nyit.edu. CNU 17 in Denver Runs June 10th-14th
Connect and collaborate with other New Urbanists, experience traditional urbanism firsthand through local tours, learn how practitioners are applying the Charter for the New Urbanism in the field, stay on the cusp of the latest New Urbanist trends, contribute your own ideas and experience to take New Urbanism to the next level, and learn about new products and the latest innovations at CNU exhibits. Denver will serve as a laboratory to explore in depth why New Urbanism is the "convenient remedy" to some of society's most pressing issues, including rising carbon emissions, unpredictable fuel costs, and a projected 50 million unit increase in demand for new residences by 2030, with demand growing fastest in walkable communities. Connect with new people, get your toughest planning questions answered, and take home specific strategies to apply these New Urban remedies. Register online and see costs here. CNU members receive significant discounts. Thursday's Child of Long Island Spring Gala set for June 17th
The gala will honor Long Islanders who have made unique contributions to Thursday's Child, including Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy and members of the Suffolk County Legislature, Cameron Alden, Jon Cooper, Lou D'Amaro, Jack Eddington, DuWayne Gregory, and Lynne Nowick. The fund raiser will take place at Flowerfield Celebrations, 199 Mills Pond Road in St. James. Sponsorships are available and individual tickets are $75-100. Call (631) 447-5044 or see the Thursday's Child website for more info. African American Media Network Presents Strong Island Live June 24th-28th
Three performance locations in the area will air on channel 18. Bands must be live: no background CDs! To register or for more information, call 516-478-4334 or 516-503-6282, or see the website here. |
Did you know that at least a quarter million Long Islanders are at risk of hunger? Please join the Fort Salonga Association and Kings Park Neighbors' Association for a food drive and the first annual Spring Hike. 
Once a month, Zwanger Pesiri Radiology is offering free radiological services to the uninsured. The Give Back Sunday program recognizes that countless Long Islanders do not have health insurance, and the recent economic downturn is putting even more people's health in jeopardy. On April 19th, Zwanger Pesiri Radiology launched the first Give Back Sunday: one Sunday per month, they are opening their office to provide services at no charge to disadvantaged and uninsured Long Island residents. They offer a full array of exams using the most advanced imaging equipment, including MRI, MRA, Breast MRI, CTA, Nuclear Medicine, PET/CT, Digital X-Ray, Digital Mammography, Barium Enema, Upper GI Series, Bone Density, Ultrasound, and Biopsy.
New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) is hosting the fourth annual energy conference “Innovative Technologies and Green Collar Careers.” The conference will be on Friday, June 5 from 8:30am – 4:00pm at de Seversky Center on the Old Westbury Campus of NYIT. Speakers include representatives from Noresco, The Rocky Mountain Institute, Clean Edge, Global Insight, and The Albanese Organization. Sessions include An Energy Services Company's Role in the Green Economy; Clean Tech: A Pathway to a New Era of Job Growth and Opportunity; Energy and Comfort in Existing Buildings, Campuses, and Communities; Current and Potential Green Jobs by Metropolitan Area; and Innovative Technologies Put into Practice- A Developer's Perspective. A panel discussion on Green Energy Programs from the Developer's Perspective will feature Russell Albanese of the Albanese Organization, Michael Watt of LI Builders Institute, and Albert Harsch of Eastern Energy Systems. The final panel on Green Energy Programs from the Municipal Perspective will include Lisanne Altmann of LIPA, Supervisor Kate Murray of the Town of Hempstead, Energy Director Dorian Dale of the Town of Babylon, and Gary Krieger of National Grid.
Each year, the Congress for the New Urbanism hosts a multi-day conference on New Urbanism and Smart Growth. This year, CNU 17: "Experiencing The New Urbanism: The Convenient Remedy" will take place in Denver, Colorado from June 10-14. The weekend's expected attendees include 1,500 leaders from diverse fields who will participate in breakout sessions, lectures, tours of Denver, and great social and networking experiences. 
On Wednesday, June 17th from 6:30-9:30pm, Thursday's Child of Long Island presents their Spring Champagne Gala to benefit their new children's summer program, "A Day of Fun in the Sun at the Long Island Game Farm," part of an initiative called Safety Net Project which provides an array of family services designed to maintain medical care and personal dignity for HIV/AIDS patients. Thursday's Child is an HIV/AIDS community service charity that reaches out and provides assistance to hundreds of Long Island families each year who are living with this disease. This event celebrates 20 years of service to the community. 
The Long Island based African American Media Network will be hosting "Strong Island Live" music festival from June 24-28. Several days of live music performances will include gospel, rock, rap, R&B, jazz, blues, reggae, and salsa. These genres will compete for prizes including studio time, a music video, and cash. |
Vision Long Island Seeking Summer Interns
Individuals and universities interested in learning more are encouraged to contact us at info@visionlongisland.org. You are welcome to include a resume and/or letter. Please put "Internships for 2009" in the subject heading. |
Vision is excited to announce that we are looking for unpaid interns for Summer 2009! Our staff likes to say we "wear many hats," and interns will have to do the same. Interns will assist with planning, design, outreach, event planning, writing, research, attending meetings, reporting, photography, and more. Bring your unique skill set to the table! We are looking for energetic and conscientious individuals with an interest in planning from a bottom-up perspective. This is a valuable opportunity to work with great people and learn about the issues impacting Long Island.|
Y.E.S. Pasta Dinner May 16th
Keynote speaker Sergio Argueta is the Executive Director and Founder of S.T.R.O.N.G. Youth, whose mission is to reduce gang violence and promote a variety of opportunities and other competencies that give youth in our community a way out; alternatives to a violent life on the streets. Mr. Arguerta's talk will parallel the teens' focus topic of the year of racism on LI. The dinner will take place at the Ethical Humanist Society of LI at 38 Old Country Road in Garden City. $10 adults and $8 students; proceeds will be split between S.T.R.O.N.G. Youth and Y.E.S. (who will use the funds to help attend next year's National Y.E.S. Conference in Washington, D.C.). Y.E.S. is a group of teenagers who are determined to make the world a better place. Shopper's Village Now Open
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On Saturday, May 16th at 6:30pm, the LI Youth of Ethical Societies (Y.E.S.) will host its 15th annual Pasta Dinner! The pasta dinner is a chill night with tons of entertainment, speakers, and of course, pasta. Performances will include bands Spazz Logic and The Ravets, a magic act, dancing, singing, jamming, and more. 
This Friday, May 15th, marks the official opening of the new Shopper's Village in West Hempstead! Long Island's largest indoor marketplace features over 350 booths, vendors, and stores, plus children's activities and a food court soon to come. It is located near the Courtesy Hotel, which is slated to become new apartments soon. |
''Have you ever tried walking to Wal-Mart? It makes your palms sweat and your feet hurt just thinking about it.'' -- Greater Ohio State Director Gene Krebs |
SMART GROWTH NEWS Newsletter Editor: Michelle Dutchen, Director of Communications We strive to provide continued quality publications such as this each week. If you are interested in becoming a newsletter or news blast sponsor, please call the office at 631-261-0242 for rates and opportunities. If you have any news or events that you would like to add to our newsletter, submit them to info@visionlongisland.org for consideration.
For more information about Vision Long Island, visit http://www.visionlongisland.org or contact us at: |
