Panning For Gold

So how does a community begin to reimagine its downtown? Where might it have room to grow? In 2010, the Long Island Index looked at downtowns in Nassau and Suffolk Counties to determine how much land is available for new development. Astoundingly, there are almost 13 square miles of land within walking distance of Long Island’s downtowns and train stations that could be used for new development — the equivalent of about 7,600 football fields. The yellow on the map below indicates parcels that could be converted to new housing, new stores, new businesses, new civic centers – the list goes on and on. This is where our greatest potential lies — our "gold."

So what’s on most of those parcels today? 50% of them are surface parking lots. Another quarter is vacant land and the balance is unprotected open space.

While no one is advocating building on every square foot of available space, we have to create density. If we used just half that land, we would have the potential to create 90,000 new housing units in the region.

However, if we opt to instead build 90,000 units of medium and large-lot single-family homes similar to what we have today, we would consume all of Long Island’s remaining open space not currently protected for land preservation. All of it. That’s a stark contrast. Consume all of the remaining land on the Island by ‘building as usual’ or use half the 8,300 acres in the downtowns – 1/2 of one percent of all the land area in Nassau and Suffolk Counties – to create 90,000 new residences. The choice is clear.

Housing in the downtowns would be more affordable, and indeed, more desirable to young adults who in study after study express an interest in more walkable communities. It would help foster economic growth and create more jobs in our economy. And it would breathe new life into Long Island’s downtowns.

Making these types of projects happen takes vision, leadership and community support. Here is what four Long Island leaders say about transformation in their downtowns: