Farmingdale residents weighed in on how they wanted the $4.5 million the village received from the state this past March to be used at the NY Forward program’s public workshop on Tuesday, June 17.
Dozens of community members were provided information on the program and its timeline with a presentation at the Farmingdale Public Library.
Farmingdale was awarded $4.5 million in grant money from the program in March.
Farmingdale Village Mayor Ralph Ekstrand said at the time the village would use its state funding for a performing arts center.
The planning process began in May and will conclude in December 2025. Once the committee submits its strategic investment plan, the state will review the recommended projects and release its list of approved projects.
“New York State wants to support projects that are going to result in something being built,” Noah Levine from BFJ Planning said while presenting. “They want to see shovels in the ground.”
Following the presentation, residents were encouraged to break into groups and discuss their thoughts and concerns about development in the village’s downtown area.
Many residents expressed concern about how development would impact traffic and parking in the area.
Many of the groups discussed having the performing arts center added to the village in the breakout sessions. Housing, cafes and department stores were also mentioned as possible projects to consider.
Restoration of the historic Thomas Powell house, which the village has expressed interest in turning into a museum and visitor center, was also discussed.
Projects eventually selected for an award will be assigned to an appropriate state agency or authority to manage the contract for implementation of the project.
NY Forward was launched in 2022 to support downtown revitalization for New York’s smaller communities, with a focus on hamlets, villages, and neighborhood-scale commercial centers.
The village had sent the state a 24-page application last year. It included a list of possible projects, including the establishment of a community-desired performing and cultural arts center.
“Village stakeholders want to expand these popular programs by creating a facility that will offer year-round cultural art events for residents and visitors to the Village,” the application said.
Farmingdale has revitalized its downtown over the past two decades with multiple improvement projects. The village’s downtown has been voted the Best Downtown on Long Island by FourLeaf Federal Credit Union each of the past six years and 10 of the past 11 years.
The NY Forward program will also have a local planning committee meeting on Aug. 13 at the Farmingdale Village Hall. Residents can also submit their opinions online until July 28.
