Clarkstown to Receive $150,000 for Transit Planning in Nanuet

Clarkstown will receive $150,000 from New York state for a transit-planning project for Nanuet, officials announced today.

The hamlet of Nanuet is uniquely poised for redevelopment, said Town Supervisor Alex Gromack.

• It is the closest commuter rail station in Rockland County to the new Tappan Zee Bridge
• It is strategically located near the junction of the New York State Thruway, New York State Route 59, and the Metro North rail line operated by New Jersey Transit

For the hamlet to realize its full potential as a locale for housing, commuting, shopping and leisure, Nanuet’s transportation, pedestrian, drainage and electrical infrastructure, especially in the area of the rail station, needs to be improved, said Gromack.

This grant enables the Town to undertake the ‘Nanuet Hamlet Center revitalization design plan and implementation strategy’ to redevelop vacant and underutilized land in the hamlet of Nanuet into a mixed-use, transit oriented neighborhood.

This plan will include:

• a new multimodal transit station on the existing line
• mixed-use retail, office and workforce residential units
• multi-use pedestrian paths
• walkable, pedestrian-friendly storefront streets
• parks and other green space
• integrated parking decks to reduce surface parking

“The project is expected to result in a transit oriented neighborhood centered around a new multi-modal transit station, while creating jobs and strengthening the local economy,” Gromack said in a written statement.

This initiative has been the focus of an Infrastructure Task Force spearheaded by Councilwoman Stephanie Hausner, which seeks to work with local and federal partners to strengthen Clarkstown’s transportation infrastructure. The Nanuet Hamlet Center revitalization has been a top focus for the task force.

Moving forward will involve working with Metro North Rail Road and New Jersey Transit, as well as the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council and local utility companies.

Officials hope the resulting product will streamline the opportunities to create jobs, new housing options and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by enhancing pedestrian and bicycle mobility, increasing transit ridership and reducing automobile trips.

“This is a great first step to really moving forward and developing plans for a Nanuet Hamlet Revitalization. We have already brought needed local, state, and federal partners and residents to the table and now we will have the funding necessary to take these conversations to the planning process. Improvements to the train station and the surrounding area will provide a great opportunity for Clarkstown to be a destination for young professionals looking to settle in a community with easy transportation options,” Hausner said.

“We are grateful to Governor Cuomo and to NYSERDA, as well as Assemblyman Zebrowski and Senator Carlucci for recognizing the importance of this project in the Hamlet of Nanuet,” said Gromack.