After 6 months of work, a local committee has identified important projects that will greatly improve our downtown. Central Islip was awarded a 10 million dollar Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant from the State of New York. Only two other communities on Long Island, Hicksville, and Westbury, have received these much sought after funds. A 17 person committee, co-chaired by Islip Supervisor Angie Carpenter, and with much community input, identified 11 projects that will greatly improve our downtown area which is identified as Carleton Avenue from the LIRR tracks south to Smith Street. Some of the larger projects include 2 million dollars to sewer the area and 2 million for a mixed-use development at the old LIRR parking lot just south of the tracks. The latter will include an indoor and outdoor public space. The remaining monies will go towards streetscape and commercial property improvements, two other mixed-use proposals, improvements to the Clayton Street Recreation buildings, and a Central Islip History Trail.

—Nancy Manfredonia