Long Island Event “Outlook: 2015”

The “Outlook: 2015” event was held on January 6, 2015 at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury, NY.

The discussion topics focused on employment opportunities, infrastructure and housing on Long Island.  

A common theme was the Long Island “Brain Drain.” Specifically, how do we keep young professionals on Long Island? The high cost of living on Long Island is a major concern which emphasizes the importance of the need for well-paying jobs for young professionals. Without these jobs and affordable housing, young professionals are being forced to relocate to other cities.

The need for improved infrastructure and better roads as well as better access to public transportation was also discussed. In our recent blog, we discussed the Village of Huntington and Glen Cove Piazza as two examples of communities being developed to attract young professionals on Long Island with both affordable housing and transportation hub sites.

Mayor Paul Pontieri of the Village of Patchogue discussed how the village has undergone a transformation in recent years through developments such as Copper Beech Village and the New Village at Patchogue.  The Copper Beech Village was constructed with affordable housing in mind.  Many low cost, quality homes have been built there, just minutes from the LIRR, retail stores and local restaurants. The New Village at Patchogue was designed to feature amenities such as a fully equipped fitness center, outdoor fireplaces and fire pits, a barbecue area, and ground-level retail shops and restaurants. Furthermore, it too is located close to the LIRR, as well as the Fire Island ferries.