Rauch Douzinas: Good to grow
A team of researchers went looking for land in all the right places … and found oodles of it. Enough to build a new, more prosperous Long Island.
That’s the news contained in a study just released by the Long Island Index.
The researchers, from the Regional Plan Association, explored for usable land located within a half-mile of downtowns or railroad stations.
Those are the places where it’s smart to build the townhouses and apartments Long Island desperately needs to staunch its brain drain.
Downtown and transit-centered development stimulates local economies while expanding regional job opportunities and employee pools. Other benefits include easing traffic, cutting pollution and helping to preserve open space. And unlike traditional suburban development, most of the time, this type of development is tax positive.
That’s why regions across the country are focusing their growth on downtown areas. It seems an ideal approach for Long Island, which is blessed with town centers rich in infrastructure. But some have questioned whether these existing areas have the capacity to absorb significant new growth.
The answer, in turns out, is a resounding YES.
