A nondescript shopping plaza parking lot toward the eastern edge of Patchogue’s downtown area is about to get a makeover from the village.
“Improving that parking lot will continue the beautification of the village,” said Marian Russo, the executive director of the village’s Community Development Agency.
“[The East Main Street parking lot] doesn’t look real nice,” she said.
The land is privately owned, but about $167,000 of Suffolk County and village CDA money is going into sprucing up the 1-acre lot at 15 East Main Street.
Current businesses there include Carvel, Rainbow Shops, Smith Point Archery and the Discount Party & Stationary Store.
Russo had applied for an won a Suffolk County Revitalization Grant for the beautification project years ago, she said.
But now work is scheduled to begin early next month and take about three weeks. The goal is to take the large asphalt space and green it up.
According to Russo, three planting beds will be installed, which will include grass, bushes and trees. The highlight will be a pocket park on the eastern end of the parking lot; it will have shrubbery and flowers as well as benches for patrons walking by.
She said typically the busiest downtown areas for foot traffic offer places to sit and recuperate — except for Patchogue.
“One of the things we don’t have are those nice areas where you can relax for a few minutes and then go on your way,” said Russo, explaining the main reason for pursuing the lot’s transformation into a more public resource.
The lot will also get repaved and striped. New light fixtures will also be installed.
“We are always looking for ways that have an impact on our community and I feel this project does that,” said Russo.
Top: The East Main Street parking lot Friday, Sept. 15. (Credit: Nicholas Esposito)
