A wonderful project is underway in the Village of Irvington. Many years in the making, a planning and engineering firm, Saratoga, was selected this past December to create a Master Plan for the revitalization and design of Irvington’s Main Street area. All interested members of the community – residents, property owners, business owners and employees – are invited to come and work together with these professionals to help identify ways to improve the Main Street area.
Seven responses from qualified firms were submitted and evaluated. With a focus on qualifications, Saratoga was selected to carry out the program. Saratoga Associates, with three offices in New York State, is a multi-
disciplinary professional firm with four decades of experience in providing landscape, architectural, planning, and engineering services throughout the Northeast.
Village Trustee Connie Kehoe has been overseeing this project. The Village website www.irvingtonny.gov/streetscape has a video of the first public meeting that was held on Thursday, February 27, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. in the Trustee/Court Room of Village Hall. In addition, the presentation document used by Saratoga Associates at the meeting is available. It is worth the time it takes to download the 42-page document.
The first public meeting of this six-month project focused on an inventory and analysis of existing conditions on Main Street. Participants identified community concerns and suggested ideas for the improvement of Main Street. Consultants, Saratoga Associates along with Weidlinger Associates (engineering), facilitated the meeting. Two additional public input meetings will be scheduled as the plan progresses.
Project Goals have been outlined in the Master Plan document, which acts as a reference and guideline to facilitate capital improvements. Areas include improving the pedestrian environment to foster an active Village, creating a positive visitor experience. With regard to infrastructure, storm water management is another key issue. Sustainable design practices will be utilized in all the important tasks that lie ahead.
The Village of Irvington has a great history and a challenging topography, which has been an ongoing issue. The Village’s Main Street area has been designated an historic district by New York State, and, as of 2013, is under consideration for addition to the National Register of Historic Places. In 2010, Westchester Magazine ranked Irvington as the “Best Place to Live in Westchester.”
With the creation of a design comes much planning. Questions and comments from the public are welcomed and encouraged. Trustee Connie Kehoe emphasized that public descriptions of current conditions are very important to identify. What may be apparent to one resident could be overlooked and not considered in the development of this plan. In order to make Irvington’s Main Street a great place to visit and shop, consider giving your comments and questions by emailing voi.mainst.mp@gmail.com.
