Project

Let's work together

The community of New Cassel in the Town of North Hempstead is in the midst of a rebirth that has brought over $80 million in private real estate development to this downtown.

New Cassel is a perfect example of how Long Island was developed—not only with a lack of planning that led to sprawl, traffic, and other problems, but, in many cases, with the unexpressed, yet deliberate purpose of creating segregated and disenfranchised communities for people of color.

The story is long and complex, but with years of neglect, racial steering, environmental contamination, and no access to the power structure, New Cassel had become one of the most impoverished and disenfranchised communities on Long Island.

But, then – for the first time, community residents demanded their voice be heard.

 

Along with the Unified New Cassel Community Revitalization Corporation, Sustainable Long Island facilitated the community planning process, “Seeking a Shared Vision for New Cassel,” which was held in 2002. Since then, the community has broke ground on their first bank, pharmacy and a planned supermarket along Prospect Avenue is on the way. Buildings were constructed, businesses opened their doors, and apartments became homes – with $80 million dollars infused for a total of 201 units of market-rate and affordable housing. 

The new downtown New Cassel will offer 39,989 sq. feet of retail space and 114,714 sq. feet of residential. Sustainable Long Island has been and will continue to be working alongside the community of New Cassel and the Town of North Hempstead to complete these plans. Sustainable Long Island also commissioned a study from Hofstra’s Center for Suburban Studies to track the successes, challenges and lessons-learned from the revitalization of downtown New Cassel, along Prospect Avenue.

In fall of 2011, the New Cassel Community launched its first ever youth-staffed farmer’s market at the First Baptist Cathedral of Westbury in Westbury, NY. Funded by New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo’s “New York Fresh Connect Farmers’ Markets” program, the market provides access to fresh, affordable Long Island produce to residents of New Cassel, Westbury and the surrounding area.

New Cassel Monograph