Downtown Development Key To Farmingdale’s Economic Success

In the past eight years, the Village of Farmingdale experienced a boon in the development of its commercial Main Street area that found the municipality being the recipient of several awards since 2012. In addition to winning accolades that included a number of Smart Growth Awards, Farmingdale was voted Best Downtown in 2015 through 2018 and wound up receiving it this year as well.

According to a recent study commissioned by the Long Island Regional Planning Council (LIPRC), the renaissance the Incorporated Village of Farmingdale has gone through over the past decade was no accident. Moreover, the Farmingdale study revealed that the major economic impact the village has experienced can serve as a model for future downtown revitalizations across Long Island. Among the findings were that Farmingdale’s investment of every dollar generates $1.74 in economic output. Further, the short-term negative economic impact from COVID-19 could result in long-term economic growth in Farmingdale and other communities as more people seek suburban living with thriving downtowns nearby.

The LIRPC is the leading regional planning body representing Nassau and Suffolk County and it commissioned a pair of studies, one focusing on Farmingdale’s downtown development and the other reflecting major shifts in land use in a post-pandemic economy. The results were revealed during the LIRPC’s council meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 15. For LIRPC Chairman John Cameron, this pair of recent studies were crucial as a means of setting priorities for Long Island’s economic development.

“There is significant synergy between the two studies as the long-term impact of COVID form land use, such as a growing demand for suburban communities with thriving downtowns as people move away from dense urban housing, to the tremendous measurable economic impact that communities like Farmingdale can realize when they focus on revitalization,” he said.

LIRPC retained 4ward Planning Inc. to conduct the two studies. LIRPC had previously entered into a prior consulting services agreement with 4ward Planning in 2018 for an economic impact analysis of the Village of Patchogue, which documented the major economic impact in that thriving village.

Todd Poole, president of 4ward Planning, Inc., presented the latest findings. Not unlike what 4ward Planning did with the Patchogue study, Poole and his team spent several days in the Village of Farmingdale interviewing a number of representatives and local business owners. Poole found that major infrastructure investments, significant mixed-use zoning changes and the promotion of public events that can attract thousands of people over the course of a two or three-day-weekend were major drivers for Farmingdale’s economic success.

“Study takeaways for this project?,” Poole rhetorically asked. “Public investment in community structure—in this case, commuter rail improvements by the MTA, can leverage a significant amount of private investment. It’s usually many times over what that original public investment is.”

He also added, “We thought that zoning is critical and we see this everywhere. I will say that it’s more critical than ever. As John Cameron mentioned in his opening remarks—there are a lot of businesses that are fleeing New York City and are heading to suburban location and communities like a Farmingdale or a Patchogue. In order for them to do so, they want to know that the zoning is going to be responsive to their needs and be flexible to what they want to accomplish. In general, that can be achieved by understanding that this is not different from neighboring communities that have this kind of mixed-use development. And seeing how that has been successful for them. It’s about asking if you have a similar type of zoning in place to facilitate that.”

Village of Farmingdale Economic & Fiscal Impact Analysis

Farmingdale experienced an economic boom over the decade with new destination restaurants, breweries, unique shops and newly-built apartments, replacing older properties and vacant storefronts. The study revealed these key benefits:

• Thirty-five new businesses have opened in the downtown since 2012.

• Farmingdale made more than $20 million in capital improvements to its downtown since 2012, which has helped improve and expand parking, improve the streetscape, and create a pocket park, among other notable improvements.

• The economic output to Nassau County from investments made in Farmingdale over the past eight years amounts to nearly $33 million (includes direct labor income and value added). For every $1.00 invested in capital improvement-related construction projects, approximately $1.74 was generated throughout Nassau County.

• Six multifamily residential projects were developed in the downtown area since 2014, in response to the Downtown Mixed Use (DMU) zoning code adopted in 2011.

• While these projects encompass 323 units, only 21 public school age children are associated with these units—or a ratio of 6.5 children per 100 units.

• Over a six-year period, the six residential developments generated approximately $2.1 million in school property tax revenues and an estimated $803,000 in school service costs over the same period. The estimated net positive impact to the Farmingdale School District is approximately $1.4 million over the six-year period.

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran is among a number of public officials who have taken note of Farmingdale’s commercial district rebirth.

“With its bustling downtown, attractive housing options and thriving business environment, Farmingdale Village is a great model of Nassau County’s ‘Live, Work, Play’ vision,” Curran said. “The village has proven that supportive zoning policies and creative revitalization programs can make a real impact on the bottom line, bringing more tax dollars to support the school district and other public needs. In these difficult economic times it is even more important to know what strategies are tested and proven and I encourage other municipalities to look to Farmingdale as they develop their own economic resurgences.”

Visit www.lirpc.org/economic-development/village-of-farmingdale-economic-and-fiscal-impact-analyses to read more about the Long Island Regional Planning Council’s economic and fiscal impact analysis.