Summit stresses communication and collaboration

More than 1,000 business and civic leaders, development professionals and elected officials convened at the Smart Growth Summit on Friday to address issues central to the future of Long Island.

The annual confab, held at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury, featured 20 workshops on a wide range of topics including downtown development, pedestrian safety, infrastructure, transportation, financing, business diversity, housing, energy and more.

Among the luncheon speakers were Nassau County Executive Laura Curran; Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone; Long Island Rail Road President Phil Eng; National Grid’s Keith Rooney; Adrienne Esposito, executive director of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment; and Rebecca D’Eloia, vice president for development for RXR Realty.

D’Eloia gave an update on the Nassau Hub project that is being planned to reimagine 72 acres around the Nassau Coliseum.

Eric Alexander, organizer of the Long Island Main Street Alliance and director of Vision Long Island, the organizer of the summit, credited the increased level of collaboration and communication that has led to several successes in downtown revitalization.

“This community recognized that they can come together,” Alexander said.