Murray Touts Success of RVC's Downtown

Rockville Centre Mayor Francis Murray said that in the two years he’s been in office, the village’s business occupancy rate has closed in on 99 percent.

The mayor touted that 14 recently opened businesses have invested more than $5 million in their properties, while another nine have spent more than $6 million to expand and around eight that spent $1.3 million to improve their facades. He also pointed to new businesses that are opening soon, such as Bonefish in the former RKO Theater.

Murray said his administration has also fixed village ballfields and stopped aggressive ticket writing. Infrastructure improvements continue to be a priority for him, and he said the village aims to pave four miles of road this year.

Work to improve Maple Avenue is still in phase one, but moving along, he said. The contractor working on the job hit a snag when they found electrical ducts and other things in the ground. Murray said the work could be done in the fall pending weather.

Meanwhile, the village has generated about $250,000 in fees from residential permits, according to Trustee Michael Sepe. He said most of the work is from younger families renovating older homes. It has helped keep taxes down, he said.

Check out the mayor’s presentation here, and let us know in the comments section below what you think.