The Village of Maybrook board, as part of the process for Galaxy Limited’s business park, recently posted plans for a downtown revitalization initiative on the village website. The DRI is just one step in the board’s larger strategy to restore the village’s economic development after years of stagnation.

The board seeks to rebrand the village as an “outdoor recreation destination” and transform the downtown area into “a vibrant village center” that residents and visitors can enjoy. The board’s vision includes mixed-used buildings, containing shops and restaurants on the ground floor and apartments on the upper floor; wide and well-lit sidewalks, improving walkability on Main Street; a performing arts center and amphitheater, located at the southern end of Main Street; a corporate and light industrial complex, located near a new road being developed; and several hundred acres of outdoor recreational property, including bike and walking paths.

The board would incorporate this vision into the village’s downtown district, a four-to-five block area on Route 208. The area is within walking distance of nearby residences, businesses, churches, the government and senior centers, and Veterans Memorial Park. The district is further bolstered by railroad access and close proximity to the Stewart International Airport in Newburgh. If the board can redevelop the village, the downtown district could be a great place to spend the afternoon or stop by during a long road trip.

As part of the DRI, the board seeks to attract more businesses and rateables to Maybrook. The village’s biggest project coming to the village is Galaxy Limited’s 965,500-square-foot business park, designed to accommodate business, commercial, industrial, and warehouse development. The project will be located southeast of the village, within the former Maybrook Rail Yard, and will be accessible through a road connected to New Haven Drive. Aside from the Galaxy Development, the board also wants to reopen Maybrook Elementary School to all students.

Currently, the village is very early in the DRI process, but the board has made some progress. First, the board conducted a SWOT analysis, determining the village’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Next, the board hired Nelson Pope Voorhis, an environmental planning firm, to draft zoning for downtown development. Per NPV’s recommendations, the board amended zoning to accommodate future non-residential development, created an overlay district to allow incentive density and development, and conducted a Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement.