Kings Park Municipal Parking Lot Earns $500K Jumpstart

KINGS PARK, NY — On Oct. 3, the Suffolk County Executive signed the bill that awarded the Town of Smithtown $500K to support economic development in the Kings Park downtown district, the Town announced. The funding will build a municipal parking lot in downtown Kings Park just off Pulaski and Main Street.

The improvement in infrastructure will expand the Town's efforts to create a more pedestrian friendly downtown that supports local business. Town officials and Kings Park community leaders joined Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone at Park Bake Shop in Kings Park to celebrate the Jumpstart funds being awarded to the Town.

"Successful business owners like Gabe and Lucy at Park Bake Shop have had to make due with losing business because of a lack of parking," Supervisor Edward R. Wehrheim said via press release. "By creating off-street parking, we are giving our downtown shops the opportunity to grow, while doing away with traffic congestion as drivers slow down to find on-street parking."

The proposal calls for the creation of 23 parking spaces for businesses like Relish, Park Bake Shop, Shipping Center, The Reel Kitchen, and Dragon House. It will also assist in the leasing of long-time vacant shops, as the lack of parking has prevented small business owners from choosing Kings Park as its future home, per the Town. Providing off-street parking options is proven to improve foot traffic while creating a walk-able, centralized sense of place.

In 2017, a Downtown Market Analysis and Action Plan was completed by Larisa Ortiz Associates. In this study, it was determined that the businesses along "Restaurant Row" were suffering because of a lack of good parking options. The analysis was backed up by public polling from both residents and business owners.

Suffolk County’s Jumpstart Program is part of an economic development plan designed to encourage, foster, and enhance the planning and development of regionally significant projects in and around Suffolk’s downtowns. Suffolk County has awarded $11.3 million in Jumpstart funding since 2013.