The Village of Mineola will soon be undergoing the beginnings of a facelift to its downtown area. Beginning soon, a renovation to the area of Main Street from Fox's store (80 Main Street) north to the parking garage, located on First Street. The project will also proceed west to the driveway by St. James.

The project will entail giving that area a cozy feeling by putting in new brick sidewalks with benches, planters, new curbs, new lighting and possible landscaping.

"It will begin a renewal of the look of the village. The appearance of the village when someone comes into it is very important," said Mayor John P. Colbert, adding that he hopes to also have a renewal plan for Jericho Turnpike. "But you have to start somewhere."

On March 28, bids will be opened for the Mineola Boulevard Bridge project. The project will entail taking down the curved bridge on Mineola Boulevard and constructing a permanent, straight one.

According to village attorney John Spellman, if the bids come in within the range estimated by the New York State Department of Transportation, the contract would be awarded 22 days later, giving the project a starting date in later spring or early summer.

Following the Mineola Boulevard Bridge project will be a project to eliminate the Long Island Railroad grate crossing on Roslyn Road. That project involved depressing the Roslyn Road underneath the tracks so that motorists will no longer have to stop at the grate crossing for oncoming trains.

The project originally involved raising the tracks. However, there are concerns that raising the tracks would increase noise heard by residents of a nearby apartment complex. Therefore, the road will be depressed farther down and the tracks will remain at their current level.

The former Kozy Shack property, now occupied by New York Ravioli, is being acquired by the New York State Department of Transportation for the purposes of turning it into a staging area for the Roslyn Road project, scheduled to start in late 2003 or early 2004.

Spellman said the Roslyn Road project wouldn't begin until after the Mineola Boulevard Bridge project is completed so as not to create two locations in the village where there would be a traffic conflict.

A Mineola area revitalization study, presented by the Long Island Railroad and paid for with a grant secured by Senator Michael Balboni, is now available. It can be found at village hall and should soon be available at the library.