May 24, 2022
MAYOR'S UPDATE
From the desk of Mayor Rika Levin
A new look for the Village of Ossining! The Board of Trustees has announced a new Village Seal that represents the heritage and iconic look and feel of our Village.

For over 75 years, the Village's seal depicted an indigenous person in profile in honor of the original dwellers of the land upon which Ossining was settled. When this seal was first introduced, "Indians" were popular symbols for schools and other institutions. Still, in recent years, indigenous persons' use as mascots and seals has come under scrutiny in the United States. The Village Board of Trustees, while understanding that many Village residents feel an attachment to the “Indian” Seal, are also cognizant of the fact that as times and attitudes have evolved, a fresh review was in order. The Board, working with the community through a survey and ongoing dialogue, re-evaluated what our Ossining Village Seal’s format represents and collectively determined what a new seal should include: a graphic that is distinctly Ossining and looks towards a bright future, flanked by architectural design evocative of the Village’s historic past.

The Village of Ossining has a rich culture that includes a commitment to preserving our community's cultural diversity while creating an even better tomorrow for the people who make up the Ossining community today. The center of the redesigned seal features some of the community's greatest assets – Ossining's Downtown, historic architecture, Main Street Corridor, and the Hudson River Waterfront. I want to express my appreciation for the community's feedback, insight, and collaboration and for Ossining’s local graphic design artist, Brian Sheridan of Hothouse Designs, who synthesized all of that feedback into a beautiful seal that differentiates our Ossining on the River.
The official raising of the Juneteenth flag for the second time in Ossining will take place on Thursday, June 2, 2022, at 9 am at Market Square (corner of Main St and Spring St). We are proud that the flag will be flown throughout the entire month of June to acknowledge and honor the freedom of formerly enslaved, as well as the ancestors of Ossining's black community.
The Village of Ossining in collaboration with Ossining LGBTQ+ Alliance invite all in the community in the raising raising of the Pride Flag on Friday, June 3 @ 4 PM.

The flag raising will be attended by local, county, and state elected officials and representatives from the LGBTQ+ community.

The rainbow flag is raised in June, the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, which was the catalyst for Pride Month. During this time, we reflect, honor and amplify the voices of the LGBTQ+ community past, present, and future.

The raising of the flag will immediately follow remarks from members of the LGBTQ+ community and elected officials.
The Village of Ossining (Village) has issued this Request for Site Concept and Developer's Qualifications (RFQ) for the redevelopment of strategic Village-owned sites consisting of two assemblages located at the corner of Main Street and Spring Street in Downtown Ossining, referred to as the Market Square and Main Street Parking Lots. The Village looks forward to working collaboratively with a developer to redevelop these important sites within our Downtown.

Development Principles
The Village seeks project proposals that contain the following principles:

  • Site layout that includes a significant public plaza that can continue the long-standing use of Market Square as a center of public activities and events.
  • A project that strengthens the mixed-use nature of the Downtown and increases foot traffic within the Downtown.
  • A project that includes an active first-floor use that will contribute to the Downtown.
  • A project that is compliant with the underlying zoning (Village Center Zoning and/or Downtown Form-Based Zoning).
  • Project design that employs architectural designs that complement the adjacent historic Main Street Architectural Design District.
  • A project that considers streetscaping and the pedestrian experience.
  • Parking on-site would be provided to the maximum extent practicable to meet the demands of the new project, and a parking garage off-site on two nearby contiguous nearby surface parking lots owned by the Village would be constructed to accommodate the balance of the parking requirements. It is anticipated that the successful developer will collaborate with the Village in a public-private partnership on the financing and construction of the parking garage, assuming roughly 250 parking spaces in support of this development and other downtown parking needs.

In November 2021, the Village of Ossining was selected as a recipient of the New York State Regional Economic Development Council’s highly competitive $10 Million Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI). Ossining is currently embarking on a planning process that will link the community’s vision, goals, and strategies to specific projects that have the potential to revitalize Downtown Ossining.

Information on this RFQ is available at: https://bit.ly/3wpYNsB
This week’s Work Session (5/25, 7:30PM over Zoom) will include the following exciting topics:
  • Several years back, the Town of Ossining, in partnership with the Village of Ossining and Town of New Castle, conceived of the MOGO (Millwood Ossining Go!) plan, which proposed to establish an east-west bike lane connection through the various municipalities, with the preferred route beginning at the Route 9/ 133 Intersection and tracing Croton Avenue all the way to Route 100. As the Town continues to look for funding sources through grants for this plan, we are bringing this to the current BOT so that they are aware of this and can ask questions about how this may impact the Village. Supervisor Levenberg will present on behalf of the Town.
  • Chief Sylvester and Lt. Zimmerman will join us for (2) agenda topics, beginning with the conversation about the development of the Westchester County Mobile Crisis Unit, which will be operated by the Department of Community Mental Health. Mark Giuliano, Program Director for Community Support, will join OPD on this call to discuss how they foresee operations unfolding.
  • Corporation Counsel Kahan will then join the Chief & Lieutenant to discuss Proposed Local Law #1 of 2022 (CPCRB).
  • Corporation Counsel Kahan will then introduce the requested proposed local law on remote meetings, discussed at our last Work Session on 5/11. As the Executive Order by Governor Hochul extended the state of emergency through June 14, we have one additional week of cushion than the June 8th date discussed in the Work Session. Still, it would be helpful to have this in place as close to that date as possible so that, under extenuating circumstances, Board members would be authorized to participate in a meeting remotely.
Memorial Day 2022 arrives on Monday, May 30th. This year the Central Committee of Organized War Veterans will host their annual parade. This event begins at 9:30 am from Croton and Calam Avenues and will proceed down to Nelson Park for a Memorial Day ceremony. I am proud that Ossining hosts this tradition. We march in memory of many and in honor of all who serve in the United States of America.
Village of Ossining | www.villageofossining.org