September 29, 2026

This past Friday, we celebrated a double ribbon-cutting for two major Community Development Block Grant-funded projects that significantly enhance the quality of life along Spring Street. Funded through HUD and administered by the Westchester Urban County Consortium, these improvements highlight the wonderful results of our partnership with the Westchester County Planning Department.

The Spring Street Walkability Improvements project introduced new sidewalks, curbs, ADA-compliant ramps from Broad Avenue to Lafayette Avenue, and integrated drainage features like mini rain gardens with native plantings to boost neighborhood safety and access. Alongside it, the brand-new inclusive playground at Nelson Sitting Park provides specialized equipment for children with mobility constraints and sensory issues, ensuring kids of all abilities can play and interact together. Delivering these upgrades truly took a collaborative village effort involving our engineering, public works, parks, police, and finance departments, as well as our dedicated contractors and consultants—and we look forward to continuing these improvements from Lafayette Avenue to Acker Avenue in the coming months.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and made these fantastic community enhancements possible.

Be sure to watch Westchester County's September 28 Press Conference where Mayor Rika Levin Joins the This Week in Westchester Briefing!

Joseph G. Caputo Community Center Renovation Project Update

We are very pleased to announce that the long-awaited renovations for the Joseph G. Caputo Community Center are officially underway.

This important project is funded in part by a $2.5 million allocation from New York State's $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI), alongside a $125,000 CREST grant secured by Assemblyperson Dana Levenberg to support a new solar-ready roof.

To ensure our programs and services remain accessible to the community, the building will stay open throughout the construction period, which is scheduled to be completed by Fall 2027. The project will proceed in two main phases:

Phase 1: Upper Level (Now Underway)

• Operations: All programming and administrative offices have temporarily relocated to the lower level while work is underway.
• Office & Program Upgrades: The entire upper floor will be redesigned, featuring upgraded administrative offices, a refreshed Art Room with glass doors opening to a newly landscaped courtyard, and improvements to the Music Room and restrooms.
• Expanded Spaces: The museum room will be expanded into a larger venue for community events and programs. Prison museum elements are moving to the new Sing Sing Prison Museum, another DRI-funded project opening at the historic Olive Opera House on the corner of Brandreth Street and Central Avenue, while Old Croton Aqueduct elements are being updated and repurposed by NYS Parks.
• Upper floor renovations will relocate Ossining’s Housing Voucher/Section 8 office from the back of 16 Croton Avenue to the Community Center, providing a more central and convenient location for local residents.

Phase 2: Lower Level Transformation

• Entrance & Lounge: A redesigned, welcoming main entrance featuring an open staircase to the upper level and a new lounge area.
• Youth & Technology: Updated office and meeting spaces for the Youth Bureau, including a new computer lab serving both youth and adults.
• Multi-Use Rooms: The game and music rooms will receive new flooring, wall coverings, and modular furniture to create flexible gathering spaces for families, young adults, and seniors.

What to Expect During Construction

While we are working diligently to keep disruptions to a minimum, construction staging will temporarily reduce available parking spaces. However, ample additional parking will become available by early next year at the nearby Aqueduct Hub.

We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we invest in a better, more modern facility for our community.

Governor Kathy Hochul has launched a statewide enrollment push to connect an estimated 2.5 million newly eligible New York households with monthly discounts through the Energy Affordability Program (EAP). This expansion, which incorporates households below state or area median income levels, allows participants to save up to hundreds of dollars annually on utility bills. While approximately one million households are already enrolled—and some are automatically enrolled through programs like HEAP or Public Assistance—many eligible residents enrolled in programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, or SSI must self-apply online at ny.gov/EAP.

The enrollment drive is part of a broader Energy Affordability Agenda aimed at protecting consumers from rising utility costs. Alongside direct financial relief efforts—including billions in utility assistance and recent rebate checks—the state has introduced stricter oversight measures for utility companies. These measures tie utility executive compensation and profit margins to affordability metrics, restrict companies from passing lobbying and PR costs onto consumers, and establish mechanisms like the RATES Commission to investigate surging energy bills.

The New York State Department of Transportation is scheduled to begin a culvert replacement project on Route 134 (Kitchawan State Road) between Croton Dam Road and Hawkes Avenue in early October 2026, with completion anticipated by mid-November 2026. The work will require a full closure of both lanes with no through traffic, though access to the driveway at 2 Kitchawan State Road will be maintained throughout the project. Construction crews will perform utility relocations and install new storm sewer structures, supported by Portable Variable Message Signs and advance notifications. Motorists are urged to obey all work zone signage and flagger instructions, while local officials and stakeholders will continue to receive regular email updates as the project progresses.

Please note that there is no Village Board meeting this week. We look forward to seeing the public at the next legislative meeting on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, which will be held at the Court.

Village of Ossining | www.villageofossiningny.gov