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The Long Island Index, working with CUNY Mapping Service at the Center for Urban Research, today updated its widely used interactive mapping feature with new data and new tools visualizing the important potential the Island's downtowns hold as efficient, affordable, and sustainable centers of housing, culture, and economic growth.

The PDF link at right describes the updates in detail.  The updated map is available at www.longislandindexmaps.org.  The image below highlights some of the new data on the map.

The new applications allow users to view:

• Downtown redevelopment potential: the maps highlight the potential for revitalizing key downtowns and station areas to address the region’s need for new jobs, housing, public spaces, and recreational facilities. Information for the more than 100 downtowns and station areas included in the Long Island Index 2010 report can be accessed by clicking on a specific village on the map or selecting one from the drop down list.  [Interactive example]

• Regional views of downtown opportunities: the “Regional Views” menu now enables you to map four types of downtown redevelopment categories across Long Island: High Potential for Redevelopment; Moderate Potential for Redevelopment; Station Areas Outside of Downtowns; and Unknown or Low Potential.
• Detailed age profiles: the maps show population patterns for each major age group: 5 and younger, school age (6 - 17 years old), the “brain drain” cohort (18 - 34 years old), 35 - 54 years old, and 55 and older (based on the 2000 Census). Details for each village’s population in these age groupings are displayed when you select your community.
• Historical school district enrollment: district-level enrollment change between the 1996-97 and 2006-07 school years is mapped for three grade levels: K-5th, 6-8th, 9-12th.

Related coverage:

• Newsday article (registration required) (January 21, 2010)
• Newsday editorial (January 24, 2010)
• New York Times profile in Sunday Real Estate section (January 24, 2010)
• Review at the Spatial Sustain blog (January 23, 2010)