Business View Civil and Municipal | Volume 2, Issue 7

57 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 2, ISSUE 7 to the Taconic State Parkways and Routes I-84 and I-684 into the city. At one point in time, ours was the only bridge that got you from the east to the west side of the Hudson. Now, there’s the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge and the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge. So, the accessibility has broadened, but still we sit here on the West Shore and 12.5 million cars per year come over the bridge and through the Town of Lloyd. Given what’s just transpired in the last year and a half, we’re experiencing again a tremendous influx of people looking to move up and move out of New York, and even Westchester.” Pizzuto confirms that the COVID-19 pandemic has driven numerous changes to economic activities in and around Lloyd, including outstripping the norm in terms of property appreciation, and boosting general town- building with the acquisition of new business. “The planning board is busting at the seams with projects,” Pizzuto says. “We’re fortunate that we have a water and sewer infrastructure that has capacity. It’s like somebody’s stuck an IV in our veins and they’re pumping it in. It’s a gem!” Although Lloyd has historically been deemed “affordable” compared to the lower parts of the state, the real estate market now is beyond anything Pizzuto has ever seen as far as property values. “You can’t go to Long Island anymore; there’s no room, you can’t afford it,” he says. “You can’t go south into New Jersey; there’s no room, you can’t afford it. The only other option is to come north. So, they’ve filled up Westchester, they’ve filled up Putnam and Rockland, and they’ve been working on the counties of Orange, Dutchess, and now Ulster. It’s almost like a hand pushing people north.” “We only have two storefronts that aren’t presently rented,” adds Glasner. “I wouldn’t say we’ve reached critical mass, but we’ve definitely hit the tipping point of attracting businesses.” TOWN OF LLOYD , NEW YORK