In Sheldon Silver's neighborhood on Manhattan's Lower East Side, he's still finding a lot of support, but many are also expressing disappointment. NY1's Michael Herzenberg filed the following report.

 

Workers in Essex Street Market selling fish, meat, fruits and vegetables, and hundreds of other products, are now counting on a development deal announced 16 months ago.

 

"We've met with them for planning for the new Essex Street market," said Rhonda Kave of Roni-Sue Chocolates. 'That would be a real shame if suddenly, all that was coming to question and being pushed back. That would be terrible."

 

The concern comes because Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, now facing corruption charges, supports the mixed-use, billion-dollar development.  

 

"It's always disappointing when someone who's a public servant, especially a long-serving public servant, comes under suspicion," Kave said.

 

There are no criminal allegations involving Essex Street Crossing, even though many have questioned Silver's motives for years for squashing other development proposals on the site.    

 

Much of the six acres has sat empty since 1967. 

 

"It's wasted space in New York City in a neighborhood that's booming, and they want to develop it. That makes sense to me," said one person in the neighborhood. "He's been very good to the neighborhood."

 

Longtime residents of Silver's neighborhood, who said they've consistently voted for him, have different takes on the criminal charges.

 

"Innocent until proven guilty," said one.

 

"I think it's surprising that it took so long," said another.

 

That's a familiar response from many in the Lower East Side, Silver supporters or not.

 

"I feel like every time I open the newspaper, there's a new scandal involving a New York politician, and that's really disappointing," said one person in the neighborhood.

 

As for the two dozen vendors in the Essex Street market, founded in the 1940s, they say developers have kept their word, giving them first dibs on the new space across Delancey.

 

"A lot of people are counting on making it happen at this point," Kaye said.

 

There was no comment from the developer. Groundbreaking is set for the spring of 2015.

 

One elderly woman said her mother was friends with Sheldon Silver's mother. She's voted for him over and over again, so proud of the boy from the neighborhood. Now, she is so disappointed.