The pavilion at Flying Point Beach in Water Mill will be renovated, after Southampton Town Board members approved spending $960,400 on the project on Tuesday.
Bryan Bortzfield, the assistant parks director for the town, told Town Board members that the estimated cost of the work was high, but it was based on the recent Hampton Bays Ponquogue Beach pavilion renovation that was completed in May, and the way the costs there escalated.
The $3.35 million renovation of the Ponquogue Beach pavilion initially started out as a $1.7 million project, but increased over time as bids came back higher than expected.
Mr. Bortzfield said the department is asking for more than they expect to spend on the Flying Point pavilion, to be safe.
“This is the worst-case scenario,” he told the Town Board on Tuesday.
While plans have not been drafted yet, Mr. Bortzfield said the renovations will include making the pavilion compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. In order to become ADA compliant, the ramp from the parking lot to the comfort station and the guardrail around the deck need to be replaced. The women’s bathroom also is non-compliant. The bathrooms will be enlarged, and the walls will be pushed out to the roof line.
Mr. Bortzfield also said storage will be added for lifeguards to stow their equipment.
In addition to those changes, the plans will call for the parking lot to be repaved, the dune crossover to be reconstructed to FEMA standards, and a new parking lot attendants’ hut to be built.
Electrical and plumbing systems will be evaluated and upgraded, if required, along with the replacement of the decking around the pavilion and installation of outdoor showers.
Town Board members approved the funding unanimously, as money is set aside specifically for projects like this that focus on improving the town’s parks.
Staff Writer on Aug 13, 2019