Southampton Town Supervisor Shares Vision For New Ponquogue Beach Restaurant

Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman has big plans for Ponquogue Beach in Hampton Bays—including the eventual construction of a restaurant to replace the concession stand that now operates at the oceanfront beach.

At a Town Board work session last Thursday, March 17, Mr. Schneiderman presented his vision for the eventual creation of a modern dining facility at Ponquogue Beach, one where people could not only grab a quick bite to eat but also enjoy a sitdown lunch right on the beach.

That vision is part of an overall plan that, according to the supervisor, should provide an economic boost to the hamlet’s downtown business district by encouraging more visitors to spend an entire day in Hampton Bays.

“I’d like to have Ponquogue Beach be the flagship beach for the Town of Southampton,” Mr. Schneiderman said on Monday. “It would have a proper concession and restaurant, where you can have lunch overlooking the ocean. To not take advantage of it in a more meaningful way, to me, seems like a missed opportunity.”

While the supervisor said specific details have not yet been hammered out—the town must still hire a consultant to both design and determine the size of the structure, as well as finalize what amenities would be included, and how the serving of alcohol would be managed—he envisions something of similar scope as the new Beach Hut now under construction at Suffolk County’s Cupsogue Beach County Park. That estimated $3 million project, which is replacing the old Beach Hut that burned to the ground in 2014, is scheduled to be completed by the summer of 2017.

A new facility would include a full-service restaurant, he said, and could retain a smaller concession stand as well. “These decisions need to be made by the Town Board after consultation with a planner,” he said, adding that he expects a new Hampton Bays facility, which would not open until the summer of 2018 at the earliest, to cost about $3 million to construct.

“I don’t think we would see construction for two years,” he said. “I wouldn’t say it’s impossible to do it at a faster time frame, but I don’t want to disrupt the activities at the beach.”

The supervisor also noted that town would most likely contract a private vendor to run the restaurant, though it would still receive a portion of the revenue. He said that money, as well as increased use of the beach, could cover the debt of constructing a new building. “I’m trying to make it cost-neutral,” he said.

He also said town officials would need to decide whether to renovate and expand the existing building, or to replace it.

At last week’s work session, Town Councilman Stan Glinka, a Hampton Bays resident, suggested creating a similar facility at nearby Tiana Beach, but Mr. Schneiderman said that because that beach is narrower there than at Ponquogue, and also surrounded by more residences, he would rather focus on Ponquogue for now.

“I do think it’s worth it. I think it will really support the Hampton Bays area in so many ways,” Mr. Schneiderman said of his plans for Ponquogue Beach. “I think a lot of town residents who aren’t from Hampton Bays will go and use it. I think it’s a worthwhile investment.”