Woodmere Club could close sooner than planned

Voting will continue until Christmas Day, but it appears highly likely that the legacy members of the Woodmere Club will attain the nearly 67 percent majority needed to approve a plan that would close the 111-year-old club for golf as of Jan. 2 and allow more than 100 members to join the Seawane Country Club in Hewlett Harbor.

Woodmere Club legacy memberships date back to before developers Efrem Gerszberg and Robert Weiss bought the 118-acre club in 2017 for a little more than $9 million, and assumed the club’s nearly $15 million debt. Those members met at the club on Dec. 15 to vote in person. Members in absentia can vote by email or phone.

“We’re looking forward to joining Seawane, and thank Efrem and Robert, who worked so hard to look for our members’ best interests,” the club’s Advisory Board chairman, Tony Elefante, said.

The Woodmere Club will remain open through Oct. 31, 2020, for house members — other members who do not play golf — to play tennis or cards, swim or use the gym. There will be no locker room or food service for any members. Catering for events and parties will remain in operation. Legacy members will also have access to the club until it closes.

“We are losing a significant amount of money this year because of the deal for the legacy members,” Weiss said, referring to the reduced membership fees that were established when the club was purchased. The new owners noted that membership has declined to the point that covering the club’s overhead has become a severe financial burden. For traditional service levels to be maintained, golf members would have to pay $25,000 and house members $15,000 in annual dues.

The plan offers all Woodmere Club members free memberships at Seawane for the 2020 season. Legacy members can remain at Seawane for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, paying annual dues of $15,000. House members would pay $10,750 for those seasons. After the club was purchased, legacy golf members paid $11,000 and house legacy members $5,500.

“We are seizing an opportunity to extend the life of our original deal with the members,” said Weiss, who added that though the Woodmere Club is closing a year earlier than initially planned, there is no effect on the development approval process.

Originally scheduled to close in October 2021, the club could be replaced by a proposed a 285-single-family home development called Willow View Estates. The plan is undergoing review by several municipalities, and after the Nassau County Planning Commission approved the project’s scope, or outline, in October, Gerszberg and Weiss are now required to craft a state-required draft environmental impact statement.

Rena Saffra, of the Five Towns Civic Association, a grass-roots organization that is opposed to the proposed development of the club, said that the group was saddened by the decision to close what it called “a crown jewel of the Five Towns,” and hoped the owners would ensure the security of the land after the closing next year to keep it from becoming a blight on the community.

“People should keep in mind that there is still a long and lengthy environmental review process underway before any decisions are made regarding possible future development at the site, regardless of the proposal submitted by the developers,” Saffra said.

After the Seawane Club was sold to Jared Brecher and Dan Klein, Gerszberg and Weiss said they met with the new owners to discuss possibly offering Seawane memberships to Woodmere members. “In an attempt to help our members secure additional years under our original agreement,” Gerszberg said, “we have worked with Seawane to subsidize Woodmere member dues for the next three years.”

Brecher, a Woodmere native whose family members are Seawane Club members, and Klein said they planned to transform Seawane from a traditional male-centered club to focus on families. They said they were committed to spending a substantial amount of money to improve the 6,725-yard, par-72 golf course, driving range, locker rooms and swimming pool, and add cabanas and a bridal suite.

“I think certainly, on the people side, having a more vibrant clubhouse, golf course and pool there will be a different energy, and we will have the very best of both clubs under one roof,” said Klein, adding that having more members will “certainly accelerate the capital expenses.”

Weiss said that he and Gerszberg were working to help Woodmere staff obtain jobs at Tam O’Shanter Country Club in Glen Head — which the two developers also own — Seawane and another South Shore club, which Weiss declined to identify. Seawane’s new owners, he said, have impressed him.

“In the short time we have known the ownership of Seawane,” Weiss said, “they have demonstrated a laser-like focus on providing enhanced services and renewed vibrancy.”