by Mike Schnitzel
When all is said and done, the new waterfront complex will include White Cannon Heritage Park, a boardwalk, a boat dock and finger slips along Dock Street, and a beautified peninsula between the Talfor Boat Basin and East Rockaway Channel.
The boardwalk, boat dock and slips will be at the center of the revitalized area. The boardwalk was slated to open on Memorial Day this year, but the completion was delayed when there was a problem getting the wood for its construction.
"The original start date for work on the boardwalk was April - when they did start," said Dennis McCabe, the East Rockaway building superintendent. "They put in the footings and we had the eppi wood for the top layer of the boardwalk, but we could not get the creosote wood for the bottom layer in time." Creosote is a highly durable wood that is only legal for use in waterfront projects.
"We had a difficult time getting it because there is only one place in the United States where it is manufactured," McCabe said.
Wax Ferraro Architects, the contractors working on the waterfront revitalization, were recently able to obtain the much sought-after wood, and construction of the boardwalk resumed this past Monday.
"We're very confident we'll be back on track and see a lot of progress over the next two weeks," said McCabe.
Village officials are hoping for a limited opening of the waterfront area on July 4. That date is tentative, but realistic, officials say, as long as there are no other delays. "We are aiming towards the Fourth of July, but if it's ready earlier, then we'll open earlier," said Deputy Mayor Richard Meagher. Construction has already been completed on the Talfor Basin bulkhead, fishing pier and floating docks.
There are 20 finger slips in the boat basin that will be assigned by a lottery that the village hopes to hold within the next few weeks. Boats will be charged $45 per foot for the season.
"We will have to pro-rate the charges because we will miss one-third of the season," said Mayor Joseph Carrigan.
The peninsula between the Talfor Boat Basin and East Rockaway Channel will be beautified, with a large gazebo as its focal point. Transient boat docking will be available on floating docks surrounding the peninsula. The area will also include a promenade, decorative railings, benches, lights, nautical-style flagpoles and new landscaping. A gravel parking lot will adjoin the area to the north.
Dock Street, which runs along the west side of the canal, will be raised and repaved because of its proximity to the waterfront, as will Althouse Avenue. Diagonal parking spots will be installed and there will be new landscaping by Dana Hepler, the landscape architect for the project, to help beautify the area.
"Bids for the development of sidewalks, roadways and streetlights will come in on June 27, and hopefully the work will be finished before the winter," said McCabe. "It has to be done by November 15, or the company that does the work incurs penalties [from the village]."
White Cannon Park will be located between Dock Street and the peninsula. The focal point of the park will be the historic white cannon, which was knocked off its pedestal when struck by a vehicle last fall. The cannon will sit on a new pedestal, and will be cleaned and re-painted. Trees laid out in a semi-circular pattern will surround it and there will be a walkway lined with benches affording a view of the entire waterfront area.
A full opening of the entire waterfront area is projected for the beginning of next summer. "When it's finished it will be one of the brightest spots on the South Shore of Long Island," said Carrigan.
The completion of the waterfront revitalization is projected to be a boon to local businesses and enhance the quality of life for residents.
"We have two new developments going in on Front Street. One is a condominium and the other is a senior housing development, and they came down here specifically to be part of the waterfront," said Village Trustee Ed Sieban. "The waterfront is going to enhance the quality of life for residents and I anticipate it will raise their property values," he added.
The mayor's office has received numerous inquiries from landlords who want to update and beautify their buildings near the waterfront, as well as from prospective new businesses. "We're getting a lot of inquiries from businesses about when the project will be done, and they are interested in coming in," said Carrigan.
As with any project such as this, funding is a key component. The Village of East Rockaway has invested $1.5 million of its own money in the project. New York Secretary of State Randy Daniels presented the village with a check for $100,000 several weeks ago, the latest financial assistance received for the project. The village has received $250,000 from the New York State Parks Department, $300,000 from New York State Department of State Coastal Resources Division, $300,000 from the Strategic Investment Fund of Empire State Development, $200,000 in federal block grants, and $25,000 from the Department of Environmental Conservation.
Village officials have estimated that the project will require an additional $500,000 before completion. State Senator Dean Skelos has been instrumental in securing funding for the project, according to village officials, and his office indicated his support for additional funding.
"We are continuing to work with the village and have asked the village to define what components need to be funded so we can assist them in exploring what funds are available on the state level," said Tom Dunham, director of communications for Skelos.
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