Hammonasset Construction Continues

During Labor Day weekend, I visited the Hammonasset State Beach Park in Madison, the largest and most popular state beach park, and observed the progress of two major construction projects. The larger of the two projects is a new West Beach Complex which will include men’s and women’s restrooms, new concessions, an Environmental Conservation Police Office, a First Aid office, a storage building for lifeguard equipment used in water rescues, a boardwalk extension to connect to the existing boardwalk at Middle Beach, and improvements to the parking lot. The project replaces bathhouses which were significantly damaged during Tropical Storm Irene and relocates them on the inland side of the dunes and above maximum flood elevation. The site features an artist’s rendering of the building from different angles.

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipMOaT6gFElPJUxfhCKIA8U_7QkVzmuYtn-zwHLix9ZpSpzgaLfV0hirL1aFmmB2TQ?key=UmtqMFM2V0dnQTZCam1Ed08xQVI2NExiZFFjNzVB

A New Meigs Point Nature Center is also being built which will be designed to accommodate large school groups, be energy efficient, and provide needed interpretive/educational program work space and exhibits. The new building will incorporate geothermal heating and cooling technology, include photovoltaic solar panels to generate electricity, and provide educational and interpretive energy generation and conservation information through an energy management system display board. This center replaces a historic farmhouse which is too small and impractical to meet the program and public needs. Inside the existing center, there are artist’s renderings of what the inside and outside of the new nature center will look like.

https://goo.gl/photos/uUs8hCCLrqNWorPr5

Both projects are slated to be completed during the Spring of 2016.

Here are photos from the construction projects this past July 2015.

https://goo.gl/photos/dtbQEMUQs7stLYXE8

https://goo.gl/photos/xrTrH53b4H11ffs6A