Bathrooms, Rest Areas to Open on Boardwalk This Summer

The Long Beach Boardwalk will move into the next phase of recovery as city officials plan to reconstruct bathrooms and rest areas destroyed in 2012 by Hurricane Sandy.

National, Lincoln, Riverside, Edwards, and Grand Boulevards are the reported locations for the new “comfort stations,” which will feature seating areas, concessions, outdoor showers, and bathrooms, according to the city.

The chosen locations align with feedback from surveys, including an online survey that garnered 1,295 responses and focus groups with 165 residents.

The City said the Riverside Boulevard comfort station would be finished by Memorial Day. Edwards and National Boulevard stations would follow and are planning to be opened June 24 as beaches open. The final stations at Grand and Lincoln Boulevards are slated for an Aug. 1 opening.

The total price tag on the projects will be $8.6 million. The sum includes a $7.95 million project awarded last week to Grace Industries of Plainview, a $145,000 contract awarded to Islandia’s Baltray Enterprises for electrical work, a plumbing contract awarded to Bancker Construction in Islandia, and a design project from LiRo Group in Syosset for $220,000, according to the Newsday.

The stations will also be fortified against future storm threats so that the city can apply for FEMA reimbursement. The buildings will be elevated and offset to the back of the Boardwalk, according to the report.

“FEMA doesn’t like to put buildings back in harm’s way where they could be destroyed again,” Long Beach Public Works Commissioner Jim LaCarrubba said, according to the report. He added that the buildings destroyed in Hurricane Sandy must be rebuilt before a claim is submitted to FEMA.

Other locations with plans still in the works include New York Avenue, Long Beach Boulevard, Neptune Boulevard, and Virginia Avenue. A lifeguard headquarters is still in the decision process as well, according to the city.

Overall, residents are happily anticipating the additions to the summer destination.

“Yeah, I think a lot of people come here in the summer, and they need to use the facilities,” said Michael Holman, who walks the Boardwalk everyday, according to WCBS. “If you don’t have it, people aren’t going to come and you’re not going to have the tourism, then you won’t have the money and then you won’t have the tax base. I think it’s very important that they maintain this beach and they keep it beautiful.”

See a PDF of the full plan and presentation on the city’s website here.

Photos: Renderings of the planned comfort stations. Credit: City of Long Beach

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