Hudson Valley On The Water: Superstorm Sandy's Lasting Legacy

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — The first thing park visitors notice will likely not be the new $7.9 million seawall near the Glen Island Harbor Club and that's just the way it should be.

The Glen Island seawall, pavilions and sidewalks that were damaged from Superstorm Sandy in 2012 have now been fully restored. The results of a $7.9 million capital project were unveiled by Westchester County Executive George Latimer under sunny skies and light winds nearly nine years after the storm devastated the Hudson Valley.

“The impact Superstorm Sandy left on Glen Island Park was devastating,” Latimer said. “The years of hard work and labor that were put into its rehabilitation were necessary not only to see the park flourish again but to protect the land. I’m thrilled that it has been completed in time for the park’s reopening and for the summer months for residents to enjoy.”

Although it took the better part of a decade to repair the damage from Sandy at Glen Island Park, the work done since is expected to better protect the island from impact from future storms. The county executive described the seawall as being reengineered rather than simply rebuilt.

Planning for the massive undertaking started in 2015. Construction began in 2018.

The project was reimbursed by FEMA.

Officials said the project included an extra layer of planning and coordination with FEMA, as they provided additional insight regarding the damage and how to best repair the structures.

SEE ALSO: $1.2 Million in FEMA Funds To Repair Glen Island Sandy Damage

Compared to the views of Davids Island and the Long Island Sound from the promenade above, the seawall isn’t very much to look at, but it is key to the preservation of the island park. It prevents erosion from waves and storm surges and is described as serving as an “armor to the land.”

In addition to repairing walkways and reconstructing a new seawall, FEMA funds were used to restore the pavilions on either side of the iconic Glen Island beach bathhouse. (Jeff Edwards | Patch)

The vertical walls around the Harbor Club and the walkway along the seawall were hit the hardest by Sandy. The rehabilitation of the seawall, along with its bulkheads, required major construction in order for them to get back to a place where they can do the job of protecting the park. In addition to the seawall and the surrounding sidewalks, two pavilions located on each side of the beach were severely damaged and are now completely restored.

The construction work was paused in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic when the park was turned over to the state to become a drive-thru testing facility. Work picked back up just in time for the reopening of Glen Island earlier this summer.

Westchester County Parks Commissioner Kathy O’Connor, who visited the Harbor Club at Glen Island in the hours after Sandy struck, described the storm damage as akin to witnessing the sinking of the Titanic. She said it was her hope this project would prevent that sort of devastation from ever happening again.

“I’m excited to see the rehabilitation of the seawall complete and residents using the pavilions again,” O’Connor added. “It has been a long road to recovery and it couldn’t have come at a better time.”

SEE ALSO:

• On The Water In The Hudson Valley: Execution Rocks Light
• Hudson Valley On The Water: Walkway Over The Hudson
• On The Water: Long Island Sound's Most Peculiar Private Island