$11M Westhampton Beach Main Street Project Begins; Shops Open

WESTHAMPTON BEACH, NY — Work began last week on a massive $11 million reconstruction and revitalization project on Main Street in the Village of Westhampton Beach.

And this week, Main Street is virtually unrecognizable, with the street torn up, fencing set up on the sidewalk, and the trees chopped down on Monday. Despite the upheaval, however, and concerns of some store owners about the potential impacts on business during the coming months — the feeling around the village was one of optimism, as many echoed the sentiment that the work was not only necessary, but critical to the future growth of the area.

Last week, said Westhampton Village Mayor Mayor Moore, was the culmination of three years of planning.

"The project is being done as expeditiously as possible, and in a manner that will permit all of the shops and restaurants to remain open for business," she said.

Before work commenced, the village board toiled diligently for months, studying the issues, including drainage, as well as possible options; H2M Architects + Engineers was hired to create a plan.

During the design process, the board determined that the village should bury the utility lines, so that necessitated a year of coordination with the three utility companies, PSEG, Verizon and Altice, formerly Cablevision, the mayor explained.

With final design and engineering plans in hand, the board put the project out to bid and ultimately selected Bove Industries as the contractor and Sandpebble Inc. as project managers, she added.

The $11 million project includes traffic calming features, such as two traffic circles at either end of the street, curb extensions and a raised crosswalk.

In addition, water quality improvement features will include permeable pavers as well as two hydrodynamic separators that filter debris from the stormwater before it makes it way to the canal.

Other enhancements include new LED street lighting; new curbs and sidewalks; the replacement of all storm pipes and drainage, and the under-grounding of all utilities so there will be no more overhead wires.

"We appreciate the support and funding we've received from so many fronts, including New York State Senator Ken LaValle; New York State Assemblyman Fred Thiele; Suffolk County through its Downtown Revitalization grant; and the Southampton town board and the Community Preservation Fund advisory committee," Moore said. "Through the contributions of each, together with money from the village's budget and a bond issue, we have been able fund this critically important infrastructure project. We're protecting what's great, fixing what's broken and preparing Westhampton beach for years to come."

It is expected that the road will be under construction through the end of 2019, and after that the sidewalk work will begin, and that is expected to be finished by May 15, 2020, Moore said.

The Suffolk County Water Authority came in to install new water mains, and were expected to be finished by September 30 so the village's contractor could begin by its planned start date of October 1, Moore said. Told by the SCWA that the work would take much longer than expected, Moore said the village allowed Bove to start last week, taking up the asphalt and concrete, and clearing the way for the SCWA, she said.

(Courtesy Village of Westhampton Beach)

Moore said the work "will be challenging for the shop owners, but we will keep the cross-street intersections open to allow for vehicular and pedestrian access to the municipal parking lots and side street parking, and all sidewalks will remain open."

(Lisa Finn)

Sitting outside the Beach Bakery this week, John Schoen said he grew up in the village and is now retired. The work, he said "is part of modern progress. You've got to upgrade." The work will help to address water quality concerns, he added. Friends he was with applauded the buried power lines and said in the end, the improvements would benefit everyone on Main Street.

Business owners spoke to Patch this week after the work had begun, with both concerns and optimism.

Marsha Massa, owner of Wetter or Not, said while the work was cumbersome, "in the long run, if you can last through the bad time, it's going to be unbelievable. I was here when Westhampton Beach was unbelievable 23 years ago," adding that it would be again. "Despite all the aggravation, it has to be done. Once people realize that it has to be done, it will all work out."

Massa felt certain things can be done to make the months easier for pedestrians and motorists, such as clearer signs directing individuals where to walk, with a possible list of where the parking lots are sited.

Elyse Richman, owner of Shock , Baby Shock and Shock Ice Cream, said her store is closing temporarily for the winter months. "The building is coming down," she said; the iconic building was once the home of Magic's Pub and will be demolished, she said.

Originally, her plan was to move across the street into a new space this winter. "We decided against that. I think that the businesses are going to suffer over the winter."

People are confused about the work; summer residents who come out for the weekends may not even know what's going on, she said.

Richman suggested tht a large rendering of the work be erected on Main Street to explain the scope of the project to both residents and visitors. "It's a little confusing and I think the information could be better," she said. "The traffic is changing daily. The whole situation is a mess."

Instead of moving right away, Richman will put her merchandise into storage for the winter and open in a new space next season. "My decision was definitely related to the drop off in business," sparked by the ongoing work, she said. But, she assured, "Shock is going to be here. We are not going anywhere. We're just taking a little break."

Lynne Jones, owner of Lynne's Cards & Gifts, said the road ahead would be challenging. "I'm just hoping I'll be able to get through the winter. I'll be here, but it's going to be hard. Business just plummeted the minute they closed Main Street — totally plummeted."

The situation might have been easier if the work had begun after September or October, Jones said. However, she added that she understood the work needed to begin in the warmer weather. "I commend the mayor and the board for getting this done. It's just a matter of who's going to be able to survive," Jones aid.

Many shops close for the winter, anyway, Jones said. But her business, which sells cards, gifts, and other necessities, stays open year round.

To compensate for the work outside on Main Street, Jones said she created a back entrance to her shop from the back entrance near the library parking lot. While the new configurations are confusing now, Jones said people will have to learn how to navigate Main Street.

Once the project is completed, though, Jones said, "it's going to be amazing. It involves infrastructure, so everyone is going to benefit in the long run. It's just a matter of grinning and bearing it. And maybe," she said hopefully, "the work will even be done early. That would be great."