There’s more work to do at the Sandy-damaged Watch Hill marina on Fire Island, which has been closed all summer season to boaters.
The National Park Service announced Thursday the project will be extended “to address substructure vulnerabilities and ensure the marina is resilient to future storms,” due to unforeseen issues.
Construction will be completed by the end of the year.
The work was at first predicted to be completed sometime in late summer 2017.
“The Watch Hill marina project was engineered to ensure the marina is safe and can withstand storms for years to come,” said Fire Island National Seashore facility manager Jim Dunphy said in a statement. “With more time, unforeseen and necessary repairs to the substructure can be made so boaters and visitors can safely enjoy Watch Hill in the future.”
The facilities will reopen for the 2018 season.
According to prior reports, the project was costing $5.4 million and was being funded jointly by the Park Service and Federal Highway Administration.
The new costs are expected to bring the project to over $6 million, said a Fire Island National Seashore spokesperson.
Dunphy said the substructure repair schedule will include, “supplementing girders and backfilling some areas of the bulkhead.”
A new elevated electrical building has been constructed and the existing conduit and conductors have been replaced, according to the announcement.
Upon completion of the substructure work, composite lumber decking and new pedestals will be installed on the marina boardwalks.
Woodstock Construction LTD began work in September to replace electrical and lighting systems, and the adjacent bulkhead and boardwalk.
During construction, the marina is closed to ferry service and private boaters. The visitor center, bathrooms, lifeguarded beach, and tent campground remain closed until the marina reopens.
Backcountry camping is accessible via Davis Park Ferry and points west. Updates will be posted to the seashore’s Facebook page, and at: https://www.nps.gov/fiis/planyourvisit/watchhill.htm.
Watch Hill is located on the western edge of the Otis Pike Fire Island High Dune Wilderness, directly across the Great South Bay from Patchogue on Long Island.
The Watch Hill Marina opened in 1967 and has 182 slips with 120 and 208 volt service, which accommodate boats with a draft to 5 feet and 8- to 17- foot beam. Of the 182 slips, there are 23 which accommodate 15- to 18- foot beams and offer 208 volt service.
