Superstorm Sandy destroyed the North Shore, bringing an unprecedented natural disaster to Long Island whose devastation can still be seen throughout the area.
Now, 13 years later, one of those areas wrecked – the North Hempstead town dock in Port Washington that flooded in the storm – will have its damaged seawall repaired and the surrounding park rejuvenated through the help of an additional $6.3 million FEMA grant.
This brings the total funds for the town dock to $19.6 million, with $17.6 million coming from the federal government. The grant funding was made possible through the help of U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer.
“Our town dock has needed repairs since Hurricane Sandy, so we’re most grateful to Sen. Schumer for his strong support,” DeSena said. “With over $19 million now allocated for the project, this will be an exciting initiative for our town.”
The Port Washington dock located along the Manhasset Bay is owned and managed by the Town of North Hempstead as a public space. With neighboring restaurant Louie’s, the dock draws in residents seeking not only water activities but also an outdoor space to enjoy the views along the water.
In the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, the town dock was flooded.
In 2016, the town received a $12.6 million grant to repair the dock. That financial support has continuously grown in the nine years since.
With the additional funds, the town will be able to expand from its original plans for a brick-for-brick rebuild replacing the current infrastructure. Now the project will be expanded to bolster resiliency as well as improve aesthetics.
“It allows us to not only rebuild the seawall and address infrastructure issues, but to enhance and beautify the entire dock area—transforming it into a signature destination for the town,” DeSena said. “It very clearly illustrates my commitment to rebuilding our parks and public spaces.”
Aspects of the original plan encompassed new bulkheads, paving, gangways, landscaping, pump out station, retaining wall, irrigation systems, benches, lighting, security gates and asphalt, as well as moving above-ground facilities underground.
To prevent issues in the future, the plan also includes erosion revetment. This typically involves the use of stone or concrete materials along the shoreline to prevent erosion.
Plans are also seeking to implement anode sleds to protect marine structures from corrosion, and a turbidity to prevent dredging in the future.
The town is still in its planning phase before adopting a plan for the town dock restoration.
Before any plans are implemented, permits must be approved by the state Department of Environmental Conservation and FEMA.
