Earlier this week, on Tuesday, Jan. 24, the Village of Patchogue hosted New York Secretary of State Robert J. Rodriguez, among other politicians including county executive Steve Bellone, for a ground-breaking at Shorefront Park. The event was held at the construction site entrance across the street from 600 South Ocean Avenue, Lombardi’s on the Bay.

During the press conference, mayor Paul Pontieri explained that two days before Christmas, the area was under 4 inches of water, which later turned into 4 inches of ice. Back in 2012, after Hurricane Sandy, he said, the area was under 10 inches of water for a matter of five days.

“What we are talking about today is about climate change […] nitrogen in our water. This is the first step of us making this a better place to live,” he said, noting that the project couldn’t happen with partnerships, especially with the state and county. “We are always trying to make this the best place for the residents of this community and this village.”

During his speech, Rodriguez explained that the project is one of the largest of its kind in the entire State of New York.

“We are replacing a deteriorated wooden bulkhead, an example of the hard infrastructure approach of the past, with 1,300 feet of living shoreline, the way of the future,” he said, explaining how a natural approach will help combat climate change, erosion and flooding. “It’s the best way to make sure shoreline resiliency happens; not only will it help the shoreline, but it will also enhance the visual aesthetics as an inviting and welcoming place for visitors.”

Late last year, in December, the Village of Patchogue Board of Trustees passed a resolution to award a $3.71 million BID for the work at Shorefront Park for the living shoreline, as well as the Little Creek restoration. VHB Engineering, Surveying and Landscape Architecture and Quennell Rothschild & Partners Landscape Architects made a presentation explaining the newly reworked project.

Back in 2015, the village introduced the project and then solicited input from the community. A proposal of the project was then presented in 2016. The project, which began with talks and an awarded grant in 2016, saw multiple setbacks due to New York State Department of Environmental Conservation permitting, COVID, and increased costs. The project is now expected to begin in early 2023, and if all goes according to plan, will be completed within nine months.

In 2018, a $2.189 million New York Department of State Division of Coastal Resources grant was awarded for the project. The village was also awarded a total of $317,000 from New York State for the parks’ portion of the project, including walkways, benches and a kayak launch, as well as $45,000 and $30,000 from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for habitat restoration and to expand the village’s wastewater treatment plant. The grants were planned to supplement and match the $5 million anonymous donation made back in 2015 for park restoration, allowing the project to be at no cost to the taxpayer.

The entire project, in 2018, was estimated to cost about $4 million, including the over $200,000 granted for engineering costs for the design in 2017. However, the costs, Pontieri said, have been steadily increasing to about $6 to $7 million over the approximately six-year duration for which the project has been proposed. The scaled-back version of the project is now within the grant’s $3 million budget, with a total cost of about $741,980 to the village, which will be paid for through the private donation.

The living shoreline will provide stabilization techniques with structure elements to reduce flooding and erosion while mimicking natural features. The intentions of the project are to reduce flooding, improve water quality, and to protect the village’s infrastructure, including stopping nearby village residents’ basements from flooding.

The project will essentially include a “mound of rocks running parallel to the shoreline,” according to Kathleen Fallon of VHB, which will anticipate wave energy and reduce storm surge. The shoreline will be paired with natural plantings as well as a bioswale to help absorb and capture stormwater. The project will also include mitigation for Little Creek as well as a kayak launch on the west end of the park and new plantings.

Pontieri explained that during the eight years in the making of this project, it did not go without a lot of work, including extensive grant writing by the Community Development Agency executive director Marian Russo with the support of Business Improvement District executive director Dennis Smith.

“It’s all about giving back to the community,” Pontieri said of the reason they didn’t give up on the project.