Ocean Beach to Get $50 Million Makeover

Fire Island’s Ocean Beach village is getting a major makeover, with updates to its infrastructure, new buildings and other upgrades.

The village, which consists of 612 residential homes, will get a new water tower, public safety building, renovated employee apartments, new wells and updated municipal buildings. A new ferry terminal will provide a jail, freight house and meeting room.

Superstorm Sandy was a catalyst to these upgrades and additions, Mayor James Mallott told Newsday, because it forced them to think about how future storms could affect the 100-year-old village’s infrastructure.

“The whole town is being redone, and it will last generations,” said Village Clerk and Treasurer Steven Brautigam. “We had to start anew,” Mallott added.

Officials said the $50 million budget is funded by grants and no-interest loans from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the state Environmental Facilities Corporation. Nearly half of the renovation budget has been spent since Superstorm Sandy in 2012, with projects like new walkways and bulkheads already completed. The beach will also get re-nourishment through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Fire Island to Moriches Inlet project.

After taking the Fire Island ferry over, we invite you to visit William J. Newman Realty. We have serviced Fire Island’s western communities since 1969 and offer the experience and professionalism to meet all real estate needs for people who want to take the Fire Island ferries over and stay on the Island for a few days or for the entire summer! We specialize in rentals from Fair Harbor to Dunewood, Lonelyville, and Saltaire.