Overview

When it opened in the 1930s, the stone and brick boardwalk building at Jones Beach was a popular hangout spot among the community. However it 1964 a fire destroyed the building and it wasn’t until 2018 that the popular feature would make its comeback. LiRo-Hill provided construction management services for the new Boardwalk Café at the Central Mall at Jones Beach.

About the Project

The 7,700 sf building pays homage to the old structure’s facade and marks the original footprint with stone masonry piers. The one-story building houses concessions, game areas including a children’s game area with a 2,000 sf splash pad with 20 spray features, a kitchen, restrooms, storage areas and vendor offices, and connects to a new wood deck, terraces and an adjacent boardwalk built underneath. The 2,050 sf tensile fabric roof is a signature feature, using a polytetrafluoroethylene woven fiberglass membrane stretched over the main dining and service areas. There are also benches made of Brazilian ipe wood and stainless steel and four steel shade structures with concrete footing anchors and PVC roofs.

Project Challenges & Solutions

The team successfully delivered this project to completion despite a fast 10-month schedule, a difficult winter, and the federal requirement to elevate the building 20 ft above sea level and the coastal floodplain. The project also encountered an early setback when excess rainfall overwhelmed a stormwater discharge area, causing the team to devise a new location for the feature.