This is a personal look at our
communities’ process in discussing our boardwalk from my point of view. It’s a treat for me to write about where us
LB East Enders met up at Aug. 21st’s Sustainable Long Island led
“The Boardwalk as a Destination” Phase in East School’s
gymnasium/auditorium. It isn’t about any
other individual, it’s completely packed with my own memories, feelings, is
long, and I hope you find it enjoyable and interesting.
Ahh, the bees buzzing, the birds
chirping, the morning dew permeating the air long after dawn--2014’s summer is
one I would be happy to repeat over and over.
Still, I dream of future summers on our innocuous beach.
Neighbors came together and met for
our Boardwalk’s phase II meetings. Like
the first phase, neighbors were tabled into groups of six or less. We listened to Sustainable Long Island
express their purpose for the meetings.
I was disappointed by the lack of information. For instance, one of the slides titled
“Reimbursement”, and only stated that FEMA is covering “10 buildings the same
size as before.” I don’t know what those ten buildings are, no one there even
knew if the Boardwalk had 10 parks related buildings before Hurricane Sandy
I wished to know which specific
buildings, so I could determine the size we are focusing on, or the civic role
each building possessed. I don’t think I was the only one confused by
this. “Is this a ‘Boardwalk’ matter, or
a ‘Building’ matter?” And aside from the
bathrooms, and snack bar : what other buildings are linked to FEMA and this
process being presented by Sustainable Long Island? If the bathrooms on the
beach are being moved to the boardwalk, then I understand why they’re being
counted as buildings, but that is three more bathrooms, which total six
buildings. So we are meeting, and I
already wish there was information on the buildings we are suppose to decide
value for. Without a rational knowledge
of what the buildings are, how can we stand behind investing in them to be constructed?
The qualifications, understandably,
focus on what amenities will be experienced all year round. With that said, it’s very difficult to
conceptualize a retail or food concession without having a clue as to the
dimensions (square feet) attached to each concept. When you put six people together, who are
confused about what is to be reimbursed just off the bat, it seemed to bring at
times, moments of anxiety.
Is there enough space for
indoor/outdoor sit-down-service for a food-concession? Otherwise it won’t be open all year
round. Is this food concession going to
take up space on the boardwalk? If it does,
our group was completely against that idea.
I wanted an indoor beach volleyball
facility/pavilion on the foundation block, which would attract year round
patrons.) Someone mentioned a zoo that I
loved. I love it because you could
interconnect habitats that are Native here and educate our youth to estuaries,
and marsh eco-systems. Another idea from
another group was a Sand Castle class.
For my top 5 amenities, that I
believe would add the most value I listed: Indoor showers/changing/area
(1). Lockers/surf storage (2)
Greenery/Gardens (3) Remote Police Station (4) Artwork/Art Structures (5) I
value efficiency in multiple forms, across the spectrum of energy consumption,
social responsibility, and reputation by word of mouth.
I grew up in Long Beach, lived in
Savannah, GA for college briefly and while I lived there I noticed things that
I obviously would never have believed.
I’m both startled and humbled,
because I came to my own realization of how many privileges native Long
Beachers take for granted. Going to the
beach (Living in Savannah required a 30-minute drive to Tybee Island if you had
a car, or a Two and a half hour bus ride).
If you had a car you could leave
your belongings and valuables inside. But if you bussed, you were left high
and dry, especially if you had a surfboard.
The community around this very nice beach was mostly residential, and
the businesses were built along the shoreline.
Just 1-3 story structures, and spanned for only two blocks with a total
of 12 businesses along the boardwalk.
As The Fall approaches, Storms off shore create swells that invite surfers far
and wide to our prescious beaches.
Looking off the boardwalk to the south, and the sea is lined with
bobbing wet suit clatted surfing enthusiasts. Looking to the North, there are
Blvd’s which feed to Broadway, Park Ave, and Beech St with loads of businesses.
However, Surfers are parking their cars on Broadway, most often than not, and
after not having any fresh shower with changing facility, all of those
activities are voided by this very large demographic who have to leave town to
go home and simply change without returning to our city. Long Beach offers a vast number of
attractions. The Beach and its surfing
classes, the boardwalk recreational activities, most of these require a shower
and a change of clothes before local dining is chosen by the individual. Theme parks, such as Six Flags Great
Adventure admit close to 30,000 people in a day, and they have changing rooms
for their guests. Long Beach only has a
changing room offered at the Rec Center, which is very far away from the beach,
and the other elemental attractions of our community.
Two novel aspects of Long Beach are its’
train station on the north, and its’ boardwalk five blocks to the south. Our city encourages visitors to come to our
community and make use of everything we offer.
Most of our visitors know the beach elements, and lack of beach
elements. If our Boardwalk is a
destination and it doesn’t offer indoor showers and changing areas, visitors may be uncomfortable in their wet clothes
through the afternoon into the night. If
our boardwalk doesn’t offer lockers, our visitors can’t factor storing a change
of clothes for while they’re on the beach renting a chair and umbrella; or
taking a surfing class, and their beach stuff for while they’re eating in a
restaurant; playing mini golf, going for a social bike ride, or taking a yoga
class. None of these destinations can be
factored into their tours of our lovely community without these two elements
Before I move onto greenery &
gardens, I would like to state declaratively that our boardwalk’s concrete
substructure, which replaced the previous wooden stringers (Which floated and
were moved due to water pressure), is far superior. If there were bump outs on the south side
constructed consistently to how the current boardwalk is presently, what
concern is there that we would need FEMA to reimburse us for future loss, if
loss is not probable? Isn’t the design and concept of our boardwalk state of
the art? Focused solely on preventing a future catastrophe to the structure
we’re meeting and discussing presently?
Our facilitators couldn’t help
answer if ramps are bumping out over the Army Core of Engineer’s Dunes
Systems. Dunes provide natural
greenery.
Now Gardens. I value function, and
function aught not to be compromised by form, so how do we have greenery on our
Boardwalk? When I took a step back, and
really tried to respect the requirements of the activity, while being
frustrated at the lack of specifics, I asked more questions that I got answers
to. Yes, the concrete sub-structure can
support concrete planters that will withstand extreme weather but where do we
place them? How do we ensure that
concrete planters (The ideal planting container for plants exposed to the 12
months of weather) are not in the way of pedestrians? Where do we place them?
Plants require different
amenities of their own. Different
exposures of light, watering amounts, and obviously if they are salt tolerant
is a necessity. Perennials, biennials,
annuals are also important factors.
Our group raised ideas, which referenced the High Line. I met with the managers of the highline to
discuss a concept in Arizona I had six years ago. I took several tours and meetings through the
High Line’s construction site and was humbled by their exotic fused with native
environment. The interesting thing about
Long Beach is our Island is engineered, and not native, so where does a
horticulturalist derive inspiration?
Senator Reynolds carved up some
marshes, dredged a channel, and filled in four inlets to manipulate land and
sea to make his destination Riviera like Island using 19th and 20th
century tools. We’re lucky to be here,
don’t get me wrong, but our ecosystems suffered from just that action and the
dopey Bay Park sewage treatment plant to remind you of two of our impacts. I like to meditate on the boardwalk while
listening to music, watching surfers, and a sunset. So where would I incorporate plants that
wouldn’t detract from Beach & Ocean views and will grow optimally? I would like to make something with a grotto,
marsh coves from our North & East, and to bring to life a truly intimate
attraction introduce exotic bananas, green walls, and green roofs to “It.” They weren’t specific so I’m taking liberty
with my process as well.
Anyways, this activity was only intended to last 10 minutes.. 10 minutes? Among
visionaries like us Long Beachers!? That’s an insult if I’ve ever heard one.
Our next activity was “Concessions:
Group Activity Two”
Again, What are the specific spaces
we’re working with? Square foot dimensions are like Latin to the powers that
be. Do “they” want to lead towards a
snack shop with beneficial sun tan lotion but also harmful packaged processed foods?
Will there be entertainment on
the boardwalk? I don’t know, and without
specific dimensions I can’t assert if a single skee ball game will be possible
to fit, or if a musical stage (Perhaps designed in the them as the green grotto
described above) will fit on an offset space?
A remote Police Station will
allow/enable the L.B.P.D. to have a satellite near the shore, and boardwalk’s
park-grounds. I would only want this
element if this were instrumental in removing the Dodge Durangos from congesting
the Boardwalk Bike Lanes. Also, freeing our beach from the gas and noise
polluting ATV’s, which create a less peaceful environment when patrolling our
beaches.
I studied architecture my
freshman year of college at S.C.A.D. in 2000. Prior to studying at S.C.A.D. I
had written my college application letters on a trip to the World Trade Center
on a 13’ boat from Long Beach. All 19 of
the Universities I applied to accepted me.
While
studying architecture my freshman year the second terrorist attack on the
W.T.C. was perpetrated, and the inefficient Savannah behaviors, plus my
loneliness for NY progressivism influenced me to look into other fields. I tried product design and developing camping
tents, and environmentally sound sandals, composed entirely from hemp. I
remember as a kid, when AIDS blew up, and people were panicked, my Long Beach
family and neighbors ensured that we would not be emotional victims, and we
would devote ourselves to strengthening our community. But people did there did not come together. I
had witnessed men walking around with sandwich boards advertising “9-11 IS A
MYTH!” But like 9-11 disillusioned me
from Architecture the systemic outsourcing of our service and manufacturing jobs
disillusioned me from all of what S.C.A.D wanted to sell me, and I left that
southern city and came back to Long Beach.
I found Landscape Architecture in
SUNY Farmingdale where they were offering only an Associates Program. I engaged
myself with Nomenclature, Botany, Soil Science, Arboriculture, Landscape
Design, and Entomology. I had left all
of the barbarically radical and un-philosophical values of the world, I was now
in a world where economic, social organization was practiced in a much more
earthly intense, and proven system. How
do trees planted next to one another decide who is going to be taller and hog
the sun? (How) Do plants react to an insect infestation, a car impact, or
salt-water inundations air pollution, or light pollution? Some of the trees, where I was living in
Georgia, live their entire lives with their roots and a portion of the trunks
submerged in lakes. I haven’t even lived
on whole day in the bathtub, so I thought that an organism which lives its
entire life in water (Frozen solid, or liquid) to be remarkable.
The most interesting part of my
associates’ degree was the horticultural club.
The Hort Club was like a double-edged sword to me. For example:
there were presentations on the evolution of composting, which I
absorbed like a sponge. Then there were
presentations on Bonsais which I would have rather protested on the basis that
it is a practice purely focused on not just manipulating a plants roots,
leaves, and size but also limiting its contribution to a valuable
ecosystem. I believe in the organic
process of un-oppressed life so much that I have anxiety attacks just hearing
the word “Banzai.”
I enjoy bicycle rental station, but
they would be best suited off of the boardwalk completely. In my opinion, the boardwalk in the prime
real estate of Long beach and displacing space on our boardwalk for a business
that doesn’t pay proportionately what the Allegria pays in taxes isn’t worth
it. Besides, the bike’s function is focused on exercise, is it too troublesome
for a bicyclist to simply pick their bicycle out of the station from the bottom
of the ramp and walk it up the ramp? I
think that’s the best place for them (and have local artists design stylish
signs so board walkers can see them a few yards away and then they’ll know
where they are. Also, Long Beach Kiosks
on the boardwalk will display where the stations are all over our city.)
Bike rentals would be better suited off the boardwalk.
The next
activity our group engaged in was deciding how many concessions and or
amenities should be on the boardwalk. As
mentioned before, organizers could not provide the information of whether these
concessions will be in the existing boardwalk, or on bumpouts. So, again, this was difficult for me.
So I
believed the ideal number to be either 0 or 14.
Since they’re only asking us to design them on the North side, they’ll
have to be with a civic composition in mind.
Why are
some blocks more deserving of an amenity than others?
As the Ruffles has Ridges Eskimo said; “If I give one to
you, I have to give one to every body else.”
Our group
took a democratic vote and compromised to 8.68 concession on our 14-block
boardwalk. I felt that there should be
three indoor showers with retail towel service. (One near the East End, One
near the West End, and the third near the center of the Boardwalk.) I felt that there should be two retail
souvenirs concessions, and two health food retail concessions. The remaining 1.68 concession should be
geared to socializing. As I expressed
before an intimate native and exotic grotto/gazebo/band shell geared to music,
art, entertainment etc.
Are certain blocks more capable of
having gardens? Certainly, the sun exposure is most important factor with that
respect. Are certain blocks more
deserving of having a coffee shop, restaurant, and showers, changing rooms,
lockers? Just my opinion, I feel that unless we understand what concessions
Istar is developing than we ought to focus on showers, lockers, and social
gathering gazebos/grottos in the middle of the superblock. No one wants two
redundant coffee shops on the superblock’s boardwalk segment, or two beach
retail concessions offering the identical items. Again the superblock has the capability of
appealing to visitors all year round.
The bumpouts are unknown. The
last City Council meeting I attended (Aug. 19th), there was a skate
park listed on the budget.
I believe a valuable exercise, and economic asset to this community would be an
indoor Beach volleyball rec pavilion, and an indoor roller-skating rink. The
Skate Park would be a great addition, but the council didn’t talk about it at
all. I would like to know if it it’s expected to be indoor or outdoors with
respect to year round use.
A neighbor at another group, in the
meeting, presented an idea she had for Sand castle lessons and classes. I feel a great collaborative project
consisting of environmental, aesthetic, educational, and inspirational elements
would be an entertainment garden type for additional lectures, presenters,
musicians, and comedians to be accommodated on our spectacular boardwalk.
Then we rated the top three
activities that we feel would add the most value to our boardwalk. I ranked concerts, fitness, and education as
my top 3 out of 10. After discussing
with my group, a consensus we had was we would desire to see more events like
the Quicksilver Pro Contested was originally intended. I then realized that
fitness is much too vague, and that instead of clogging up our boardwalk doing
push-ups, and stretches. People are
welcome to stretch, exercise and practice yoga right on the beach, so I picked
education as my second, and moved Sporting events (Like the Quicksilver Pro) as
my third.
So if there’s anything we’ve learned, the three most crucial elements
for our Boardwalk which appears we are capable of building are; a network of
changing rooms and indoor showers, High Line Grotto musical stage element, and a
police satellite.
