Vision for Violet's Cove Unveiled

The design team working on a waterfront access park at the old Violet Cove property in Mastic Beach unveiled its vision for the area to the approval of local residents, who had provided input into the county project. The defunct property, damaged by Hurricane Sandy, will feature an open air pavilion, kayak launching area, dock, and plenty of room for environmental programs, arts, music, and communing with the area’s natural resources.

An airy 6,000-square-foot seating and picnic area will anchor the facility, which will be protected from the wave action of Narrow Bay by a natural shoreline. While residents at a meeting last week gave an overall thumbs up for the project, some expressed concern over the lack of parking–only five spaces–due to wetlands and other environmental restrictions on the low-lying beachfront parcel. Designers punted the issue to the property owner, Suffolk County, expressing hope that more parking areas can be identified.

“We’re super excited about the design,” said Pat Cupples of the Mastic Beach Conservancy. “It’s exactly what we envisioned for the area, especially the educational aspects of it.”

According to Eric Bunge of nArchitects, the company leading the designers, the project is part of an overall plan to tie together the area’s most popular features, including the William Floyd Estate, Manor of St. George, Smith Point Park, Osprey Park, Bayview Park, and the peninsula's shorefront. The natural shoreline under consideration will create a habitat for any number of marine creatures and be a focal point for kids to experience the marvels of their beach community. “It will have a light ecological footprint,” he said of the design.

The old Captain Andy’s Fishing Station, which became the Violet Cove Restaurant. File Photo

Working with a $1 million grant from New York’s Department of State, nArchitects has been leading six other firms selected by the county to review options for the 1.27-acre property, with an eye toward the recommendations made by residents at a previous scoping meeting. Local priorities include direct public access to the waterfront, space for educational programs, dockage for boats and kayak launching, and space for musical acts, programs, and picnics. The open-air design will filter sunshine into the pavilion, with about 860-square-foot covered by a roof. The property’s low elevation, exposure to hurricanes and nor’easters, and the need for handicapped ramp access were key design challenges, Bunge noted, adding that the site can also serve as a staging area for oyster and kelp farming. While the property won’t have a restaurant or snack bar, it will have bathrooms and space for food trucks and mobile kitchens.

The pavilion envisioned by the design team for the former Violet Cove property in Mastic Beach. File Photo

“We are a seaside community, and this will increase our access to the waterfront that we all enjoy,” said Walter Meshenberg of Mastic Beach, the peninsula’s Creek Defender. “We’re getting a new Smith Point Bridge, a redeveloped downtown, sewers, bike paths–this will keep us going in a positive direction,” he commented, adding that he will also push the county to develop the Shirley Marina. The park has been identified as a feature of the county’s Hike Bike Plan and its Blueway Trail Plan.

The vision for the former Violet Cove property in Mastic Beach was introduced by nArchitech’s Eric Bunge, left, as area residents look on. File Photo

Also weighing in on the future of the Violet Cove site were reps from the Mastic Beach Property Owners Association, Nature Conservancy, and the Long Island South Shore Estuary Preserve Program. Brookhaven Councilwoman-Elect Karen Dunne was at the meeting, along with Legislator James Mazzarella, who said, “We have all the right people on board. This is a design, not just a study. We’ll make some decisions on a final layout after the holidays and keep this project moving.”

The team of consultants will estimate costs for the final design and create bid specifications. Additional grants from the state, perhaps through New York's $4.2 billion Environmental Bond Act, will be pursued, along with allocations from the county’s Capital Fund to complete the project, hopefully by next summer.

The property is part of the 1,685-acre Mastic-Shirley Conservation Area, with the county having acquired approximately 77 acres for preservation, while the federal government owns 613 acres, the state owns 93 acres, and the Town of Brookhaven having almost 112 acres under management. It was originally opened as Captain Andy’s Fishing Station by Andrew Moscovicz in 1940 and operated as the Violet Cove Restaurant from 2002 until it closed in 2008.