City, Grace Industries Sign Boardwalk Contract

The City of Long Beach and Grace Industries signed a $44.2 million contract to initiate construction of the new boardwalk on Tuesday morning, City Manager Jack Schnirman announced at the start of Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

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“At that time a notice to proceed was issued to the contractor to officially begin construction-related activities,” Schnirman said.

On April 4 the City Council unanimously approved the contract with the Plainview-based company to build the 2.2-mile boardwalk, a structure that will consist of tropical hardwood and concrete. Schnirman on Tuesday said the contract calls for a 100 day building milestone for mid-July, “where we anticipate having a significant portion of the boardwalk completed,” he said.

“As sections of the boardwalk are completed, they’ll be open to the public for walkers, joggers and bicyclists to enjoy,” he added.

From the signing of the contract, Grace Industries has a 210-day timeline complete construction of the boardwalk. The contract stipulates that sections from National Boulevard west to Laurelton Boulevard and east to Long Beach Boulevard, are to be completed in about 100 days, said Peter Gerbasi, the vice president of Liro Group, the engineering firm that the city hired to oversee the project, at the April 4 meeting.

Meanwhile, the city is in the process of leveling and grooming the beach in anticipation of the summer season, and the plan is to have all beaches open for Memorial Day, Schnirman said.

The city plans will install a retaining wall on the beach as part of the boardwalk construction, “which will create a natural barrier,” Schnirman said of the present wide-open access to the beach.

In addition, snow fencing will be installed for the start of the summer season in order to help funnel beach access to the beach ticket takers, he said. According to the City of Long Beach’s calendar, beaches passes go on sale May 6.

Remember the Displaced

During the good and welfare portion of Tuesday’s meeting, Lucy Centeno, a West Fulton Street resident, asked the City Council to make sure they remember the residents displaced by Hurricane Sandy in October who have not returned to Long Beach due to the high costs to repair their homes.
“Please remember to take care of home first,” Centeno told the council members. “I’m not worried so much about the droves of people coming in on the trains to go to the beach.”

During his update, Schnirman noted that the Federal Emergency Management Agency granted an extension of the Transitional Sheltering Assistance Program, which allows eligible displaced residents who cannot return to their homes to stay in participating hotels. The new deadline for checkout is May 1.

Schnirman also announced that the City Council requested that FEMA hold another public forum in which agency and state representatives will discuss the Increase Cost of Compliance Program, Hazard Mitigation Program and the National Flood Insurance Program. The meeting at City Hall is scheduled for at 6 p.m. April 24.

“City of Long Beach representatives will be available to answer questions regarding the current process, as well as any other building department matters,” he added.

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