The Village Club of Port Washington opened the newly-renovated pool house on Saturday after nine months of work.
Sands Point Mayor Ed Alder thanked members of the club for their patience following delays that pushed back the pool house’s opening six weeks and Bill Schmergel, chair of the club’s Facilities Committee, for bringing the project to a successful conclusion.
In addition to new bathrooms, showers, and changing areas, the renovated structure has a full kitchen facility and an indoor bar area.
According to a press release for the village, the pool house was originally built in the 1950s by IBM, which owned the property on which the Village Club now sits.
IBM employees sometimes swam in Hempstead Harbor during breaks, and the structure was built to provide them with a place to change and purchase light snacks.
When Sands Point purchased the property in 1995, they kept the structure and built a pool next to it 18 months after the sale. The bathhouse was not upgraded at the time, and after 60 years the structure had begun to show its age.
The building’s age was part of the reason the renovation — which began in October of last year — took so long.
Shortly after the project began, the Sands Point Board of Trustees authorized Boyle Environmental Services to inspect the building for asbestos and remove any if found. The age of the structure’s sanitary system also required it to be inspected.
A portion of the pool house and the pool itself both opened for the summer on Memorial Day weekend, but the kitchen and bar area of the structure needed an additional six weeks to be finished.
Membership at the Village Club of Sands Point is open to both village residents and nonresidents.
A report at July’s Board of Trustees meeting showed that efforts to attract nonresidents to the club have been successful and have kept membership up, despite a decline in membership for Sands Point residents.
Reach reporter Luke Torrance by email at ltorrance@theislandnow.com, by phone at 516-307-1045, ext. 214, or follow him on Twitter @LukeATorrance.
