Work is progressing at the Western Waterfront in the hamlet of Oyster Bay. The next thing residents will see is the demolition of buildings J and I. New buildings will go up that will look very similar to the current ones. The corrugated steel will be replaced with pre-engineered structures using metal siding possibly with insulated panels inside. They will look similar to what they look like now, said a Cameron Associates engineer - the company that has been working with the town on creating the Western Waterfront area.

The decision to take down the buildings was necessitated because of the condition of the buildings. They will appear from the outside like the current buildings but they will be built with modern materials to meet the energy code, said a town spokesperson.

Building J will essentially be a shell with a corrugated exterior to preserve the same feel to it, of being part of a working shipyard. There will be electric power in the building but no bathroom is being planned for J. They will be able to use the bathroom facilites at building I, which will also house the visitor's center. The plan is to move Building J a little further west, to get out of the tidal velocity action, which will place it closer to Building I. It may be a little smaller when plans are completed. The buildings will keep the same footprint but since they are being built on a flood plain they will have to be raised up. Building J will be raised four feet. Building I is already a little higher than Building J so it will be adjusted accordingly.

According to a town spokesperson Building J will be run by the town, the state and whoever is the successful bidder for the waterfront center which will be located in that building. Building J will be where the boat repair center of the WaterFront Center will be located. The town and the state will also have room in that building for storage.

"Therefore a Request for Proposals has been sent out for a waterfront center and whoever is the successful bidder will take over the building currently used by The WaterFront Center," said the town spokesperson.

Fritz Coudert, WaterFront Center president said while he wasn't sure the WFC would be in charge of Building J when it is complete, he recalled that the building was originally broken up into three parts, a museum, a workshop and interior space for the waterfront center. He said the WFC turned over their original plans for Building J to the town and that he believed that the demolition would take place in about a month.

What he was sure about is that the WFC must move the Ida May, a retired oyster boat donated by Frank M. Flower & Sons, Inc. to the WFC. "We have to move it 35 yards and are trying to price that. The town is trying to get the state to fund the move. It will cost about $3,000 to move it one way [out of the demolition area] and a total of $7,000 [to complete the relocation outside of the new Building J location]." He added that the state made them move the boat originally to its current location between the parking lot and Building J.

Mr. Coudert is still considering what to do with the Ida May. Preserving it appears not to be an option. He said the chances are that the hull was cracked when the ship was taken out of the water. People heard the loud sound of a "crack," he said.

Mr. Coudert said, "We may have to build the hull at an estimated cost of $250,000, and today that figure will be higher." He believes that instead they can preserve the upper part of the ship and construct a small building, maybe with windows and small portholes to support the ship's top section. Visitors could enter by climbing up stairs and walk down into a small museum dedicated to the oyster industry past and present.

"These are just my ideas, at present," he said. The original idea was to restore the Ida May and to use it as a museum but that would entail a restoration made difficult because it could need an old-fashioned diesel engine. Additionally he said the boat is not big enough for use as a museum, and, "There is a flood level problem so it couldn't be put below grade."

Mr. Coudert said, "Hopefully there will be more news about what happens at the waterfront soon. We are moving ahead to get our state of the arts education center, not far from the pier and near the water with chairs for the public to look at the view. There will be touch tanks and they will be able to look through glass at the oyster/clam shell fish hatchery so that people can learn how to perpetuate the oyster business in Oyster Bay."

Part of his vision is an outdoor community center: an ampitheater with a stage and where you face toward Centre Island and sit on the naturally built terracing of the land. You can step down the terracing and watch the outdoor show in the summertime which will include concerts performed on a small stage.

Mr. Coudert said, "The Main Street Association thought it was a great idea. Bill Sheeline [MSA president] thought it was great two years ago. Nothing is happening yet, but by the end of the month there might be something more tangible about the project."

Next door to the DEC brick building, where the WFC currently has its offices, is Beekman Beach. The town spokesperson said that there will be a guard stationed at Beekman Beach when it reopens for the season next year. It will not have a guard for the entire year - just as with other Town of Oyster Bay beach facilities.