YORK — Construction crews will soon begin work on a new public building at Yorktown’s waterfront that’s been more than six years in the making.
The York County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday authorized County Administrator Mark Bellamy to execute a $1.8 million contract with GC Commercial, Inc. of Newport News to design and construct a consolidated Dockmaster Building at 425 Water St. The single, new structure will replace two smaller, existing buildings — public restroom facilities and the dockmaster’s office.
In 2018, county staff recommended replacing the restrooms and dockmaster’s office in its capital improvement plan, citing numerous deficiencies in the existing structures. The buildings were constructed in the 1970s and do not comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
They also lack climate control, forcing the closure of the restrooms for part of the year to avoid frozen pipes, and necessitating county staff who work in the dockmaster’s office to use space heaters.
Planners also said that the dockmaster’s office has evolved through the years into a sort of waterfront hub where staff conducts pier management, cruise ship arrivals, amphibious wheelchair rentals and first aid, among other uses. But at 347 square feet, it lacks the capacity for all these roles.
“Since we first built the dockmaster’s office, its functionality has expanded,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Stephen Roane said. “Back then we had a few boats that would dock. Now we host a lot more boats and tall ships. A lot of people go there for first aid because it’s the first thing you see when you get hurt.”
County staff proposed demolishing the existing structures and replacing them with a larger, more modern space that addresses the old buildings’ shortcomings. The recommendation included creating a two-story structure that housed space on the second floor for county staff whose jobs related to the waterfront, such as event planners and emergency services.
After delays because of the pandemic, county staff presented conceptual renderings to the Historic Yorktown Design Committee, a government body that approves or rejects construction and architectural changes in the historic village.
The committee rejected plans for a large Dockmaster Building three times, citing its height, which would block views of the water, and its incompatible design. Locals also voiced concerns with county officials about the scale, and the Board of Supervisors formally voted against the proposed new building in 2023.
County staff took another stab at a conceptual rendering, a process that included ample public input, and presented policymakers with a scaled back version of a new Dockmaster Building. At 1,874 square feet in a single story, the new structure will have climate controlled, ADA-accessible facilities, including public restrooms and a guest services area where county staff can accommodate waterfront visitors with information and basic needs.
The waterfront-related county offices were removed from the downsized Dockmaster Building, and staff recommended constructing a separate waterfront operations building located on Buckner Street, set back from the beach area.
At its Tuesday work session, the Board of Supervisors authorized moving forward with a contract for the Dockmaster Building.
County Deputy Director of Economic & Tourism Development Darren Williams told supervisors that he hopes the project will “move at lightning pace” with demolition beginning after Labor Day, when beach foot traffic typically wanes. Williams said that this project would best be completed ahead of next year’s busy season and events associated with the nation’s semiquincentennial.
Bellamy is also optimistic that the project, which he said is overdue, will serve the area well.
“The dockmaster building and the public restrooms have been in need of replacement for several years,” he said. “When completed, which should be in time for next year’s beach season, the new facility will be an important addition to the waterfront.”
The $1.8 million contract is strictly for the Dockmaster Building, according to county spokeswoman Gail Whittaker.
At an April meeting, the Board of Supervisors approved a permit that would allow the construction of a separate waterfront operations building, but that project has not yet gone out to bid, Whittaker said.
Roane said that supervisors and county officials are still weighing options for office space for waterfront staff.
“We are looking at other options that don’t necessarily need new construction, some consolidation options that may be coming up here shortly,” he said.
The supervisors’ approval of a new Dockmaster Building, according to Roane, was a necessary step to maintain and rejuvenate a bustling and economically important area of the county.
“Taking both those old buildings down and building one new, modern building just makes sense,” he said.
Ben Swenson, [email protected]
