NARRAGANSETT – At Salty Brine State Beach, construction is underway on a new 2,478-square-foot, two-level bathhouse that will be more than three times larger than the 37-year-old bathhouse it will replace, the R.I. Department of Environmental Management announced last week.
Construction kicked off in late March with the removal of the 708-square-foot wood-framed bathhouse that had been on the site, DEM said.
Half of the $1.8 million project is funded by the Land and Water Conservation Fund of the U.S. National Park Service. The balance is funded by R.I. Capital Funds, DEM said.
Along with being handicap accessible, then new bathhouse has been designed to earn the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design’s silver certification for energy efficiency. The building, designed by BH & A of Boston, will have energy-efficient lighting, faucets and hand dryers. It is also been designed to maximize the use of daylight, DEM said.
A small onsite wind turbine will provide power for the building’s lighting, exhaust and hot water.
Providence’s Iron Construction Group LLC was awarded the construction contract. Construction is expected to be completed by May 2010.
To learn more about the R.I. Department of Environmental Management, visit www.dem.ri.gov.
