New Building Proposed For Stage Harbor Marina, Will Include Workforce Housing

CHATHAM – While there was consensus among historic business district commissioners that the existing Stage Harbor Marina buildings are an “embarrassment,” the design of the proposed replacement was criticized as too large and out of scale for the site during a pre-application meeting Sept. 16.

 The proposed two-and-a-half-story structure, with a footprint of more than 5,000 square feet, would sit on the waterfront at 80 Bridge St. overlooking the marina, which is also proposed to be upgraded and reconfigured. Co-owner Jeffrey Feuerman of Stage Harbor Marina LLC, which purchased the property in July for $5.2 million, said the new owners were looking for input to create “an environment that works for everybody.”

 He acknowledged the design of the new building “looks monstrous,” but said the goal was to bring the waterfront facility “into the next century” and integrate it into the fabric of the community.

 “The last thing we want to do is go forward with a project that nobody’s going to want to see or nobody wants to improve,” he said.

 The new building replaces two structures currently on the property which total nearly 6,000 square feet. The new building designed by Niche Architecture and Interiors would have offices, storage and a workshop on the first floor, space for the Monomoy Yacht Club on the second floor, and five apartments to house the marina’s year-round employees on the third floor.

 The building will present as two stories from the street in a saltbox design, said architect Matthew Rider. A central colonnade allows a view of the marina from the road. The building will sit slightly farther back from the street than the current structures to create additional parking, he said.

 “A lot of the first floor design and circulation was built around public use,” Rider said. “We really want the residents of Chatham and visitors to be welcome to the site and then draw them in from the street and into the marina space as well.”

 HBDC members generally liked the design, but said that the proposed structure was too large.

 “That to me is a very big building,” said chair Timothy Gilmore. “I like the design, but my concern is I don’t see anything down there approaching that size and height.”

 “It looks massive,” added commission member Robert Byrnes.

 Resident Michael Westgate agreed. “I just think it doesn’t look like Chatham,” he said. “It looks a lot like Harwich Port.”

 Vice chair Doug Grattan said the current buildings are “an embarrassment to the town” and called the proposed design “spectacular. It’s what this site needs.”

 “It does look large and tall,” he added, “but I think that’s warranted.”

 Peter Gaines, immediate past commodore of the Monomoy Yacht Club, said nothing has been done to upgrade the marina and its facilities “for many, many years.” The new space for the 350-member club would be “a huge improvement,” he said.

 Frank Messina, a club member, said the current facility is falling apart. “I think there is no question that this is something the community needs,” he said.

 The proposed work includes a new 300-foot seawall, dredging and a reconfiguration of dockage, Feuerman said. The owners have applied to the Army Corps of Engineers and the state to redevelop the marina portion of the property in conjunction with the new building.

 “We have a big hill to climb to get through all that process to get the marina redeveloped at the same time,” he said, adding that this is a “one-time opportunity to create an amazing environment that could turn into a public benefit, not just for marina folks but for the community.”

 However, he said, “Nothing’s etched in stone. We’re here to work with everybody.”