Meadow Lane Boathouse May Rise Again

A rustic building on Meadow Lane, which many locals took to calling the Old Boathouse, was flattened by Superstorm Sandy, but now Southampton Village Mayor Mark Epley says the owners plan to have the landmark put back together.

Epley said that the footings that supported the boathouse are still in place, though the roof caved in. While the building was not used for years, owners Joseph and Diana DiMenna want to restore it to an active use, the mayor said.

The Old Boathouse was located on Shinnecock Bay across from 1280 Meadow Lane, and has been photographed countless times over the years. It was featured in the background in "Refuge," an independent film shot in Southampton in February 2011, that premiered at the Hamptons International Film Festival.

“It was one of these quiet unknown treasures until it was gone," Epley said.

The DiMennas wish to retain the rustic, abandoned look of the Old Boathouse, Epley said. It is that look that has made it popular subject for amateur photographers.

But the plan is not set in stone yet. The Department of Environmental Conservation must give its approval.

Epley said the owners met with environmental planning and development consultant Richard Warren of Inter-Science Research Associates and Southampton Village Building Inspector Jon Foster to discuss the plan.