Portsmouth looks to purchase state-owned Teddy's Beach at a bargain price

PORTSMOUTH — Town Administrator Richard Rainer laid out three options to the Town Council at its most recent meeting on July 11: Buy Teddy’s Beach and the Stone Bridge abutment for $300,000 and own it outright; initiate a process to obtain the property for free with restrictions on its future use; or table the matter until next year.

Teddy’s Beach, presently owned by the state Department of Transportation, is located at the southeastern end of Park Avenue, directly across from a counterpart bridge abutment and waterfront property in Tiverton called Grinnell’s Beach.

Grinnell’s Beach and its section of the old Stone Bridge, which the town of Tiverton purchased using grant money in 2014, were transformed in 2019 into a paved, fenced pier and waterfront recreation area with renovated parking and bathhouse facilities.

The project was largely funded by a $400,000 grant from the state DEM for the beach area and a $2.6 million grant from the state DOT for the transformation of the bridge.

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The section of Stone Bridge at Teddy’s Beach in Portsmouth stands — or rather doesn’t stand — in contrast: It has been closed to the public since a section of it collapsed in 2019. DOT spent around $850,000 dollars reinforcing the north side of the bridge with riprap to protect it from the tide after the collapse, but the area is still fenced off and largely dilapidated above the water.

The surrounding waterfront has been somewhat neglected by the state, and according to Rainer’s remarks to the council, “it was just three years ago when we could finally figure out who between (the state Department of Environmental Management) and DOT would admit ownership of the property.”

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As it turns out, DOT owns the bridge and the beach, and the DEM manages the boat ramp. Now, DOT is offering the property to the town of Portsmouth on the cheap, or potentially even for free.

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"A licensed RIDOT appraiser conducted an appraisal of the land, which includes the beach and Stone Bridge abutment, about 69,500 square feet," Charles St. Martin, spokesperson for DOT, wrote to The Daily News in an email. "The value is based on fair market value and is $300,000. RIDOT is offering to sell it to the town for $270,000, as the town has informed RIDOT it will pursue engineering studies of the abutment at a cost of about $30,000 (to be paid by the town).

"Alternatively, RIDOT has offered to convey the property to the town at no cost," St. Martin wrote. "But in doing this the town would not be able to develop it in any way. This is because RIDOT follows federal law that prohibits monetization of land formerly used for transportation and originally acquired with state or federal funds.

After some discussion, the Town Council expressed a preference to pursue the outright purchase of the property for $300,000, thus avoiding any restrictions on future use and development.

When council Vice President Linda Ujifusa asked whether Portsmouth could afford the property, Rainer said yes. He suggested the town use $126,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds and draw the remaining $174,000 from an estimated budget of $820,000 currently allotted to Island Park storm drain repair and Portsmouth park storm drain and catch basin replacement.

Rainer explained these two items had placeholder values in the town budget and suggested the town could appropriate funds proportionally from each of them in order to make up the difference after the ARPA funds.

Councilwoman Daniela Abbot opened the ensuing discussion by saying, “I think (the town) investing $300,000 to obtain full, unhindered rights to this property would probably look better when requesting grant funds.”

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She added the town would unwise to turn down such a valuable waterfront property being offered at a bargain.

Councilman Keith Hamilton pointed out ownership of the property would bring with it costs and responsibilities that currently rest with the state. Director of Public Works Brian Woodhead reiterated his point, indicating the DPW would need additional resources in order to effectively manage the new property.

Rainer listed a number of responsibilities, including maintenance, garbage, policing, and complaints which would now fall on the town.

Several other councilors agreed the deal presented by the DOT was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the town to secure waterfront property at a more-than-reasonable price.

Ujifusa was notably cautious about being rushed into “buying a money pit,” pressing to ensure the purchase could be fit into the town’s current capital improvement plan and tax structure.

In the end, she voted along with the rest of the council to negotiate a purchase from the DOT contingent upon an engineering assessment of the bridge.

"RIDOT is awaiting word from the Town of Portsmouth regarding how it would like to proceed with the Teddy’s Beach property," St. Martin wrote in his email. "The bridge was built in 1907 and was severely damaged by the 1954 Hurricane. It was replaced by the first Sakonnet River Bridge in 1956."

This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: Portsmouth RI: Town looks to purchase Teddy's Beach from RIDOT