Sands Point Civic Association
Village Club
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Sands Point Civic Association
Village Club |
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THE ACQUISITION November 30, 1994 will be remembered as one of the most significant dates in the history of the Village. On that day, title to 208 acres of waterfront property owned for twenty-five years by the IBM Corporation passed to the Village of Sands Point. IBM operated the property as an employee club, featuring a nine-hole golf course, driving range, tennis courts, picnic and beach facilities. Originally the home of Isaac Guggenheim, the property contains his imposing mansion, Villa Carola, which IBM used as a conference center, and several other buildings including a former dairy and stables. For the price of $12,700,000, the purchase of the property as a recreational facility for Village residents followed many months of difficult negotiation and countless hours of planning by Mayor Leonard Wurzel, the Board of Trustees, the Residents’ Club Commission and many other Village residents. A historic Village meeting held on May 21, 1994 and attended by over 500 residents was followed by the decisive referendum of June 18, 1994, at which time more than 85% of the votes cast were in favor of the issuance of up to $15,000,000 of tax-free bonds to finance the purchase of the Club and to provide for anticipated capital improvements. Financially, the Club structure is based on a simple premise: the one-time increase in the Village tax rate provides funds sufficient to pay the interest and amortization of the bonds authorized by the residents, and the annual operating costs of the Club are covered by fees paid by those who use the various Club facilities. Each year the Residents’ Club Commission recommends a membership fee schedule to the Board of Trustees, which then holds a public hearing. There are a wide variety of membership categories. Golf, tennis and swimming pool memberships are available to residents individually or in combination. Basic membership entitles residents to enjoy various facilities, including the beach access and picnic area, walking trails, and dining at the Mansion. There are bedrooms on the second floor of the Mansion available to residents and their guests for rental. Concerts, lectures, parties and other social events are scheduled periodically and featured in Village Club mailings. THE FIRST FIVE SEASONS The first season was formally launched by a gala celebration held in the Mansion and an adjoining tent on May 13, 1995. Over 700 Village residents attended, the largest such gathering ever. Earlier that day, the Village honored Mayor Leonard Wurzel by the official naming of Wurzel Cove along Hempstead Harbor. Elaine Wurzel was honored for her efforts and support with the naming of the First Lady’s Gallery in the Mansion, which has since exhibited a wide variety of objects from the collections of Village residents. The number of Village residents joining as golf and tennis members during the first season far exceeded early estimates. The golf program, including beginners’ clinics and lessons, encouraged many residents to try the sport for the first time. The tennis program was limited, however, by the fact that only two of the eight existing courts were not hard-surfaced. Four additional soft-surfaced courts were constructed and in use by mid-summer. The second season began with a race against time for the construction of a beautiful swimming pool on a site overlooking Hempstead Harbor. The facility, including a children’s wading pool and refurbished locker rooms and snack bar area, opened on schedule on July 4, 1996. A limited number of non-resident golf and tennis members were invited to join the facility during its second season to insure that the Club would remain economically self-sustaining. The Club’s third season was testament to the maturation of the golf membership; the use of the course increased very significantly over the year before. Mansion dining was completely revamped; its operation on a contract basis proved unsatisfactory, and the club management took over direct operation of lunch and dinner service. As residents have enjoyed the golf, tennis, pool and other facilities, the Residents’ Club Commission, initially chaired by Robert Berens and Robert Bernhard, and many committees involving over 150 volunteers spent years working on strategies for present and future Club operations and, along with professional planners, the development of a master plan for the Club. The planning process was not without controversy. Although the property contains far more acreage than necessary for expansion to an 18 hole golf course, the layout of the existing 9 hole course and the need to preserve existing buildings and other special features and amenities complicated the expansion design. Finally, by the Club's fifth season in 1999, the master plan was in place, the construction contracts were bid, and work on the new golf holes and other improvements began. The future of the Village Club for season 2000 and beyond looks very bright indeed!
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