Now that the plan for a new senior citizens center in Amagansett is to be reassessed, greater community buy-in should be among the town’s key objectives. In addition, we strongly believe that creativity should be at the heart of what follows.
Despite more than six years in development and after numerous public meetings and focus groups, there never seemed to be a strong sense of public ownership for the proposed center. With the controversial Center for Modern Aging and Human Services concept now more or less abandoned, revisiting some of its basic assumptions should be a priority.
There is wide agreement that the existing senior center, on Springs-Fireplace Road in East Hampton, is not up to the task and is in poor condition. Demographic projections tell us that the need for services for older residents will grow sharply as baby boomers age out of the work force. This does not mean that a free hand should have been given to the architects, whose understanding of the assignment seemed grandiose from the start.
Careful, inclusive, and open consideration of what a replacement might do will be essential to guide the way forward. Our view is that success requires input from a broad section of the town population. This baseline would be used to develop a wish list to fulfill as many of those needs and desires as would be practical.
Dedicated craft and technology spaces should be near the top of the heap. The therapeutic value of creative expression among older people is well documented. But for a community with as significant an artistic heritage as ours, it is surprising that year-round instruction and studio space are difficult to find. A committed, early outreach to working artists, craftspeople, and art instructors will be needed from the outset. Creative professionals and experienced amateurs could provide valuable advice on how spaces were designed, what equipment would be necessary, and so on — with the expectation that some of them might stay on to lead fulfilling programs after the center opened. A modest stipend for session leaders could help support our existing artistic community — and keep it here in East Hampton.
The previous design had not included a basement, which Councilman Tom Flight had argued could have provided for storage of the town’s Red Cross supplies. That will be a critical addition in a new design. As Councilman Ian Calder-Piedmonte pointed out back in August 2024, “Rarely do you wish you had less space after you built it.”
For a model of how to build support for large-scale projects, town officials could look to the decade-plus effort for swimming facilities at the Montauk Playhouse. With fund-raising events and public and private money, the project grew from “wouldn’t it be nice” circa 1999 to a ribbon-cutting with the governor in August. It was smiles all around as officials and members of the Playhouse Foundation toured the two-level construction with dual pools and a multi-use cultural center room. Already there are a child care program, a modest senior center providing hot meals and activities five days a week, activities for children among others, and a seasonal town clerk’s office in the older part of the Playhouse. The Playhouse has proven to be a vibrant success and its new aquatic and cultural centers a model to follow for building good will.
Getting back to square one and listening to as many differing voices as possible will help make a vibrant and valued new center a reality.