Easton's Beach: Planning for a Resilient Future

WE NEED YOUR HELP

We need your feedback, suggestions, concerns, and questions! To ensure the future success of Easton's Beach, the project team needs input from the community. Please share your opinion or ask questions using the resources in the Public Involvement section of this webpage.

News

The Beach Use Survey has closed. Results will be posted soon!

Public Listening Session #1 was held on January 30, 2025, at the Newport Public Library.

Save the Date for the Easton's Beach Public Workshop June 17-19, 2025!

The History of Easton's Beach

A cycle of reconstruction.

01 / 09

The Beach

Easton's Beach has been a public recreation area for many, many years. The site has experienced a considerable amount of development throughout its history and has also experienced great loss of buildings over the last two centuries.

The Pavilion & Boardwalk

As historic photos show, there have been a number of different building campaigns on the site, as well as many recreational amenities. Some of the historic buildings that occupied the site, prior to the existing buildings, were monumental and architecturally distinctive.

Easton's Beach circa 1882 (from the Digital Collections at Providence Public Library)

Main Entrance to the Easton's Beach Pavilion circa 1900 (from the Salve Regina University Postcard Collection)

The Rollercoaster

There was once a large rollercoaster at the eastern portion of the site. The rollercoaster was named "The Old Mill" and stood next to the boardwalk at Easton's Beach.

"The Old Mill" Rollercoaster Prior to 1938 (from the Salve Regina University Postcard Collection)

The Casino & Gateway

There was once a large gateway structure at the entrance to the beach. A bathing casino building was located next to the gateway.

Easton's Beach Bathing Casino circa 1927 (from the Salve Regina University Postcard Collection)

Public Entrance to Easton's Beach in the Early 20th Century (from the Salve Regina University Postcard Collection)

The Swimming Pool

There was also once a swimming pool at Easton's Beach. The saltwater pool was located near the beach pavilion and included a high dive.

Aerial Image of Easton's Beach in the Early 20th Century

The 1938 Hurricane

Unfortunately, following the Great New England Hurricane of 1938, it appears that very little, if any, of the earlier buildings and structures survived.

Easton's Beach After 1938 Hurricane (from the Digital Collections at Providence Public Library)

Easton's Beach After 1938 Hurricane (from the Salve Regina University Collection)

The Rotunda

The Rotunda building appears to have been constructed following the 1938 Hurricane. The Rotunda is a two-story brick building located in the center of Easton's Beach. Its design seems to have considered the impacts of flooding, given the devastation that the site had just experienced. The Rotunda is octagonal in shape, which helps deflect wave action, and the overhead doors on the first floor can be opened to allow water to flow through and around the inner core of the building, which is clad with glazed tile.

Easton's Beach Rotunda and Seawall in Mid 20th Century (from the Salve Regina University Collection)

The Carousel & Snack Bar

The Carousel Building was located to the northwest of the Rotunda. The ground floor housed facilities' offices and maintenance areas. The second floor housed a carousel dating from 1958.

The Surf Shop and Snack Bar building was located to the southeast of the Rotunda. The ground floor included a Surf Shop, lifeguard station, administration offices, rest rooms, showers, and storage. The Snack Bar was located to the second floor.

Based on historic photographs taken in the post WWII era, the Carousel and Snack Bar buildings were built as one-story structures, and the second stories were added in the 1990's.

Snack Bar circa 1957 (from the Newport Historical Society)

Swipe to Compare Easton's Beach in the early 20th century to 2024.

Past Storm Impacts at Easton's Beach

The Great New England Hurricane of 1938

The 1938 Hurricane destroyed most, if not all, of the structures at Easton's Beach including the pavilion, swimming pool, boardwalk, and rollercoaster.

1938 Hurricane Damage (from Newport Historical Society and Salve Regina University Collections)

Hurricane Carol in 1954

Hurricane Carol destroyed the carousel and several other buildings at Easton's Beach.

Hurricane Carol Damage (from Newport Historical Society Collection)

Storms in December 2023 & January 2024

The storms in December 2023 and January 2024 damaged the buildings and walkways at Easton's Beach.

Project Background

A) Evaluation of Existing Conditions - 2021

Corrosion on Steel Framing of Carousel Building in 2021

DBVW Architects was hired by the City of Newport in early 2021 to evaluate the structural integrity of the Carousel, Snack Bar, and Rotunda buildings at Easton's Beach. During this investigation, DBVW and structural engineering consultant, Yoder + Tidwell, determined that the Carousel and Snack Bar buildings were in poor condition and were experiencing failure and significant deterioration of some of the structural members.

Immediate emergency repairs were undertaken in 2021, however the question of whether or not to substantially upgrade these buildings became part of a larger discussion about climate resiliency at Easton's Beach because executing the required repairs would have been extremely costly and invasive. A decision was subsequently made to demolish most of the carousel and snack bar buildings as well as the adjacent elevated walkways.

B) Planning Study (Phase 1) - 2022

Following the completion of the Evaluation of Existing Conditions report, DBVW Architects and Fuss & O'Neill were engaged by the City of Newport to complete a planning study that focused on preserving the Rotunda and replacing the Carousel and Snack Bar Buildings with new facilities to accommodate all the functions that were housed in the buildings that were to be demolished.

The conceptual design for a new facility that was developed by DBVW Architects in 2022 was specifically intended to replace the existing buildings. The proposed facility was designed to be resilient, however, a series of subsequent storms prompted the City of Newport to reconsider whether renovating the rotunda and/or constructing new buildings is the best way to proceed at this extremely vulnerable site.

Click Here to Read the Phase 1 Planning Study Report

Fly-Over of the Proposed Conceptual Design to Replace the Existing Buildings

C) Carousel and Snack Bar Building Demolition - 2024

The Rotunda After Demolition of the Snack Bar and Carousel in 2024

The Snack Bar building and the second story of the Carousel building were demolished in 2024. The Rotunda building and the first story of the Carousel building remain as well as the bathhouse and cabanas to the east. The first floor of the Carousel building was retained because it houses restrooms and utilities that connect to the Rotunda.

D) Resiliency Plan (Phase 2) - 2024 and Beyond

In 2024, DBVW Architects, Fuss & O'Neill, and the Woods Hole Group were hired to develop a plan for improving Easton's Beach. This phase of work includes an extensive public engagement process to determine what amenities should be included at Easton's Beach. This study also includes planning for beach nourishment to address the loss of sand that has occurred over multiple years and multiple storm events. It also includes further assessment of the Rotunda building, bath houses, restrooms, parking areas, and seawalls.

Public Involvement

JOIN US IN CREATING A RESILIENT FUTURE FOR EASTON'S BEACH

Input from the community is a vital component of the planning process. Please share your valuable insight and feedback with the project team.

Beach Use Survey

The Beach Use Survey closed on April 15, 2025. A summary of public input received will be posted on the project website soon.

Public Workshop

Save the Date: Easton's Beach Public Workshop June 17-19, 2025

The Easton’s Beach Workshop will include multiple events over a 3-day period. There will be many opportunities for members of the public to engage with the project team over the 3 days. Participants can choose which events they would like to attend. You do not need to attend all of the events to participate. Dates and locations of the workshop events will be posted here when available. Stay tuned for details!

The project team will lead site walks and engagement activities with members of the public to develop concepts for the beach. Concepts will be co-developed with stakeholders as a part of the workshop process. The results of the co-design process will be presented to gain feedback from community members before the team dives into more detailed design.

Public Listening Sessions

Public Listening Sessions will be held to gather input from the community on potential designs for Easton's Beach.

Public Listening Session #1

January 30, 2025, 5PM - 7PM at the Newport Public Library

Newport This Week News Article about Public Listening Session #1

Newport City Manager Colin Kennedy speaks at Public Listening Session — Photos from Public Listening Session #1

Crowd of people seated at Public Listening Session — Photos from Public Listening Session #1

Open to the Public, this meeting provided a forum for all to contribute to the conversation about the future of Easton's Beach. The design team was on hand to listen to ideas and concerns, to discuss the design process that brought the City of Newport to this point, and to discuss the scope of this project. The slideshow from the Listening Session is available below.

Public Listening Session #1 Slideshow

What were people talking about at Listening Session #1?

Below is a word cloud showing the words that were mentioned most frequently by members of the public at Listening Session #1. The comments from Listening Session #1 have been recorded and will be combined with responses from the online public survey. A summary of public input received will be posted on the project website once the public survey closes. Check back here later to read the public input summary!