Great Neck doles out $35G for study to relieve flooding in village

Great Neck officials have approved a feasibility study that will examine drainage in the eastern part of the village to find potential solutions to a flood-prone area that was heavily damaged last summer during Hurricane Ida.

Village trustees approved the $35,000 study and have retained Melville-based H2M architects + engineers to identify any issues that may cause flooding in the vicinity of Warwick, Plymouth and Chadwick roads.

"The village hopes that we can alleviate the flooding problems in that area," said Deputy Village Clerk Bryan Rivera. "There’s lots of potential options. We just don’t know what the most feasible option is."

The study is expected to take about five months and was approved 5-0 at a Jan. 18 meeting.

The firm performed a preliminary study, which was presented to the public in October, that examined drainage system studies from the early 2000s and offered recommendations. The new study will use data and field surveying to expand on those findings and help make recommendations to the village. In its proposal, H2M identified possible alternatives such as increasing pipe capacity, installing a stormwater pump station and rerouting portions of the existing drainage.

Great Neck resident Wendy Teppel, 71, was among the homeowners whose properties sustained extensive damage from Ida in September.

"In 42 years I’ve never had water in my house except for this storm," said Teppel, whose two-story home was flooded with about 2 to 3 feet of water. She said it will cost her about $140,000 to repair the first floor, including replacing walls and the floors, asbestos remediation and painting, among other repairs.

Teppel, who lives on Warwick Road, said many of her neighbors are repairing their homes as they can afford to. She said she was lucky to have flood insurance, but said other homeowners had to rely on FEMA for assistance.

A portion of the study will examine up to six houses to establish elevation options. If the engineers determine it is feasible for the area, they will include the potential cost.

Grace Zhang, 46, who lives on one of the affected streets, noted that with high repair bills it would be difficult to consider spending more money to raise her home.

"Everybody is so hard hit doing renovations, who has the extra $200,000 to do this?" Zhang said. "I don’t have the money to raise it, I don’t really want to sell it at half price, so I’m stuck."

Her repairs have exceeded $65,000 she said, but she remains optimistic that the study will provide solutions.

"I would like them to have creative solutions for us and have a clear path on how to get there," Zhang said.

H2M is scheduled to meet June 6 with village officials to discuss the findings. A progress report is scheduled for April 11.