Inc. Village of Ocean Beach and D&B Engineers and Architects have recently received state and national recognition for the “Ocean Beach Flood Mitigation and Resiliency” project. The landmark project received a Diamond Engineering Excellence Award (EEA) from the American Council of Engineering Companies New York (ACEC NY) during their 58th annual gala event at the Midtown Hilton on April 5, 2025. On May 20, 2025, the project received a Recognition Engineering Excellence Award (EEA) from ACEC National at their black-tie event.
The Engineering Excellence Awards are an annual celebration of engineering excellence, honoring projects worldwide that demonstrate innovation, creative problem-solving, and engineering’s unique ability to improve our world. The competitions are juried by a panel of industry, government, and academic experts. All projects considered by the national competition must first be entered through one of ACEC’s 51 state and metropolitan Member Organizations.
Steven A. Fangmann, President of D&B Engineers and Architects commented, “As the design engineer and construction manager of the Flood Mitigation and Resiliency project, D&B is proud that the Inc. Village of Ocean Beach’s project was recognized with the Diamond Award for Engineering Excellence in New York State and now the National Recognition Award from ACEC. The project represents professional engineering at the highest level, showcasing environmental, economic, and quality of life benefits to the Ocean Beach community and beyond.”
The Ocean Beach Flood Mitigation and Resiliency Project upgraded the sanitary and stormwater infrastructure within the downtown area of the Village of Ocean Beach. Located on the barrier island of Fire Island, NY, this popular summer vacation community was experiencing severe flooding and groundwater infiltration of both the existing sanitary and stormwater collection systems. Project improvements included the replacement and expansion of the stormwater collection system, partial replacement of the sanitary collection system, new stormwater treatment units, raising of the downtown roadway elevation and construction of a below-grade stormwater pump station to reduce downtown flooding conditions. Given Fire Island’s status as a barrier island accessible primarily by boat, the project faced unique logistical challenges. All construction equipment and materials had to be transported from the mainland via ferry or barge. Plus, the large influx of visitation and tourism during summer months meant all work had to be performed during the nine-month off season. Additionally, the pump station required substantial support of excavation efforts to account for poor soil conditions and excavation depths up to 30-foot deep. Despite these multiple logistical and scheduling challenges, construction was completed on time and on budget in July 2024, bringing a multitude of benefits to residents, business owners and visitors of Ocean Beach.
The elimination of flooding has had positive environmental, economic, and quality of life impacts, increasing home values and enabling business continuity. Previously untreated stormwater runoff is now filtered before discharge into the Great South Bay, and groundwater infiltration into the sanitary sewer system has been eliminated, resulting in additional capacity at the sewage treatment plant. New stormwater treatment units provide water quality improvements through the removal of sediment and pollutants prior to discharge into the bay.
The project was popular among residents and business owners. The downtown no longer floods, and there are fewer mosquitos. The use of the Village’s recreation area as the project staging site had a beneficial outcome, as residents are enjoying new tennis, pickleball and basketball courts. Downtown businesses were improved with reconstructed entrances that were raised to promote drainage, and vegetation at the surface of stormwater treatment units added beautification while removing stormwater pollutants.
About ACEC: The American Council of Engineering Companies is the business voice of America’s engineering industry. It represents nearly 6,000 firms employing more than 600,000 engineers, architects, land surveyors, highly trained specialists, and licensed professionals who design and improve our world. ACEC is a federation consisting of 51 state and regional Member Organizations, advocating for policies at the federal, state, and local level that promote economic growth and improve the quality of life for every American. For more information, visit www.acec.org.
About ACEC New York: ACEC New York is a proactive coalition of almost 300 firms representing every discipline of engineering related to the built environment—civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, environmental, geotechnical—and affiliated companies. Our shared goals are to further the business interests of our membership, enhance the quality and safety of the environment we live and work in, and help ensure the vitality of our communities. For more information, visit www.acecny.org.
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