Westchester County is set to spend nearly $55 million rebuilding the Ice Casino at Playland Park in Rye.

The county's Board of Acquisition and Contract has the contract on its Thursday, Sept. 3 agenda for formal award. E.W. Howell Co., a Plainview-based construction firm founded in 1891 and part of the Obayashi Group, submitted the lowest of four bids at $54,968,717.

The board is also set to approve three subcontractors on the project.

The Ice Casino was built in 1929 and spans roughly 25,000 square feet. A third of the building has been closed for three years.

Playland earned National Historic Landmark status in 1987, and the New York Rangers practiced at the rink until 2002.

Three years of decay

Acting Parks Commissioner Peter Tartaglia told the county's Parks and Environment Committee on July 27 that the studio rink, children's rink and food concession inside the Ice Casino have been shuttered for three years. "The building's exterior is falling apart," Tartaglia said at that meeting.

Tartaglia also told the committee that the Parks Department had to conduct an extensive code review. The review took longer than usual because of the historic building's size and the scope of the project.

The project's price tag climbed before it reached the bidding stage. The Parks and Environment Committee unanimously approved a $4 million capital budget amendment in July to cover cost overruns.

Tartaglia attributed about $700,000 of that increase to unforeseen issues: changes to rink dehumidification units, new EPA refrigerant specifications that forced a redesign, and a fire alarm panel replacement.

The remaining $3.3 million was cost escalation.

Rob Lopane, director of park planning for Westchester County Parks, told the July 27 committee that commodity prices have risen sharply over the past five to ten years.

He cited tariffs and the difficulty bidders face projecting material costs on a 28-month construction timeline.

Consultant Rich Joyce identified HVAC, electrical work and plumbing as the biggest cost drivers at the same meeting.

Haunted attraction also on the agenda

The same Sept. 3 board agenda includes a separate Playland item: a license agreement with Dark Attractions, Inc. to operate a Halloween-themed haunted attraction at the park each October through Dec. 31, 2028.

The county will collect $80,000 in fees over the contract term, which begins Sept. 14.

What's next

The project carries a 28-month construction timeline, according to the July committee discussion. No start date has been announced. The $4 million capital budget amendment was referred to the Board of Legislators for final approval after the July committee vote.