Construction begins on Ushers Ferry lodge

A new $1.2 million lodge at Ushers Ferry Historic Village is expected to open in September.

Construction of the 7,250-square-foot facility began this week with a deadline of Aug. 31 set by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is providing funding in connection with the impact of the 2008 flood.

The lodge is one of the city's last flood recovery projects at Ushers Ferry. Eighteen FEMA project worksheets from 34 buildings damaged by the flood were combined to transform Ushers Ferry into a four-season, Americans with Disabilities Act accessible park facility.

Sven Leff, Parks and Recreation director, said his agency eagerly has been awaiting the start of lodge construction.

'The 2008 flood reshaped the village forever,” Leff said. 'Now we get to make positive changes and guide the future of the village as it grows again.”

The lodge will be used for programming in conjunction with the village and for general recreation purposes, helping to meet a deficiency of indoor programming space identified in the Parks and Recreation master plan.

It also will be available to be used for special events at Ushers Ferry and Seminole Valley Park and can be rented by the public.

The lodge will include a reception hall that can accommodate 300 people and a full catering kitchen.

It also will feature a fireplace that can be accessed from the indoor reception area and outdoor partially covered patio area along with a fire pit.

Garling Construction is the contractor for the project.