Stalco Construction and Caradonna Architecture celebrate grand opening of Suffolk County Environmental Center; facility undergoing LEED CS certification

A grand opening ceremony for the Suffolk County Environmental Center at Scully Estate was held recently. John Pavacic, commissioner of Suffolk County Department of Parks, Recreation & Conservation; Enrico Nardone, executive director of Seatuck Environmental Association; Alan Nahmias, president of Stalco Construction, Inc.; and Peter Caradonna, principal of Peter Caradonna Architecture and Planning, P.C., led the festivities, which culminated in the traditional ribbon cutting and performance by students from Sherwood Elementary and Mulligan Intermediate schools. The center is currently undergoing certification for the LEED (CS) Core and Shell, Version 2.1 Gold rating, the second highest environmental responsibility rating for buildings in the U.S. Peter Caradonna Architecture and Planning, P.C. designed the project. Stalco Construction, Inc. served as general contractor. According to Stalco Construction president Alan Nahmias, "Stalco performed the final, $723,000 phase of the $3-million conversion of the Scully Estate into the environmental center that encompassed renovations to the historical Scully Mansion, extensive landscaping, construction of a new access roadway and surface parking for 44 cars, and installation of an on-site water treatment system. The facility incorporates energy efficient lighting fixtures and equipment, a water-saving plumbing system, and a host of post-consumer construction materials. The new roadway is surfaced with crushed, recycled concrete." The center's most innovative green feature is the 1,300-gallon-per-day Nitrex wastewater treatment and disposal system. The on-site treatment option was selected due to the distance to the municipal sewer line and the property's proximity to both the Atlantic Ocean and a protected marsh. The water treatment technology incorporates the initial nitrification, followed by the de-nitrification process in the Nitrex reactor, and then disposal of the treated water into the drain field. Programs The center will offer a variety of programs for children, adults, families, schools and private groups. The programs will vary depending on the season and take advantage of exploration opportunities offered by changing wildlife life cycles and landscapes. Selected current programs include: 1. Preschool children Nature Mobiles ­­- there are many objects in nature that look lovely in a hanging mobile. Children search the woods for materials, and then make their own mobiles to take home. Nature painting - what can we use as a paintbrush? Children try everything from pinecones to feathers to grass, while experimenting with different textures to see what wonderful paintings we can be made with nature's help. Grass Heads - introduction of simple plant concepts by making cute heads that students can take home and watch as the grass "hair" sprouts. Planting Flowers - children make biodegradable planters, plant seeds, and take them home to watch the flowers grow! 2. Families Simply Natural Journaling - you don't have to be a Thoreau to start your own nature journal! We'll show you how to record your observations with simple drawings and straightforward writings, and discuss how journaling can sharpen observational skills and broaden appreciation for nature. Nature Walk - Experience the Environmental Center as never before with Doug Elliott as he leads a walk through the property's woods and wetlands. Doug is one of the nation's leading naturalists and a beloved ambassador for the natural world. His stories, lore and vast knowledge are sure to delight! This program is geared for families with younger children. Nature Tales Concert: Woodslore and Wildwoods - join us as we welcome renowned storyteller and naturalist Doug Elliott for a fun-filled afternoon of stories and lore celebrating animals, plants and people. It's a show that's not to be missed! Two nature walks with Doug will follow on Sunday. Warblers in the Woods - take a journey into the woods in search of warblers and other songbirds. Lori Nicolini will lead this lighthearted family adventure to experience some of these colorful birds stopping at the preserve during their northbound migration. 3. Adults Fitness Walk and Stretch - enjoy nature through a bit of old fashioned exercise! We'll soak in the morning on a fitness walk down to the bay and back and then finish with a group stretch session. Bring a towel and good walking shoes. Critters of the South Shore Estuary - one of Long Island's preeminent marine educators, Professor Lou Siegel of Dowling College, will provide an intriguing glimpse into the South Shore Estuary Reserve and discuss some of the invertebrates, crustaceans and other fascinating critters that call it home. This program is part of the 2010 Novice Naturalist Lecture Series. Wildflower Walk - enjoy the expertise and enthusiasm of Dr. Andrew Greller, professor emeritus of Biology at Queens College, as we search for wildflowers and consider all things botanical. Nature Photography Workshop - Diane Abel of the Nature & Wildlife Photographers of Long Island will lead this introduction to nature photography. We'll start with an indoor overview of the basics and then head out into the field to get some hands-on experience. Participants should bring their own cameras. Seatuck Environmental Association The Seatuck Environmental Association is a not-for-profit, member-supported, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting the conservation of Long Island's wildlife and environment, through education, research and advocacy. The history of Seatuck dates back to 1968, when Natalie Peters Webster donated her 200-acre family estate in Islip to the federal government for the creation of an "inviolate sanctuary" for birds and other wildlife. The property, which contained extensive salt marsh and grassland habitat, was eventually established as a National Wildlife Refuge under the management of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Mrs. Webster and her husband Charles Webster who continued to live at the refuge, and immediately began funding scientific research on the property, particularly on the conservation and management of suburban wildlife. The research program was formalized in 1979, with the creation of the Seatuck Research Program (SRP), a partnership between the Peters' family trusts, FWS and the Cornell University Lab of Ornithology. The SRP went on to conduct PhD-level research on a host of subjects, including colonial nesting birds, salt marsh management, deer and raccoon populations and Lyme Disease. The group eventually came to be regarded as "Long Island's natural resources think tank." When the Cornell Lab of Ornithology announced in 1989 that it could no longer participate in the partnership, Webster and others founded the Seatuck Environmental Association to establish a new administrative framework for continued research. The new organization also branched into environmental education and policy work. In 2002, Seatuck began working with Suffolk County to establish a nature center at the neighboring Scully Sanctuary. The organization moved to Scully in the Spring of 2007. Shown (from left) are: Peter Caradonna of Caradonna Architecture; executive director of North Shore-LIJ Southside Hospital Winnie Mack; National Grid director of community relations and economic development Dominic Abbatiello; New York state senators Owen Johnson and Brian Foley; former Suffolk County legislator Cameron Alden; Seatuck Environmental Association executive director Enrico Nardone; New York state assemblywoman Ginny Fields; president of Seatuck Environmental Association Board of Trustees Richard Dahab; Stalco Construction president Alan Nahmias and project manager Joseph Serpe; Suffolk County treasurer Angie Carpenter; Stalco superintendent Robert Honor; and Suffolk County Department of Parks, Recreation & Conservation commissioner John Pavacic.