The Eagle Bay Welcome Center on the TOBIE Trail is a historically motivated architectural design conceived and detailed in the spirit of the Adirondack tradition.
References include the work of Earl Covey at Big Moose, The Hemmer Cottage in Old Forge, as well as W.W. Durant’s Pine Knot, Uncas and Sagamore Lodges in Raquette Lake, as well as White Pine Camp on Osgood Pond in Paul Smiths, NY.
Eagle Bay Welcome Center.. Linda Contino Lamb, Marie Adams, Mike Ross, Kate Russell, Chris Clemens, Ruth Hawkins, Ted Riehle, Annette Curri, Inlet Supervisor John Frey, Lani Ulrich, Inlet Councilman Tim Brownsell, Dave Winslow, Richard Risley. Photo by Clark Lubbs
On the exterior, natural local materials are utilized and scaled to provide a memorable destination along the TOBIE Trail.
Cut and dressed Van Tassell granite from Fort Anne, NY, is peppered with garnet speckles and black mica flakes.
A steep sloped hip roof line with broad overhangs defends against wind, rain and snow. The two-foot eave overhang moves the drip line away from the exterior walls to mitigate splash-back on the base of the building.
The roofing material is prefinished standing seam metal pans in the local vernacular.
White pine horizontal dark brown “brainstorm” siding, two ornamental art glass lanterns and the twig-work gable focal point invite every visitor toward the south front entry.
Double glazed windows and the entrance door/sidelite are subdivided by muntins that create divided lites scaled to enhance the character of the facility.
The interior finishes are selected to be durable, easily maintainable, timeless and consistent with the architectural theme.
Green natural cleft slate-like wall tile economically reflects stones from the Slate Valley of the Granville, NY region.
Energy efficient LED downlights, triggered by occupancy sensors, illuminate the central space designed for display of brochures, literature, maps of attractions and destinations in the Town of Webb.
Extruded white PVC beadboard ceilings in the men’s and women’s restrooms are impervious to moisture, easily cleaned, and fully resistant to mold/mildew growth.
The floors are concrete, non-slip, wood float-finish stained with a mottled warm “buckskin” brown.
Highly durable, non-absorbent solid surface acrylic window sills with matching sink bowls/countertops were chosen for all horizontal elements.
Similarly, solid phenolic toilet partition privacy stalls are durable, antimicrobial and color coordinated with the natural colors used elsewhere in the building.
All plumbing fixtures are wall-hung on carriers to facilitate floor cleaning in the toilet rooms.
Piping for the plumbing fixtures is fully exposed in the mechanical/electrical room (located between the rest rooms) to allow for easy access, when necessary.
A narrow trench drain is provided in each rest room to assist in wet mopping and periodic hose washing of the rest room floors.
Heating is accomplished with a hot water boiler with a radiant slab that requires no wall mounted terminal units or convectors that occupy precious floor space and could potentially be subject to abuse.
The electrical service is underground with provisions for connection of a portable emergency generator for use in the event of an extended power outage.
This building and site are fully compliant with the New York State Building Construction Code, the Energy Conservation Construction Codes of New York State, as well as the Americans with Disabilities Act.
It is our hope that the Welcome Center will become a notable rest stop for both year round residents and visitors.
A wonderful welcoming place to stop and refresh yourself, grab a fistful of literature, and leave excited to explore the many attractions available in the Town of Webb!
