Stony Brook Mill Will Reopen In Spring Despite Delays

BREWSTER – Construction teams working on the reconstruction of the Stony Brook Mill herring run have been experiencing roadblocks over the last month due to delayed approvals and unexpected discoveries. With the herring run date looming, officials are hoping to grant the public partial access this spring. 

The project, which began in 2020, had two major goals: to reconstruct the failing retaining wall and to design a series of new weirs and adjust the existing ones. In December, the area was temporarily closed with the intention of reopening in the spring. 

Town Manager Peter Lombardi said the site’s historic nature and invaluable landscape for herring migration, plus several different funding sources, have caused complications. 

“For these reasons, securing approvals for various elements of the project have caused some delays in construction,” he said.  

The new weir installation on the north side is scheduled for next month and will hopefully be complete by mid-March. This will allow the site to partially reopen to the public in time for the annual herring run in early April. 

Adjustments to existing weirs will be placed on hold until the fall. 

Work on the retaining wall has been suspended after the excavation company, Speakman Excavating, unearthed a historic weir. According to Lombardi, the team was working to bolster the retaining wall on the south side when the old structure was found. State historic preservation specialists will be visiting the site this week to evaluate the artifact and assess any other historic structures. 

A report with recommendations will follow their visit and determine how construction crews will proceed. If results are in line with officials’ predictions, they hope to resume work in April and complete the retaining wall by June. 

The south side, adjacent to the mill, will have limited public access throughout the spring months. 

“This is a complicated project, so we hope visitors will be patient this spring, recognizing that it represents a major reinvestment in this iconic site for many years to come,” said Lombardi.