By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

Improvements are coming to the Ocean Pines food and beverage operations, including a new outdoor kitchen at the Yacht Club, a shade structure at the Clubhouse Bar and Grille, and renovations at the Beach Club in Ocean City, officials said last week.

At the Ocean Pines Association’s Board of Directors meeting on Saturday, Oct. 25, the board agreed to proceed with engineering designs for enhancements to the community’s eateries, which are currently operated by restaurant group Touch of Italy (TOI). This preliminary phase will cost the association about $165,000.

The construction work is a multiyear project. Each establishment will receive upgrades to improve the customer experience, with costs split between OPA and TOI.

OPA General Manager John Viola said an outdoor structure — a pizza oven and a grill — will be erected to improve service to the pool and the outside deck that at the Yacht Club.

 Last Saturday, the board unanimously agreed to proceed with obtaining engineering designs from Vista Design for $40,800.

According to Bob Ciprietti, TOI owner, this past summer presented challenges in getting orders to patrons at the facility’s outdoor space, while keeping service quick and the food fresh.

“It was hard to keep the food hot, no matter what we tried. The thought is if we had a really good outside kitchen there, we could create a better experience for everybody and improve not only the food service but the drink service,” Ciprietti said.

Ciprietti’s team will also add tables to the space between the upcoming outdoor kitchen and the existing tiki bar to create “a more intimate setting.”

Viola said an outside shade structure that will offer refreshments to golfers will be built at the Clubhouse Bar and Grille. The staff hopes this will improve the speed of play on the course. The hope is that the golfers won’t have to stop inside to get a drink or a bite to eat. Instead, they will be able to grab some fuel quickly and head immediately back to the links.

The board also approved securing engineering designs for the Clubhouse’s outdoor pavilion from Vista Design for $51,000.

Ciprietti said he hopes the addition will enhance the community’s golfing experience and generate revenue for OPA. A potential menu may include hot dogs, burgers and wraps.

“The big issue is the turn from the ninth to the tenth hole,” he noted. “Usually, golfers want to stop and get something to eat or drink. The faster the speed of play, the faster people play through, the more money the Clubhouse and the Ocean Pines Golf Course make. To do that, we propose putting a pavilion outside where we’ll put a small kitchen so the golfers won’t have to come inside.”

The board approved the expenditure for the Clubhouse design plan, with member Steve Jacobs abstaining.

Jacobs noted that he was “torn” on the Clubhouse work, arguing that he doesn’t “see it as being workable.”

“I understand the goal, to make sure we don’t fall behind on the pace of play and all that stuff at the golf course,” he said. “I’m not convinced that this sort of construction, that is being suggested, is going to substantially increase the pace of play. When this issue was raised several months ago, it really was a factor that there’s insufficient staffing in the kitchen and in the restaurant to meet the need for the golfers.

“And moving something to the outside —if you haven’t addressed that problem, I don’t know how you’re going to address this one…If there were assurance that this would generate more revenue, I would be a lot more convinced, but at best, what we’re talking about is breaking even with what we’ve got now…I don’t see this as being a revenue center.”

However, other board members maintained that this project would provide significant benefits to the community, including additional income.

“My understanding of this is, if you’re coming off the course, you’re going into [the restaurant] whether it’s enough staffing or not,” said Elaine Brady, OPA board member. “To me, it takes a lot more time to get food and beverages coming inside, where there’s also a lot of other people being attended to. If you’re coming around the turn and you’ve got the tiki bar and a quick thing where you can grab something, it would be a revenue generator, I think. Some people probably skip through the course, or they bring their own cooler or whatever, because they want to keep the play going.”

Viola added that a new pavilion would improve the customer experience, which is the community’s primary objective.

“It’s not just about generating revenue,” he said.

The Ocean Pines Beach Club will also undergo improvement work. Ciprietti said that it is a two-year project. The first year will include remodeling the entire first floor, including a new kitchen and bar. During the second year of the initiative, the building will receive a new restaurant on the second floor with a deck overlooking the ocean, which would likely be open for nine to 10 months of the year. The downstairs space will also get a new deck with a tiki bar-style structure.

Furthermore, an elevator will be added to ensure the facility remains compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The OPA board voted to move forward with obtaining basement plans and engineering designs for the Beach Club from Atlantic Planning and Development for $75,000.

Officials maintained that the work at the Beach Club is more than needed.

“So everyone knows, that building, if you have been over there, that building is tired,” said OPA Board President John Latham. “We were going to spend money on it anyway. Having a partner to share those expenses will be nice.”

The cost of the projects at the community’s food and beverage facilities will be divided between OPA and TOI. Viola said that the restaurant group is responsible for the building’s interiors, such as the kitchens and bars, while Ocean Pines is to pay for the structures themselves.

For the work at the Yacht Club, for example, the construction of the outdoor kitchen is the responsibility of OPA. TOI will pay for the equipment.

Viola added that once the architectural and engineering drawings are complete, his team will solicit bids for the actual construction work, and final prices will be made public when available.