By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

(July 2, 2026) The Ocean Pines Beach Club in Ocean City will undergo extensive remodeling this fall, with a focus on creating a welcoming second-floor space by installing a top-story deck, an ADA-compliant elevator, and durable, storm-proof windows.

At the Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors meeting Monday, General Manager John Viola reported on an upcoming project at the OPA-owned Beach Club on 49th Street in Ocean City.

According to Viola, beginning in September, Ocean Pines will begin modernizing the building and optimize its guest experience. The plan is to transform the facility’s top story into an inviting summer hangout spot by revitalizing the largely unusable upstairs space.

Planned renovations include the installation of a second-floor deck and glass railing, an elevator, a remodeled second-floor interior kitchen and bathrooms, accordion doors leading to the new outdoor platform, and hurricane-proof windows.

Additionally, the Beach Club is slated for both interior and exterior demolition work. Crews will reinforce the interior floors, replace and install new pilings, and redo the structure’s first floor deck.

The association is preparing to requests proposals from contractors to undertake the remodeling project. The work will be divided into phases, with construction elements grouped by similarity.

“What’s next at the Beach Club? Well…we are going to replace much of it,” Viola said. “…We are working on that now; we are going to send out bids. We’re going to chunk it out.”

The general manager said that the club’s current decks will be torn down and replaced with a two-tiered porch. The lower platform will be built at the same height as the outdated structure, while the top-story deck will be accessible from the building’s second floor.

The facility’s plumbing will also likely be inspected and improved as needed.

The work’s price tag will be divided between OPA and the Beach Club’s restaurant operator, Touch of Italy. TOI will invest in the upstairs kitchen work, while Ocean Pines will be responsible for the new ADA-compliant elevator.

OPA Board Vice President Rick Farr maintained that installing an elevator is required in conjunction with the upstairs enhancement work, per the Americans with Disabilities Act.

“This is an ADA requirement that we have to have,” Farr said. “That investment is because ADA mandates it, so we have access for those who need that…that is a requirement for us to have.”

The goal of the project is to maintain the Beach Club’s first-floor functionality while creating an upstairs dining space, providing patrons with additional space to socialize and enjoy the summer season.

“I think that upstairs will be pretty amazing,” OPA Board President John Latham said. “I can’t remember the last time it was used other than a storage shed, and if you go upstairs there, it’s an unbelievable view so it will be very, very nice.”

Board Treasurer Monica Rakowski asked for clarity on the proposed timeline. Viola said that the hope is for the renovations to begin as soon as summer ends.