STAMFORD - The Catskill Mountain Little League (CMLL) has made significant progress with their capital project to construct a new home for the league. Following an unusually dry spring, the league’s field construction contractor Clark Companies, Inc. elected to wait until fall to complete the sod installation over the infield and outfields at the two ball fields outside the village of Stamford. Last week, that process was completed and league officials now anticipate the fields being ready for their opening day on April 27, 2024. The majority of funds for the project are being provided by a special grant from the Robinson Broadhurst Foundation coupled with funding from the Catskill Watershed Corporation Stormwater Program.
However, the League has encountered a funding gap for the completion of the fieldhouse that will house the restrooms, kitchen, concessions area and scorer’s booth.
The fieldhouse project was designed by locally-based LRM Architects and put out for competitive bid last May.
According to CMLL President Bill Abbatine, when the first request for bids received none, the project was scaled back and rebid to request separate costs for only the shell (base price) as well as a finished facility.
“Due to the higher costs of material and some unforeseen expenses, it became clear we would only have enough funds to cover a basic shell that we could improve upon,” said Abbatine.
In July, the CMLL contracted with Delhi based contractor BH Decker Construction to complete the unfinished, watertight building. That project got underway in September and will be completed soon. Abbatine said the league is contemplating completing the facility with donated labor and materials, hoping to get the project over the finish line by next Summer.
To close the funding gap, the league has launched a “buy-a-brick” campaign enabling the community to share in the effort to complete the final phase of construction. For a limited time, brick pavers will be available to purchase with a personalized inscription of choice. The pavers will be laid around the concessions area when the project reaches the finishing stages next year. Bricks can be purchased directly online at www.bricksrus.com/donorsite/cmll or by contacting the CMLL fundraising coordinator Sarah Abbatine at sabbatine34@gmail.com.
