Adventure-seekers will soon have a new spot to play in northern Westchester.
Construction work is ramping up at the Charles Point Marina, a multipurpose attraction on an 11-acre site at 5 John Walsh Blvd. along the Peekskill riverfront.
The $5 million to $6.5 million development will transform the 45,000-square-foot main marina building into a dining and event space on the second floor and an entertainment complex on the ground floor that is partially leased by the National Maritime Historical Society.
The project is led by Diamond Properties co-owner William Diamond, who signed a 50-year lease for the property with the Peekskill Industrial Development Agency in 2014, Peekskill restaurateurs Louis Lanza and John Sharp and Captain Lawrence Brewery founder Scott Vaccaro.
Furthest along in its development phase is Spins Hudson, a 40,000-square-foot entertainment center set to open later this month.
Diamond, owner and operator of Spins Bowl Entertainment Group and Grand Prix New York in Mount Kisco, said that family-friendly, multipurpose centers are what many communities are looking for.
The focal point of the entertainment center is a sprawling four-level, indoor and outdoor aerial ropes course, which includes more than 70 “elements,” from monkey bars and zip lines to balance beams. Other obstacles challenge visitors to maneuver a bicycle or surfboard between platforms or hop across anchor-shaped footholds.
The ropes course can accommodate up to 35 people at any given time, according to the center”™s manager Alex Zabawski. Lower floors are aimed at children aged 7 and up, while the upper floors are designed for the older crowd and offer views of the Hudson River.
Ninety-minute sessions start at $8 for children and $29 for those 12 years and older during off-peak hours.
“An hour flies by when you”™re up here,” said Zabawski.
The event center will also feature a Captain Lawrence brewery and bar, an outpost of the Elmsford-based beer company. The downstairs level will also house a smaller kitchen and dining area set to open this fall.
But don”™t think about grabbing a drink before heading to the ropes course. Zabawski said employees will keep a Breathalyzer on hand to prevent any tipsy daredevils from taking part.
A 5,000-square-foot laser tag area, complete with “loud, energetic” music, glowing towers and a fog machine is also within Spins Hudson. Up to 32 players per game will be able to test their skills within the two-story area.
“This second floor definitely ups the ante,” Zabawski said.
Spins Bowl operates other entertainment centers Poughkeepsie, Wappingers Falls and Carmel. Spins Hudson, however, will have one key difference from the company”™s other locations across the state: there is no bowling at Charles Point. Instead, visitors can play either bocce or shuffleboard near retractable window-paneled doors. There will also be a 50-game arcade and prize redemption center.
The entertainment complex has made quick progress since receiving the go-ahead from Albany in September that added the site to a list of properties exempt from a law restricting manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers from sharing interest in a liquor license.
Also in the main marina building, construction is underway on the Factoria at Charles Point, a 14,000-square-foot restaurant, catering facility and event space on the top floor. Set for an opening later this summer, the eatery will feature two full-service bars and outdoor seating.
Lanza, a partner in Hudson Hospitality Group, a holding company that owns Hudson Room, Taco Dive Bar and Buns-n-Bourbon in Peekskill, is driving that venue”™s development along with Sharp, who co-owns the downtown bars and eateries Birdsall House and Gleason”™s.
