Hook Mill Restoration Requires Additional Village Funding

The East Hampton Village Board agreed during a work session on Thursday to pay an additional $9,950 towards the restoration after more damage was discovered to parts of the frame once it was taken apart for repair. The cost of the restoration is hovering around $200,000.

Richard Ward Baxter Restorations is currently repairing the historic mill, which dates to 1806. No work has been done on it since 1930, according to Robert Hefner, the village's historic preservation consultant who is overseeing the project.

Once Baxter got further into the project, damage to the tenons on the southeast and east bays of Hook Mill were discovered. Tenons, or joints, are a piece of wood which are formed specifically to fit into mortises on a windmill.

"It's a combination of rot from moisture and beetles," Hefner told the board when asked what was the cause of damage to the tenons. He said the damage had been shielded from the boards.

"The changes are for additional work as a result of more extensive damaged wood," said Larry Cantwell, the village administrator.

On Nov. 17, Cantwell received a memo from Hefner explaining the importance of the repair and that the quote from Baxter's company. Hefner described the damage to the joints as being especially challenging. "The amount of the change order accurately reflects the work that will be involved in making these particularly difficult repairs." stated Hefner in the memo.

Six months into the project, Hook Mill is currently raised from the ground on a platform while it's being worked on and is without any blades.

While there is no exact date for the restoration to be complete, Hefner said he hopes for early spring.