At Jacob Riis ‘People’s Beach,’ Pushback Grows as Iconic Bathhouse Turns Into Ritzy Clubhouse

The Jacob Riis Bathhouse in the Rockaways, a historic public space, faces delays in its transformation into the Rockaway Ocean Club, a private beach club with costly membership fees. Grassroots groups like the Riis Beach Bloc Association have boycotted the project, criticizing the privatization of the once-public 'People’s Beach' and its impact on community access.