Exclusive | Heres a preview of the Rockaway Ocean Club after $88M revival of historic bathhouse that sat empty for 54 years

They’re waving hello to a new era.The Rockaway Ocean Club will officially open its doors Saturday — marking the first time the public can enjoy the Jacob Riis Bathhouse in 54 years.The Post was offered a sneak preview of the trendy, new beach house, which is located in the historic, city-owned facility under a contract with a private company that did an $88 million renovation.“It’s not luxury.It’s just very approachable, it’s accessible and it’s fun.

We just want it to be fun and not fussy,” said Ursula Damani, a founding partner of Rock Hospitality, which will operate the club.It will cost members up to $1,700 a year to use all of the new facility — including the restaurant, butterfly garden and swank new pool, which will open next weekend.But the company emphasized that more than half of the facility is free to the public, including various bars and a courtyard with space for lounging and games.“Everybody is welcome.

One of the things that makes Jacob Riis Beach so special is the People’s Beach.The beach is the ultimate democratizer.

It doesn’t matter who you are, or where you come from, or what you have,” said Damani.“We are going to remind New Yorkers that New York City is a beach town.”The Rockaway Ocean Club — which will partially open Aug.15 for a preview season before being fully opened next year — is a project nine years in the making.It sprouted from what Damani called a “very New York” plan to breathe life back into the bathhouse that has sat empty since 1972.The project faced a series of construction delays over the years, including in the final weeks that pushed back the initial July launch.Most of the setbacks centered on the group’s ability to restore the historic aspects of the grounds and, when not possible, rebuild according to strict landmark regulations that require new builds to be “remarkably different” than the original.That has resulted in plenty of quirks throughout the club, like shiny teal t...