Florida Construction News staff writer
The City of Clearwater is expected to seek construction bids and finalize costs for a major rebuild of the marina early this year.
In a presentation to council in November, Nicole Pauly, a marine structural engineer with Moffatt and Nichol, said a general contractor has been selected and will open the sub-contracting bid process in January.
The project was launched in 2021 with an estimated cost of $18 million, however, inflation and increased construction prices along with an additional project to rebuild the 70-year-old seawall, have pushed the cost to about $34 million.
The group expects to commence construction in May or June and construction will happen in two phases, starting with the west side.
Work will raise the seawall, docks for commercial boats and gangway access platforms. Slips for recreation and transient boaters replaced with floating docks.
Improvements will connect the marina with the BeachWalk promenade, and the project was designed by Tampa-based Moffatt & Nichol, structural engineers.
The engineering team has applied for funding through the Pinellas County Tourism Development Council and a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s Sportfish Restoration Program, which was created to support fishery conservation and outdoor recreational projects.
Both funding requests are under review.
City council placed the beach marina parking garage into the second-tier priority category for capital projects and investments through 2030.
I’d like to see this complex completely and utterly downsize, if not obliterate the vacant storefronts owned by thevScietologists who profited from buying up beautiful historic in some cases storefronts.. They have contributed NOTHING to this beautiful seaside city.
They should be moved out to large areas inland where they can practice their beliefs and have their own buildings permitted in the acres allowed them for purchase.