City approves next 3 phases of St. Andrews Marina restoration. Here's what's planned
PANAMA CITY — Almost four years after the St. Andrews Marina was severely damaged by Hurricane Michael, city officials on Tuesday approved the latest master plan and design work.
The City Commission approved the middle three phases of the five-phase plan to rebuild the marina, coming in at a combined $984,500. The architectural and engineering services are being done by Moffatt & Nichols.
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The three phases approved Tuesday:
Phase 2 — Replacement of the fixed and floating docks
Phase 3 — Revitalization of the Bayview Avenue boardwalk
Phase 4 — Revitalization of the L-pier upland facilities
Phase 1 covers ongoing repairs to the bulkhead and utilities. The project was approved by commissioners earlier this year with repairs starting soon after.
City Manager Mark McQueen said the bulkhead and utilities work is setting the stage for what's to come.
"You have to shore that up before you can start attaching the wet slips. ... In the new bulkheads is new water lines, new sewer lines, new power lines, new irrigation systems, all of that kind of stuff," McQueen said. "While we're tearing this all up, let's go ahead and put new lines in there, so we don't have to tear up our marina again in the future."
The rest of the phases will continue to restore and revitalize the marina. Phase 2 is fully funded by FEMA and will restore the marina to the same configuration as it was before Michael.
Phase 3 is completely “visionary,” McQueen said.
"There's been a lot of discussion through the charrette process, the visioning process, and the neighborhood plans that have talked about the walkability and creating a boardwalk adjacent to Bayview that goes around Uncle Ernie's and the Shrimp Boat and goes back to Beck Avenue," McQueen said.
Phase 4 will add green space and gathering areas on the pier for people to sit, hold events and watch the sunsets.
Phase 5 will expand the marina and turn it into an F configuration from its current L shape. This phase will cost about $3 million but officials said they are not ready to move forward on it yet.
This expansion also will open the door for cruise ships to dock at the marina. McQueen said the city was in talks with Viking Cruise Line to dock in the city until the pandemic tabled the discussion.
Commissioner Josh Street said he was supportive of all five phases of marina work and wants to look at what the additional dock space can offer the community.
"I'm not saying there should be a cruise ship at St. Andrews but there's a lot of other things that it opened up ... water taxis, things that had been in our master planning before, as well as additional slips," Street said.
After Tuesday's approval, McQueen said city officials will give tasks orders to the engineering firms to draw up designs and give construction orders by the end of the year.
As crews continue work on the marina, officials said it will remain open to the public.
McQueen added that officials are committed to having a working marina that will cater to the St. Andrews community and doubling the size of it.
"I think this is great news for our community ... that we're not just building back as was ... we're building back for the future," McQueen said.
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: St. Andrews Marina rebuild phases approved by Panama City
