As Florida cities grapple with how to protect their waterfronts from storms without resorting to massive seawalls, a solution adopted by Fort Pierce provides a guide.
After the city’s marina was destroyed in 2004 by Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne, leaders didn’t want to rebuild just to see it destroyed in the next storm. Their solution: A wave barrier of a dozen artificial islands, T-head rock groins and sand-filled tubes all made to resemble nature and protect the city waterfront, including the marina. It took until 2010 to get U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approval and another four years to complete the project. Along with storm protection, the project made for clearer water than pre-storms, a new and growing 1.42-acre oyster habitat, mangroves, new shorebird nesting habitat hosting protected species on 4.5 acres of coastal dune, six acres of artificial reef home to four stony coral species instead of the previous bulkhead, and an influx of fish now making for a recreational fishing spot, according to a 2022 report from project contractor Tetra Tech. Seagrass beds grew to nearly 29 acres from eight.
“When it comes to the environment, it’s been a home run,” says Dean Kubitschek, manager of the 137-slip marina. The islands cost $18 million of the total project cost of $28.3 million, which was paid for with a combination of insurance and state, federal and local funding, says deputy city manager Jack Andrews. The project has won awards and recognition from groups like the American Society of Civil Engineers and the National Association of Environmental Professionals.
Florida’s Top Consolidator
Clearwater-based boat and yacht retailer MarineMax in 2023 more than doubled its marina revenue and fattened its margins by paying $480 million for Island Global Yachting and its collection of 23 high-margin, luxury marinas in Europe, the Americas and the Caribbean. MarineMax reports it owns 66 marinas and storage facilities. The founder and seller of IGY, Andrew Farkas of New York-based Island Capital Group, in July asked MarineMax shareholders to pressure its board to sell IGY back to him along with other MarineMax yachting and marina-related services businesses. He says MarineMax treats IGY as an “afterthought” and that marina competitors have raised money and bought marinas while MarineMax hasn’t added any. The company responded it would act in shareholders’ best interest.