Bellingham Marine has completed a redevelopment project at Neptune Marina; marking a project built for the future of local boaters and guests while maintaining the character of the historic waterfront for generations to come.
Neptune Marina, Marina Del Rey, CA
Bellingham Marine has just completed a redevelopment project at Neptune Marina, located on the coast of Southern California in Marina Del Rey. The harbor is known as America’s largest man-made small craft port and is home to over 4,600 boat slips in 22 separate anchorages. Neptune Marina is owned by Greystar Real Estate Partners and accompanies a brand new 526-unit waterfront apartment community situated in Basin B of the harbor. The marina provides boat slips for the connecting apartments as well as transient slips on behalf of Los Angeles County, providing public access to the adjacent hotel.
The Neptune Marina design and rebuild project began in 2015 and through an arduous permitting process was completed in a single phase in 2020. The project replaced an aging marina system composed of concrete piles and wooden docks with a state-of-the-art floating concrete dock system. The new Bellingham Marine infrastructure features prestressed concrete guide piles, timber walers, fiberglass thru-rods and rounded finger ends. The walers are capped with a protective composite deck that seamlessly transitions to planking at adjacent triangle frames for an integrated, modern look.
Marina del Rey Marina has just completed a landmark, six-year rebuild, consisting of seven phases including the newest technology in dock construction today.
Marina del Rey Marina located in Marina Del Rey, California.
This brand new marina is situated adjacent to the recently renovated historic Marina Del Rey Hotel and wraps around the peninsula ultimately flowing directly into the main channel. Located just four miles west of the Los Angeles International Airport sits Marina del Rey Harbor, America’s largest man-made harbor, home to nearly 5,000 boat slips in 22 separate anchorages. The harbor is known for attracting visitors who enjoy a variety of restaurants, retail, biking and walking paths as well as other shore-side attractions and water-based activities such as paddle boarding, kayaking, boating, marine birdwatching and more.
The Marina del Rey Marina rebuild and design project began in 2014 and was completed in a series of seven stages. The project’s phasing was lengthened over six years due to lengthy permitting processes and restrictions. The driving of in-water piles which can only be installed from September to April extended the project’s timeline during planning and construction. The final phase was completed in May of 2020.
Though the marina is privately owned and operated, authorization from Los Angeles County, California Coastal Commission, and the Army Corp of Engineer’s was necessary to rebuild the 46-year old marina. The original design included 349 slips, while the renovated marina now totals at 277 slips with thirteen end ties ranging from 35 feet to 65 lineal feet.
The Bellingham Marine docks, used in the marina renovation, feature the latest in floating dock technology and marina amenities utilizing the first-ever US application of Fiberglass Reinforced Polymeric (FRP) Waler and Thru-Rod Technology. The research and development of this product was advanced through common challenges faced when building in an aquatic environment taking into consideration factors such as decomposition and concerns over environmental impacts. FRP Walers provide a product with a virtually unlimited design life, further enhancing the longevity associated with the construction of concrete floating docks.
A new hot spot for tourists, boaters and local residents opened on Lake Macquarie. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held April 18th, marking the completion of phase 1 and the opening of the marina.
Johnson Property Group and key supporters celebrate grand opening of Trinity Point Marina. A luxury boating facility design and built by renowned dock builder Bellingham Marine.
Trinity Point, NSW, Australia – 17 May 2019 – April 18th was a significant milestone for Johnson Property Group and Managing Director, Keith Johnson. Mr. Johnson first began planning Trinity Point in 1999. His vision – a luxury resort destination/residential lakeside development. The development would place Lake Macquarie on the map as favorite spot for locals and travelers alike.
“It’s been a long and challenging journey but worth it,” shared Johnson. “The opening of the marina is a big step forward in the $388 million overall project.”
Former Lake Macquarie Mayor and Local MP, Greg Piper attended the grand opening. Piper echoed the crowds’ comments, “I have to say, everything out here is first class.”
For those seeking best in class marina facilities, look no further than Trinity Point. The marina is a showcase of modern marina construction and environmental responsibility. It also exemplifies the live /play lifestyle younger generations find appealing.
Johnson hired, international marina builder, Bellingham Marine to help with detail design and construction. “It was critical we did the marina right,” said Johnson. “It was a major key to what we aimed to achieve. It had to be something special.”
Learn the secrets to replace your docks on a tight budget without sacrificing quality or style.
Take a tip from Santa Barbara Harbor. Enlist Bellingham early in your marina construction process and get the marina you want with your limited funds.
For Santa Barbara Harbor rebuilding 500 of their slips without imposing large rate increases seemed impossible. Set to find a way, the Harbor enlisted the help of top marina builder, Bellingham Marine. Together the two set out to achieve the impossible.
With an open mind and a willingness to invest time in the process, you too can rebuild your tired marina without breaking your budget.
Follow these 3 marina renovation tips and discover how.
1. DON’T HOLD BACK ON THE PLANNING PHASE
The tighter the budget the more valuable the planning phase. Get a good understanding of the big picture. Then, sit down with your marina builder and begin to construct a plan that will take you from point A to point B.
Planning Phase Focus
The planning phase should include more than design and material choice. Identify and define these key items:
- Business goals
- Market demand
- Site conditions (including limitations)
- Sticking points (what are you not willing to compromise on)
- Budgetary constraints
- Funding sources
This important step will give you the lens you need to make critical decisions going forward. Everything should point back to your business goals and market demand.
Your site’s conditions – water depth, wave environment, boundaries, entrance channels and your sticking points will guide you toward what’s possible.
Armed with the above information and your ideas on dock type and amenities, your marina builder will be able to identify your options.
Your options package should include:
- A range of approaches including phased construction options
- Permitting requirements and possible workarounds
- Possible system trade-offs
- Optional features and amenities (upgrades and downgrades)
- Future add-ons
A marina builder worth their weight in gold will know what trade-offs can occur within your project. The goal? A solution that is a best fit for your business, your budget and your customers.
Whether you are an investor, developer, owner, operator or just someone interested in the industry, this is one marina development FAQ you won’t want to miss. The pros at Bellingham Marine (and a few of the company’s trusted engineers) tackle owners’ top 12 challenging site questions.
A design/build, single source approach to marina development is often the best way to keep project costs down and meet tight deadlines.
Topics Covered
- Extending existing docks
- Mitigating wave from boat traffic
- Building for high density
- Building and operating in freezing temperatures
- Building in tropical, high-salinity environments
- Rebuilding on a tight budget
- Placement and design, launch docks for human-powered craft
- Options for meeting grating requirements and bans on treated wood
- Building for mixed-use
- Dock that will ground out at low tide
- Dealing with debris on rivers
- Extending pile height
If you don’t find the answers to your question, contact us. Every site is unique and comes with its own questions. We love to talk about marina design and would love the opportunity to talk with you about any questions you have.