The aging Clearwater Beach Marina will officially get its long-awaited makeover.
The city council unanimously approved on Monday to move forward with the over $43.5 million replacement plan.
The council approved the cost in June but needed a second vote to approve an $18 million loan from the city's capital projects fund.
Councilman Ryan Cotton said although it's not cheap, rebuilding the aging marina is much needed.
"Overall, looking at the plans, seeing what is their and what the potential and future holds, I'm optimistic," Cotton said. "I would think that it will boost our economy. But until we see the end result, it's just hopes and dreams at this point."
In November, Michael MacDonald, Clearwater's director of marine and aviation, said all of the marina's pilings and decking need to be replaced.
MacDonald said the renovation is part of an effort to address sea level rise, as the sea wall will be raised 18 inches.
"Currently, when we have extreme high tides, it goes over the commercial docking and will interrupt the power," MacDonald said in November, "so we have to shut that off during extreme high tides when the water gets to a certain level."
Construction is expected to begin in October, according to the Tampa Bay Times. The goal is to finish the rebuild in May 2026.
Cotton is urging residents and tourists to stay patient.
"Trust me, I understand the irritation and how time slows down when there's a construction site," Cotton said. "But I think with that time, and then once it's completed, it will almost be, 'Oh, man, that didn't seem too long,' once it's there."
He added that the construction will happen in three phases, closing off only one section of the marina at a time.
Michael MacDonald, Clearwater's director of marine and aviation, said the marina has been updated here and there since it was built in the 1960s. But it has never had a complete renovation.
MacDonald said the pilings and decking need to be replaced, and everything else needs updating.
For instance, the sea wall will be raised 18 inches. MacDonald said that's to deal with mounting problems caused by sea level rise.
"Currently, when we have extreme high tides, it goes over the commercial docking and will interrupt the power," MacDonald said, "so we have to shut that off during extreme high tides when the water gets to a certain level."
MacDonald says the marina is very popular with tourists looking to fish, parasail or take a sight-seeing tour.
WUSF staff writer Craig Kopp contributed to this report.
