October 8, 2021 | From City of New Orleans
MAYOR CANTRELL CELEBRATES COMPLETION OF $26.8M MUNICIPAL YACHT HARBOR PROJECT; STATE-OF-THE-ART MARINA CONSTRUCTED TO RISE WITH TIDE
NEW ORLEANS — Today, Mayor LaToya Cantrell was joined by District A City Councilmember Joseph I. Giarrusso III, other local and state officials, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Municipal Yacht Harbor Management Corporation (MYHMC) staff and Commissioners, and community members to celebrate the completion of a restoration project to restore the yacht harbor and build a new, state-of-the-art floating dock marina.
“We continue to meet our residents where they are, and particularly those that utilize this special place everyday, ”said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “We are excited about these huge improvements that are a true reflection of the additional investments made to restore our most critical infrastructure with the necessary hazard mitigations measures in place to keep residents safe. This is a true indication that we are not just talking about getting things done, we are delivering!”
“The lakefront is a wonderful community asset," said Councilmember Joseph I. Giarrusso III. "I'm pleased to see all of the work completed at the Harbor and what we can do next in redeveloping West End."
“The completion of the Municipal Yacht Harbor facility, funded by FEMA, highlights the important of building back better in all post-storm recovery efforts,” said New Orleans Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Director Collin Arnold. “In coordination with our state and federal partners, we’ve made this facility into one of the finest marinas in the country and one that will be more resilient in the face of future storms.”
“Today, we celebrate the completion of the $25M Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)-funded state-of-the-art floating docks marina,” said Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Infrastructure Ramsey Green. “This facility was able to withstand the impacts from Hurricane Ida, underscoring its intended design and ability to rise with the tide during major storm events and protect the boats in the marina. I am grateful to Capital Projects Administration (CPA) Director Vincent Smith for his leadership, CPA Project Manager Julio “Miguel” Viteri for heading this complex, critical project and to FEMA for making this federal investment in our community.”
“The Municipal Yacht Harbor Board is happy to celebrate the opening of the new marina and all it brings to the New Orleans area,” said Municipal Yacht Harbor Management Corporation Commissioner Ashlyn Graves.
Repairs and restoration of the marina were necessary due to the severe damage sustained during Hurricane Katrina. FEMA originally awarded the City $10 million to repair and restore to pre-Katrina conditions. However, the City negotiated with FEMA overtime and demonstrated the need for additional funding, and ultimately increased the appropriation to $25 million. This increase allowed the City to construct a new, state-of-the-art floating dock marina that rises with the tide during major weather events, which better protects boats docked in the harbor.
The total cost of the restoration project is $26.8 million, which includes City municipal bonds, and Municipal Yacht Harbor funding and FEMA dollars. The project team consists of Architect/Engineer Moffatt & Nichol and Contractor TKTMJ Inc, managed by the City of New Orleans Capital Projects Administration. The harbor and marina restoration includes a new, 455 boat slip capacity, Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant (ADA) accessible floating dock harbor, life safety equipment and fire suspension system, and an elevated, two-story restroom with accessible parking.
In October 2019, Mayor Cantrell broke ground on a nearby $5 million Breakwater Drive Improvements Project near the Lakefront. This includes repairs to the roadway, installing ADA- compliant curb ramps at intersections, adding riprap rocks and retaining wall on both the north and west berms, rehabilitating the parking areas along Breakwater Drive, and rehabilitating the boat launch area and parking lot. This project is estimated to be competed in 2022 and is part of a total capital projects investment in City Council District A of approximately $73 million.
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