After years of tussling with city bureaucracy, the Navy Pier Marina is finally set to drop anchor in the summer of 2025. Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration has given the green light for the marina, a sharp tack from former Mayor Lori Lightfoot's opposition. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that local real estate honcho and sea lover, Randy Podolsky has succeeded in his long-standing battle to bring a marina to Navy Pier's north side.
Podolsky's vision for the 150-vessel marina is now coming to fruition, with a promise to cater to boaters in need of short-term mooring. "This will finally create access to the pier for waterborne visitors," Podolsky told the Chicago Sun-Times. In a move that may please, sail enthusiasts and maritime merrymakers alike, the marina aims to breathe new life into one of Chicago's paramount tourist attractions.
Per a press release on the Navy Pier Marina's website, all essential permits have been secured, allowing construction to begin this year. The marina's facilities are to include concierge-quality service, amenities for power and water hookups, Wi-Fi, and pump-out service, alongside a boater’s amenity facility with restrooms, showers, a lounge, and a ship's store.
"We are very excited to bring this first-ever marina to Navy Pier," said Podolsky, hopeful about shaping a new boating zeitgeist for Chicago, and beyond. The initial conception of the marina by Edgewater Resources includes a high-service model with roughly 6,400 linear feet of mooring space, catering to vast vessel sizes, up to 180 feet in length, with mixed piers catering to both fixed and floating needs. A user-friendly online reservation system for the marina's transient mooring services is also on the horizon.
Founded on the sparkling shores of Lake Michigan, Navy Pier is a 3,300-foot-long expanse of attractions, shops, and eateries. Marilynn Gardner, President and CEO of Navy Pier, anticipates the marina will offer a novel gateway for boaters to experience the lakeside hub's cornucopia of wonders. "The addition of a full-service marina means a whole new way to experience all Navy Pier has to offer," Gardner expressed. The heralded attraction stands on the cusp of an era wherein the waves of Lake Michigan will no longer be a barrier but a passageway for nautical visitors to the Windy City's storied pier.
