Crews at Gulfport Municipal Marina are set to begin demolishing and rebuilding the storm-battered south basin, nearly two years after Hurricane Helene tore through the docks and displaced dozens of boats. The City of Gulfport has now received the necessary permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to repair the southern basin, clearing the way for the long-awaited construction to begin.
The planned work comes almost two years after Helene's storm surge devastated the marina, according to Tampa Bay 28. During the September 26, 2024 storm, surge from Boca Ciega Bay reached five to six feet in Gulfport, submerging electrical pedestals and leaving the marina's fuel service down, while severely damaging and condemning the Marina Pier and Casino Pier, according to the St. Pete Catalyst. In the storm's immediate aftermath, efforts began to remove 13 beached, wrecked, or partially submerged vessels scattered across the shorefront and public parking areas.
Marina Director Denis Frain said crews are ready to drive pilings and start bringing boaters back to the marina, per the Tampa Bay 28 report. The south basin's closure displaced 56 vessels in total, with the marina accommodating about half of them in dry storage.
Years of Permitting Delays Before the First Piling
The gap between the storm and the planned construction followed a lengthy bureaucratic process involving environmental reviews with the Army Corps of Engineers, permitting, FEMA public assistance funding, and insurance processes, according to The Gabber Newspaper. Local boaters and business owners near the waterfront had expressed frustration over the prolonged timeline.
Frain said in May that demolition of the Casino dock was being discussed while the city prepared to award the bid, the same outlet reported. The contractor would have 180 days to complete the work, the same outlet reported. It remains unclear exactly when within that 180-day window the south basin will be fully finished, and whether the new docks will incorporate heightened elevation or other resilient shoreline features designed to withstand future storm surge.
Brewery Owner Feels the Squeeze From Empty Slips
Joseph Ferlise, who works at Gulfport Brewery, said the marina's recovery is a sign of progress but that recovery is still needed around Gulfport, per Tampa Bay 28. He said progress at the marina is moving in the right direction, even as the brewery has experienced business changes while the south basin has sat closed.
Boaters use the marina to take their families fishing and boating, and many of them travel in from Tampa, Hillsborough County, and Clearwater. Ferlise said boat traffic used to be an important part of the brewery's clientele, since those visiting boaters often stop at nearby restaurants and spend money in the area. He hopes familiar faces will return once the south basin fully reopens, and he said Gulfport should provide boat parking for local boaters in the meantime.
A Waterfront Still Piecing Itself Back Together
The marina sits at the center of a broader, multi-year recovery for Gulfport's waterfront district. Nearby Hurricane Eddie's reopened in March after a 16-month closure and full interior rebuild caused by flooding from Helene and Hurricane Milton, as Hoodline previously reported. The historic Gulfport Casino Ballroom is another part of the waterfront's ongoing recovery.
The regional toll from Helene remains staggering. More than 1,800 businesses across Pinellas and Hillsborough counties reported physical property damage after the storm, accumulating nearly $200 million in commercial losses. Against that backdrop, the prospect of crews driving pilings into Gulfport's south basin marks a small but tangible step in a recovery that has stretched across two hurricane seasons.
The Gulfport Municipal Marina normally spans roughly 11 acres of land and 7.5 acres of water on Boca Ciega Bay, with 192 public wet slips, 25 dry storage spaces, two fueling stations, a ship store, and a public boat ramp. The city also manages an offshore mooring field with 25 spots in the bay, and officials have discussed expanding that capacity to between 75 and 100 moorings.
