The City of Stuart in Florida will begin work on its courtesy dock on 6 July 2026, with plans to expand public boating space and improve resistance to storm conditions along the downtown waterfront.

City of Stuart

The existing 5,533sqft (514sqm) floating dock and supporting pilings will be replaced with a redesigned marina-style layout. The new structure will include a 7,590sqft (705sqm) fixed dock, a 1,400sqft (130sqm) concrete floating dock and a 300sqft (28qm) floating vessel platform.

Once completed, the facility will provide 44 boat slips, an increase of 26 slips from the current setup. The expanded facility is expected to improve access for both motorised and non-motorised vessels and accommodate growing demand along Stuart’s waterfront.

Public works director Milton Leggett said: “With the floating dock, every year storms and wave action damage the finger piers. The fixed dock never had any damage, so we have decided to go with a fixed dock which has been more durable and will minimise long-term costs.”

The project is valued at approximately $3 million USD, with $1,150,000 provided through a Florida Inland Navigation District grant and additional support from Transportation Impact Fee funding.

Cummins Cederberg, Inc. handles the project’s engineering work, while Custom Built Marine Construction, Inc. serves as the construction contractor. The work is expected to be completed ahead of the next peak season.