The U.S. Coast Guard awarded a $45 million contract to rebuild storm-damaged waterfront infrastructure at its Sector Jacksonville Annex in Atlantic Beach.

The design-build contract, awarded Aug. 25 to Birmingham, Alabama-based Brasfield & Gorrie, covers a new seawall, a new pier and a flood-hardened building on the Intracoastal Waterway facility. Work is expected to wrap up in early 2029, according to a Coast Guard news release published Sept. 8.

The project will replace aging, storm-damaged infrastructure at the annex.

New pier, seawall and building planned

Crews will demolish the existing pier and install a new one up to 275 feet long. The new pier will berth vessels assigned to the sector, including a 175-foot Keeper-class coastal buoy tender, two 87-foot Island-class patrol boats and a 75-foot inland construction tender.

Workers will also tear out and reconstruct 850 feet of seawall and bulkhead that the Coast Guard said were originally built more than 60 years ago. The site will be regraded to improve drainage and reduce flooding.

Existing shore structures will be demolished and replaced by a two-story, 25,000-square-foot multi-mission building designed to withstand flooding.

Storm relief funds cover cost of work

The federal government is paying for the work with fiscal year 2023 Hurricane Supplemental funds and 2025 Disaster Supplemental funds.

"Investing in Sector Jacksonville Annex strengthens the Coast Guard's ability to respond to missions across Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia," Capt. Jason Aleksak, commander of Sector Jacksonville, said in the release. "These waterfront repairs will replace aging infrastructure, improve storm resilience and provide modern facilities that support our crews, cutters and boats for decades to come."

Sector's reach spans two states' coastline

Sector Jacksonville, part of the Coast Guard's Southeast District, covers 40,000 square miles of ocean and inland waterways stretching from the Crooked River in Georgia to Malabar, Florida. The sector oversees three stations, five cutters, two aids-to-navigation teams and one marine safety unit.

Contractor selected on technical, price merits

Brasfield & Gorrie was selected as the highest technically rated bidder at a fair and reasonable price, according to federal procurement records. No construction start date has been announced.