Bellingham Marine to begin next phase of Marina del Rey Marina rebuild

MARINA DEL REY — Phase four of a seven-phased rebuild of Marina del Rey Marina is set to begin this month, according to Bellingham Marine. Construction for this phase is scheduled to continue through May 2019, according to a blog posted by Bellingham Marine staff.

Bellingham Marine expects to complete the fifth, sixth and seventh phases of the marina rebuild within the next two to three years. Most of the remaining work, according to the builder, is on the marina’s south side.

The project’s third phase was completed in May.

“The marina wraps around a peninsula that extends into the main channel. In phase one and phase two, Bellingham worked on the north side of the peninsula, removing the old docks and installing 61 new slips ranging from 35 to 50 feet in length,” Bellingham Marine staff stated about the earlier phases.

Marina del Rey Marina was expanded out into the main channel with the most recent phase, with 48 new slips (ranging from 40 to 70 feet) added. The new infrastructure includes ne end-tie.

“They put slips in where there had never been slips before,” Eric Noegel, senior manager of project development, Bellingham Marine, said. “It took a decade to get approval for this; they had to go through a special permitting process with the Army Corps of Engineers and the county.”

Phase four will continue with channel slip construction. Bellingham Marine staff stated all in-water work must be completed between September of the current year and April of the following year.

The renovated Marina del Rey Marina is the first Bellingham Marine project to feature fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) thru-rods and walers.

“This was the first marina in the U.S. to be completely outfitted with these composite material components, which require less maintenance and enjoy a longer service life. The FRP materials are completely preservative free, which makes them a good choice for areas subject to bans on use of treated wood,” Bellingham Marine staff stated.

Marina del Rey Marina is located at 13524 Bali Way. On-site features include carry down walkways, a convenience store, day use or picnic areas, electricity on dock, gear lockers, laundry, lodging, restaurant, restrooms, showers, snack bar, swimming area and transient berths/tie-ups.

Los Angeles County and the California Coastal Commission authorized Bellingham Marine to demolish a 46-year-old, 349-slip anchorage and replace it with a new 277-slip anchorage.

“The docks … are in fair to poor condition and could present a safety hazard to patrons and a potential liability to [L.A. County’s] Department [of Beaches and Harbors],” a 2011 Coastal Commission staff report stated about the condition of Marina del Rey Marina, prior to construction. “A considerable number of repairs have been made to all portions of these docks over the years. Many of the components, as well as the main walkways, are beyond structural correction. The primary areas of concern are uneven flotation, unstable fingers, deteriorating finger/walkway connections, and delaminating decks.”