Boating is so popular in South Florida that marinas are getting more dense, just like multifamily buildings. With dockage in short supply, boaters often keep their boats stored on top of one another in dry dock facilities, but top concerns are whether slips are big enough, whether facilities are hurricane-proof, and whether boaters can get their boat down without hassle when they want to use it.
Given that demand, a new, high-tech marina is being built with a fully automated drystack — the second of its kind in the nation, its builder says. The project is the F3 Marina, located in Fort Lauderdale’s 17th Street Causeway district.
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The 59K SF marina, located at 1335 SE 16th St. and owned by F3 Marina, would be able to accommodate 240 boats up to 46 feet long and 17 feet high. An automated crane can lift them from the water and stack them in slips.
Miller Construction, the builder, pointed out some of the challenges with the build in an announcement. This crane has to be shipped to the site in 100-foot sections. Overhead power lines must be run underground before a massive, 1,750-ton structural steel frame can be put up. The building will be 130 feet tall, made with hurricane-hardened structural steel, 1,100 precast concrete panels and 26K SF of curtain wall glass.
It is expected to be completed in September 2021. F3 already operates another marina on 16th Street.
"F3 Marina is drawing on advanced technology to lead change in the efficiency and potential growth of drystack marinas," Miller President Brian Sudduth said in a statement. "The automated system is expected to lift and store or retrieve boats in under five minutes, and that’s a breakthrough for the marine industry. We’re building a great looking, efficient structure to help bring that concept to life.”
The architect on the project is RINKA of Milwaukee, the structural engineering firm is Jezerinac Group of West Palm Beach, and the civil engineering firm is Edgewater Resources of Pompano Beach. F3 marina is a division of Founders 3 Real Estate, based in Wisconsin.
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