PRESS RELEASE: LOCAL, COUNTY, STATE AND FEDERAL OFFICIALS GATHER DEDICATE NEW SHARK RIVER HILLS MARINA BUILDING AND FACILITIES
Event Marks Culmination of More Than Three Years of Work and Commitment Following Devastation Caused by Superstorm Sandy
Neptune, New Jersey – Local, county, state and federal officials joined together earlier today, Wednesday, April 27, to dedicate Neptune Township’s Shark River Marina Building and Facilities set to open by May 1, 2016. This extensive project, necessary due to the devastating damage caused by Superstorm Sandy, has been ongoing since November, 2012.
“This is a special day for Neptune Township and for Shark River Hills Marina,” stated Mayor Kevin McMillan. “While the days following Superstorm Sandy were bleak, and the devastation left behind a reminder of the Mother Nature’s strength, we never gave up on our plan to not only rebuild, but to create something even better than what was here before.”
With a cost of $2.8 million, this project has been primarily funded by insurance and FEMA monies, and the balance will be paid from marina user fees. Upon opening, the building and services will be critical components of the future success of the Shark River Municipal Marina. The new building replaces the marina offices, garages, and the building that was across the street that housed bathrooms, a workshop and a former restaurant, that were destroyed by the storm, and provides the same services that previously existed. New construction also incorporates several green elements such as solar panels to generate energy and give back to the grid and special drainage that will allow rainwater to go back into the ground, instead of the storm drainage system.
To help protect assets from future flooding, and allow the building to be used as a Disaster Assistance Center for residents during certain emergencies, the building has been raised to be above the required flood elevation. It also contains a generator, paid for through a FEMA HMGP Grant, to allow for continued communications in the event of an emergency.
The building provides public bathrooms as well as separate facilities for Shark River Municipal Marina customers, is fully ADA compliant, and has an elevator for handicapped access. The new construction is fully code compliant meeting standards established by both the municipality as well as the State of New Jersey. A new generator has also been installed at this facility. Additional parking has been provided along the frontage of the building, allowing for better customer access.
The redesign and reconstruction also incorporates storage to better maintain the site and make it more user friendly. Under the front portion of the building there are areas that are large enough to store large items necessary for the operation of the Marina. In addition there are two (2) garages large enough for boat repairs, increasing opportunities for future use such as leasing, as well as water rescue equipment storage and a workshop for marina maintenance.
“What we celebrate here today is not only the dedication of a new building and facilities, but more importantly the culmination of a project that shows the enormity of what can be accomplished when government works together,” concluded Mayor McMillan.
