Another contractor means possibly another year for Coquina Beach improvements and construction.
Administered by Manatee County, the Coquina Beach Drainage Improvements project, which began in April 2019, hit a setback that could delay its conclusion until next year.
The renovation, with a budget of $5 million, is funded with tourist development tax dollars and includes covering access roads and parking areas in the south parking lots with pervious concrete. The improvements are intended to aid the drainage and filtering of stormwater runoff from the parking area into the surrounding waters.
Bill Logan, information outreach manager for county government, told The Islander via email that the former contractor, American Pipeline of Miami, went out of business, which meant the county needed to begin a new contract process.
As of March 24, there has been a selection of a “construction manager at risk,” according to Logan. A CMAR acts as a consultant to the county in the development and design phases, but also as a general contractor during the construction phase.
Agreements with the company are being written and must go before the Manatee Board of County Commissioners before the process can move forward.
The setbacks push the previous December completion date into 2023.
Logan stated in his email, “It is expected that that approval will come within the next month to six weeks and, when that happens, then the build out should be done by the start of the next high (tourist) season.”
Parking spaces are still available along the finished sections of the parking lot from the Coquina Beach Cafe, 2650 Gulf Drive S., to lifeguard tower No. 6.
There also is parking in the southernmost section of the Coquina parking lot near Longboat Pass.
People seeking more information can view project information and a map of parking construction at https://amiprojects.io/projects/coquina-beach-improvements.