Our Projects
LEED GOLD CERTIFIED. BUILT FOR THE LAKE.
31st Street Harbor Marina.
One of the largest marinas on Lake Michigan — 1,023 slips, a half-mile breakwater engineered for 35-foot waves, and LEED Gold certified.
Edgewater provided marine engineering services for this 1,023-slip, $103 million marina facility located on the open coast of Lake Michigan, south of Chicago. The team collaborated closely with the design team on the overall layout, functionality, and performance of the facility.
Engineering services included the design of a pile- and chain-anchored floating dock system, marine fuel systems, pumpout facilities, water and electrical utilities, gangways, gangway abutment platforms, gate and security systems, and a boat launch. While at a prior firm, the president of Edgewater Resources served as principal in charge of the overall engineering team, overseeing 18 subconsultants and $7.2 million in engineering fees to successfully deliver this complex project. This effort included extensive wave modeling, coastal engineering analysis, physical model testing, and geotechnical and structural engineering.
Key materials and systems included 10 to 12 tons of stone, steel sheet pile bulkheads, and the full marina infrastructure noted above. Specialized studies included both numerical and physical wave modeling. The half-mile-long breakwater system was designed to protect the facility from waves up to 35 feet, generated by a 335-mile fetch across Lake Michigan, reducing wave conditions within the marina basin to less than one foot. Marine utility systems were designed to meet NEC requirements, and in-slip pumpout systems help minimize spill potential.
The project opened in May 2012 and resulted in significant waterfront enhancements, improved traffic calming, and better pedestrian circulation. Improvements included the elimination of four conflict points between the Lakefront Trail and vehicular traffic. The renovation of the existing concrete revetment into a softer, naturalized edge created a more inviting waterfront promenade connecting the green roof–covered parking structure to the water's edge. Additional features such as a regional playground, picnic areas, and reconfigured bike paths help integrate the project into the surrounding community.
The project received numerous awards, including the ISS Fabien Cousteau Blue Award for harbor sustainability, LEED Gold Certification, the President's Award from the American Society of Landscape Architects (Illinois Chapter), the AIA Chicago SustainABILITY Leadership Merit Award, and First Place in Engineering News-Record Midwest's "Best Projects" of 2012.