Port of Port Townsend aims for new Coast Guard station
The Port of Port Townsend and the Coast Guard in Port Townsend plan to remove the old building used by the Coast Guard at Benedict Spit at Boat Haven Marina commercial docks to make way for a new building.
-- Photo by Jeff Chew/Peninsula Daily News
By Jeff Chew
Peninsula Daily News
Print This |
Email This
Recent Headlines
State parks panel today to consider transferring Fort Worden to Port Townsend control -- 2/8/12 -06:07 PM
Waterfront walkway in Port Angeles slated to be built this summer -- 2/8/12 -06:02 PM
Same-sex marriage bill goes to governor; likely signed next week -- 2/9/12 -08:50 AM
Port Angeles council pair fails to persuade colleagues to rethink lawsuit fight against FEMA -- 2/8/12 -06:02 PM
Olympic National Park chief to retire next month; interim designated -- 2/8/12 -06:17 PM
The port's 1,600-square-foot building, which the Coast Guard leases for the cutter Osprey crew, is at the end of Benedict Spit in the marina's commercial docks section.
The building will be removed to make way for a new station.
"The building is in absolutely atrocious condition," port Executive Director Larry Crockett told the port commissioners Wednesday before they approved the move, in concept.
The Coast Guard has told the port it plans to begin construction by this summer. No details were provided about cost or design.
The station will be temporarily moved to a port building on Washington Street across from New Day Fishery, so that Coast Guard activity is not interrupted by construction, Crockett said.
The site is zoned for a building up to 35 feet tall or two stories.
The building's footprint would remain about the same at the end of Benedict Spit, but the front of the building would be turned toward A-B docks, Crockett said.
Crockett expects the Coast Guard to seek a long-term lease with the port for the land.
Port Deputy Director Jim Pivarnik said he believes the old building could be moved out by Monroe House Moving Inc. of Quilcene and sold.
Pivarnik said that the Coast Guard project would be "fast-tracked" for construction this summer.
Can't remove spit
The only concern was that placing a permanent structure on Benedict Spit would eliminate the possibility of removing the spit, which the port had considered in the past to expand the marina.
Removing the spit would cost $1.5 million, however, and Crockett said that removing it would not make way for enough new marina boat slips to pay for the investment.
The spit's removal would also remove fish habitat, he said.
On Wednesday, the port commissioners also approved re-dredging about 1,000 cubic yards of material at the entrance to Boat Haven marina, extending from the entrance to the new Coast Guard dock.
The project is proposed by the Army Corps of Engineers.
_______
Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
Last modified: April 08. 2009 10:47PM