MiraBay, a community of 1,700 residential homes, with prices starting from $500,000 to $950,000 had 760 properties on the shoreline of Tampa Bay. Located 30 minutes South of the Tampa in Apollo Beach, FL., the close-knit community offers world-class amenities accommodating boating on the bay.
Considered the experts in shoreline stabilization construction and having a rich history of supplying the sheet piles for both commercial marine walls and residential seawalls, CMI is known for its sheet piling, adding value, stability, and erosion protection to any waterfront property without taking away from the surrounding natural elements. The sheet pile is high capacity, light weight, lower cost transport, UV-protected and rust-free. Cardno Engineering approved and selected CMI UC 30 to meet and exceed the projects demands
“This allowed us to drive panels more efficiently without a lot of additional labor needed to prepare the area,” says Chris Coheley, district manager for Florida Structural Group. “Steel panels also have a number of issues that would reduce production, one being the weight alone. There would be added safety hazards that would have to consider. But overall, the strength and aesthetics of the UC 30 creates a far more efficient, cost effective and attractive product.”
The major challenge was the scope of the 18-month long project was the 32,000 LWF and the adjacent retaining walls, pools docks and boat hoists. Completed on time and under budget.
“This was just a beast,” says Josh Michalski,” project manager for Florida Structural Group. “We are not afraid of any job, regardless of size. You just don’t come across a 32,000-foot-long job like this very often.”
In addition to the size of the project, there also was the added obstacle of the houses themselves. Many of the houses had screened-in pool and retaining walls that were less than five-feet from the construction site. FSG also had to contend with docks that were attached to the seawalls. The residents were not keen on the idea of having to have their docks and boats removed for more than a month. Another unexpected challenge was having to deal with the wildlife in the bay area. A blue heron, which is an endangered specie and protected under the U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act, had made its nest along the pathway of the proposed seawall. Since it couldn’t be removed, that portion of the seawall had to be delayed until the bird decided to move on from its nest.
Contractors also had to deal with removing and replacing underground utilities like, cable, electricity, and irrigation systems.
In March 2020, Earth Tech coordinated with Florida Structural Group to begin work on the creation of the new, 32,000-foot seawall, which would be installed directly in front of the existing seawall. A new concrete cap would encapsulate the new and existing seawall. New earth anchors were driven into the soil to support the new structure.
CMI supported the effort with CMI engineering, weekly meetings, crew lunches and production to provide multiple, well inventoried material yards. Logistics often provided truck-to-barge unloading, which reduced material handling costs.
The MiraBay project marked the first joint-venture between FSG and CMI; however other seawall projects have followed, including a 1,120-foot project in Naples, FL., and a 500-foot job of 16-foot, UC-30 sheets in Bonita Springs. The 1,120-foot project was a four-month job completed in May and needed 20-foot sheets of UC-30.
The Bonita Springs job was to repair a concrete seawall at the Spanish Harbor Condominiums. When the failing seawall was removed, the tides had washed out about 10 feet of soil leaving the piles, supporting the four-story complex, exposed. Several truckloads of fill dirt were added to fill the void and construction of the seawall started in June.
Another project the two companies currently under way is at a seawall project at a luxurious RV Park called Laguna Caribe in Fort Myers. This project, which began in June, is a seawall constructed with Flat Pile Panel system.
“We have built a GREAT relationship with CMI,” Michalski says. “We are looking forward to more projects together in the future.”
