Marine Construction in Miami Beach, FL
Transforming Waterfronts with Precision and Craftsmanship — serving Miami Beach and the surrounding waterfront communities.
Does Miami Beach have special construction rules for waterfront projects because of flooding?
Yes. The City of Miami Beach has its own resiliency ordinance covering tidal flood barriers, on top of standard building code review, and marine construction touching Biscayne Bay may also need sign-off from Miami-Dade DERM, FDEP, and the Army Corps of Engineers depending on scope. The city has also been raising roads and adding pump stations near waterfront sites since adopting its Stormwater Management Master Plan in 2011.
Why does marine construction in Miami Beach need to account for king tides?
Miami Beach is one of the most cited examples of "sunny day flooding" in the U.S. — high-tide flooding here has increased more than 400% since 2006 and peaks during king tide season each fall. Staging, access, and in-water work plans for marine construction projects have to account for those tidal flooding windows on the barrier island.
What marine construction looks like in Miami Beach
Miami Beach is one of the most cited U.S. examples of "sunny day flooding" — a 2016 study found high-tide flooding here increased more than 400% since 2006, with the worst tidal flooding typically occurring during king tide season each September through November.
Since adopting its Stormwater Management Master Plan in 2011, Miami Beach has spent over $103 million raising roads, adding pump stations, and rebuilding seawalls across its waterfront neighborhoods, including completed projects on Palm and Hibiscus Islands and Sunset Islands 3 and 4.
Miami Beach's own seawall/resiliency ordinance sets a minimum elevation for new or rebuilt tidal barriers, separate from county and state permits.
Miami-Dade County, including Miami Beach, sits in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, with a 175 mph design wind speed requirement for standard structures.
Marine construction on the barrier island frequently overlaps with active city resilience work funded through the Stormwater Management Master Plan, including road raising and new pump stations.
We regularly work in Venetian Islands, Sunset Islands, La Gorce Island, Star Island and Palm Island, and coordinate permitting with the City of Miami Beach Building Department, in coordination with Miami-Dade DERM, FDEP, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers depending on project scope.
For the complete breakdown of our marine construction process, materials, and options, see the full Marine Construction page. Want to explore other cities we serve? Visit Areas Served.
Marine Construction in Miami Beach — Frequently Asked Questions
Depending on scope, a project may need City of Miami Beach building permits, Miami-Dade DERM environmental review, and state or federal sign-off from FDEP and the Army Corps of Engineers for work affecting submerged land or navigable water. Watson Marine coordinates the applicable permits for each project.
Ready to build on the water in Miami Beach?
Tell us about your Miami Beach property and what you need built — we'll follow up to schedule a site visit and put together a quote.