A $24.4 million construction contract was awarded July 16 by the Mobile County Commission for redevelopment of the Bayou La Batre City Docks Redevelopment Project, with improvements to include a seafood marketplace and shrimp boat sales pier for direct-from-boat public sales.
The contract with Ben M. Radcliff Contractors, Inc. is part of a project with a grant overseen by the State of Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR), according to a summary from Mobile County officials.
The Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council approved the project, funded through the U.S. Department of the Treasury under the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012 (RESTORE Act).
The law provides dedicated investment from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement, targeting infrastructure that restores coastal economies and ecosystems.
The 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill “was devastating to Bayou La Batre. This project is exactly what the RESTORE Act was meant to deliver, long-term, visible recovery where it’s needed most. Thanks to federal, state, and local collaboration, the City of Bayou La Batre’s working waterfront will be reborn as a sustainable engine for Alabama’s seafood industry,” said Chris Blankenship, Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, in an announcement with county officials.
It's anticipated construction will take about two years. County officials say it will change the waterfront “into a vibrant multifunctional economic hub.”
Key improvement are planned:
- Seafood marketplace: Two 4,500-foot open-air pavilions, portable restroom facilities, and a shrimp boat sales pier for direct-from-boat public seafood sales.
- Full-service marina: A 6,108-foot elevated, timber pile marina building; floating fuel dock; one main dock plus five side “tree” docks with water, electrical, fire suppression, and restroom facilities.
- Boat launch: A four-lane concrete boat ramp with courtesy docks, gangways, protective rock revetment, and expanded paved parking.
- Site improvements: Demolition of old structures; new bulkheads, boardwalks, utilities, lighting, sidewalks, curbs, landscaping, signage, and benches.
“Mobile County is proud to help bring this project to life for a community hit hard by Katrina and the oil spill,” said county Commissioner Randall Dueitt. “Redeveloping the City Docks will strengthen the seafood industry, create jobs, and draw more visitors to the Bayou. It’s an investment in the people, the water, and the working coast that define Mobile County.”
A revitalized dock area “will bolster Bayou La Batre's position as the ‘Seafood Capital of Alabama’ by enhancing commercial landings,” county officials say. The site will support direct seafood sales, expand charter fishing and ecotourism, and offer community gathering spaces for markets and events. It’s expected to create jobs in seafood processing, tourism, marine services, and retail.
“Ever since Gov. George Wallace built the original facility and gave it to the City for $1, these docks have been the heart of Bayou La Batre, and now they’ll get the new life they deserve,” said Bayou La Batre Mayor Henry Barnes. “This project is a blessing for our seafood industry and everyone who calls Bayou La Batre home or visits. We’re thankful to our partners and excited to see our waterfront come back stronger than ever.”
Bayou La Batre City Docks master planning, engineering, and design services provided by Moffatt & Nichol.
More information on the project can be found online at www.bayoulabatrecitydocks.com including its master plan, a video of conceptual renderings, and completed adjacent projects: enhancements to an existing boat ramp, Pavilion/Access Platform/Trail, and the Lightning Point Shoreline Restoration project.
