Marina Dock Age

The Riviera Beach City Council, sitting as the Community Redevelopment Agency, approved a new scaled-down redevelopment plan for the city marina. They voted unanimously to begin negotiations with Rybovich Boat Co., working in conjunction with Viking Developers, to expand Rybovich’s megayacht business at Riviera Beach Marina, according to reports in The Palm Beach Post.

Viking Developers was the only company to respond to the city’s request for proposals to overhaul the city marina in September 2008. Its original $500 million plan proposed an overhaul of the marina and the addition of a mixed-used development, including retail space for shops and restaurants, a hotel, offices, and a public market.

The new scaled-down plan for International Harbor at Riviera Beach calls for $59 million of work to be done in phases through 2014, including many of the original features but on a smaller scale. Work would begin with renovations to the marina, which are being paid for with $5 million in county waterfront access bond money, and leasing the south end of the marina to Rybovich for a megayacht service yard.

Currently, Rybovich services yachts at its marina in West Palm Beach is looking for another location near deep water to handle boats, generally 250 feet and longer. The proposed megayacht service yard would handle four big boats at a time, removing about 40 public boat slips to make room.

As part of the proposal, Rybovich has agreed to train city residents to work on the megayachts, according to Dawn Pardo, city council member. She also said the proposal would achieve several of the city’s goals for the marina. It would generate income for the city, increase the tax base, and create 30 to 35 jobs, while leaving most of the marina open to the public.

Rybovich said the megayacht yard could be in operation by the end of this year. It plans to use a service building at the site of the marina’s dry boat storage barn, which is scheduled to be torn down.

Construction of other proposed improvements would not follow a predetermined sequence. They would be built according to market conditions, said Mike Clark, vice president of Vikings Developers.