Navy Pier Marina Opens

Transient dockage is now available at Navy Pier Marina in Chicago, Illinois.
Marina developer and owner NPM Venture LLC, operating as Navy Pier Marina (NPM), began construction on the new facility early last year. The marina offers 8,000 linear feet of broadside mooring with a mixture of fixed and floating piers to accommodate vessels up to 183 feet in length. Dockside amenities include around-the-clock security, power, water, Wi-Fi and pumpout services.

Randy Podolsky, founder of NPM Venture LLC, worked with marina designer and engineering firm Edgewater Resources, lead contractor J.F. Brennan Company of La Crosse, Wisconsin, and dock manufacturer Structurmarine of Montreal, Canada, to build the new marina. The 8,000 linear feet of Structurmarine floating aluminum docks were installed against Navy Pier’s north side. J.F. Brennan installed five 13×60-foot SF Marina Systems’ SF 400 Series breakwaters to protect the facility. The breakwater sections were manufactured at SF Marina’s Norfolk, Virginia, facility and transported via truck to Chicago. The system is anchored on 2-inch stud link chains and large concrete dead-weight anchors.

Navy Pier Marina offers short-term and overnight dockage. “The boating public is super excited to have this transient, short-term docking marina, and the opportunity to come have lunch or dinner or relax for overnight stays at Navy Pier,” Podolsky said.

Podolsky noted that the greatest challenges to the project arose from the unique nature of the site. “This marina is unique in that it’s built 100% over the water,” he said, “with a steel pile and steel framing system all the way down to the office built from 12 repurposed shipping containers.” The logistics of building over the water led to coordination with many agencies. “All the agencies have been great,” Podolsky said. “The Corps [USACE], IDNR [Illinois Department of Natural Resources] and CDOT [Chicago Department of Transportation] were a pleasure to deal with.”

The marina looks forward to hosting the brand-new, in-water Chicago International Boat Show at Navy Pier Marina, August 21 to 24., 2025. Reservations for transient dockage can be made on the marina’s website: https://navypiermarina.com/transient-boater-reservations/