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Des Moines says marina dock replacement and Redondo pier work moving forward
Summary
City staff told candidates the public marina — about 850 slips and the only publicly accessible marina between Tacoma and Seattle — has active capital work including replacement of L, M and N docks; Redondo pier improvements are fully funded and going to bid.
City officials told council candidates that the Des Moines public marina has active capital projects, including the replacement of the L, M and N docks, and that Redondo pier improvements have completed design and permitting and will be advertised for bids.
The presentation described the marina as a major asset for the city’s waterfront and local economy. “We do have kind of the only publicly accessible marina between Tacoma and Seattle,” the city manager said, and staff noted the marina holds about 850 slips.
Why it matters: The marina operates year-round and requires continuous staffing and capital upkeep. Staff said the marina has a small, dedicated team — about 10–12 people — that works seven days a week to operate the facility and manage capital projects. Ongoing dock replacement is a substantial capital undertaking that will affect slip availability and construction schedules as the design and procurement proceed.
Project status and funding: The city manager said engineering design for the Redondo pier improvements is complete, the project is fully funded and the city has received the permits needed; staff said the city is going out to bid on that project. For the marina docks, staff said replacement of docks labeled L, M and N is a priority; Scott Wilkins, the harbor master, was mentioned as the long-tenured manager of marina operations, though he was not present for this session.
Actions and next steps: Officials did not present council votes at the session but said engineering and permitting for Redondo pier are complete and that bids will be solicited; marina dock replacement work was described as an active capital program being managed by the public works/harbor operations team.
Ending: Staff encouraged candidates to review prior council presentations for additional detail and said staff will provide historical materials on major projects to any candidate who requests them; the city manager said staff will share requested documents with all candidates to ensure equal access to information.
