Construction Underway at Pier 6 in Boston

In 2015, when Ann and Chuck Lagasse opened Pier 8 of Charlestown Marina in Boston, they expected the second part of the project, Pier 6, would be ready in 2015. But complications around permitting delayed the planned renovations for a few years. Once those problems were ironed out, the pandemic hit, further delaying construction. But now the project is finally underway, with the opening of the second part of Charlestown Marina scheduled for next spring.

The delays revolved around decisions made by the marina’s previous owner. He had not gotten the license required by Chapter 91 in Massachusetts law, which requires building owners to maintain public access to waters like the Boston Harbor. The Lagasses finally had all the required permits and license lined up this spring, just around the time that the pandemic hit and the City of Boston shut down all construction activity for almost two weeks. Work on Pier 6 finally resumed in early summer.

The Pier 6 renovation includes a new breakwater, new docks and slips, pedestrian walkways, and improved seating for the site’s restaurant.
There are three main subcontractors working on the project. “Our docks are all hybrid; we design and order our own systems, so we work with a variety of companies,” explained Chuck Lagasse.

SF Marina Systems supplied the 330-foot floating breakwater with a 25-inch freeboard, which will protect the boats in the interior slips. The breakwater, moored in place with massive 36-inch steel pipes, will also double as a super yacht berth. SF Marina Systems also supplied two high-freeboard fingers and a 160-foot, 16-feet wide main walkway that allows plenty of room for golf cart travel. The SF Marina sections of the docks were shipped from Sweden and had to be stored in the harbor area for several months because of the construction delays.

Meeco Sullivan provided the timber docks for the slips in the marina’s interior, and Blue Atlantic Fabricators did the steel fabrication work for the landings and gangway areas. The Lagasses manage all of the installation work, which is performed by area subcontractors who have worked with them on other projects.

Pier 6 will be an ADA-accessible marina and will have a total of 100 slips. “The majority of these slips are in the 30 foot through 60-foot range,” said Chuck Lagasse. “We have all new power, and we can plug in boats from 30 amps up to 200 amp, three-phase 480 volt, so we can handle a lot of heavy-duty electric systems.” The marina will offer in-slip pump out and upscale bathrooms will be located on a floating barge. The marina will be secured with an electronic key fob entry system.

Since many large boats come north to Boston during the hurricane season, the Lagasses are building the slips on Pier 6 to withstand Category 5 storms. “If by chance a hurricane comes north, we’ve got facilities that can withstand the winds that they bring,” said Lagasse.

A new quarter-mile Harborwalk will circle Pier 6. It will feature interpretive panels that provide visitors with information about the history of this section of Boston harbor. The area around Pier 6 includes the oldest Naval yard in the country ‒ it was commissioned by George Washington — and was a hub of shipbuilding activity during World War II.

The restaurant at Pier 6, which finally has all of its permits, will close over the winter for remodeling and will reopen next spring. The planned opening date for Pier 6 of the Charlestown Marina is May 1, 2021.