Yacht club begins $2.6M renovation

SARASOTA — Bird Key Yacht Club, a private yacht club in Sarasota County, has started a $2.6 million renovation project.

The project will include a new seawall and reconstruction of its 10,648-square-foot dock along the Sarasota Bay waterfront, a statement says. When finished, the marina will have 45 boat slips, two fueling stations, a floating kayak launch, new electrical and fire suppression systems and an entirely new seawall.

A majority of the construction work for the renovation project is being managed by Sarasota-based Duncan Seawall Dock & Boatlift, the statement says. The six-month long project will bring Bird Key Yacht Club the designation of a “Clean Marina” from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, meaning the club addresses issues like sensitive habitat, waste management, spill prevention, storm water control and emergency preparedness.

“Upon completion, Bird Key Yacht Club will have the newest and most technologically advanced marina on Sarasota Bay," club general manager Robert Brown says in the statement. “Its designation as a clean marina will establish it as among the finest and environmentally responsible marinas in the area.”

Established in 1959, Bird Key Yacht Club has more than 340 members. The club is located at 301 Bird Key Drive, Sarasota.