Waterfront Development/Redevelopment

Thomas Point Associates, Inc. has played a leading role in the development of innovative approaches to the use and redevelopment of waterfront areas and properties, including the special issues associated with marinas. Our work has included various kinds of marina opportunities, in downtown areas like Baltimore and at sites on recreational segments of urban riverfronts, like the White River waterfront in Indianapolis.

The company takes its name and lighthouse logo from the historic Thomas Point Light, the last of the manned lighthouses in Chesapeake Bay. TPA evaluated redevelopment potentials associated with Thomas Point Light and other lighthouses and Coast Guard Stations on and around the Bay. We recommended private reuse programs and public-private joint ventures to put the projects in place, and created a tourism-based strategy to connect the series of projects into a self-sustaining circuit.

Other marina/waterfront development assignments that TPA has conducted include the following:

Albuquerque, New Mexico: TPA advised the City’s Water Conservancy District on market and feasibility issues associated with development along the Rio Grande River, in the downtown, including a riverwalk project, a recreational boating complex, a performing arts center and a public aquarium. TPA prepared an implementation plan with a financing strategy using a tax increment financing district and hotel - motel tax income, for property acquisition and infrastructure development. 

Alpena, Michigan: TPA worked with Alpena Community College in Northeast Michigan to take better advantage of the assets of the region, particularly the waterfront of Lake Huron. TPA evaluated and structured a series of projects, including a waterfront hotel, conference center and a marina. We also advised on a marketing program to increase awareness of the region in Chicago and Detroit.

Baltimore, Maryland: the owners of an Inner Harbor property, Allied Signal Corporation, retained TPA to assist in site redevelopment. The 20-acre property was, for over a century, the site of a chrome manufacturing plant which discharged significant amounts of toxic chemicals into the ground and surrounding water. TPA's principal worked with the design team to create a mixed-use development program featuring a marina and residential and commercial uses.

Charleston, West Virginia: TPA worked with Sasaki Associates on the conceptual plan for a park and marina that was recently completed, on the Kanawha River in downtown Charleston, the State capitol. The purpose was to activate the downtown by providing an opportunity to conduct special events in the evenings and on weekends, and to attract recreational boaters. The $8 million park was funded from private and federal sources, and includes transient slips for river boaters and sternwheelers. 

Hampton, Virginia: TPA has worked on a series of projects on the Hampton River Waterfront, adjacent to the downtown. The company evaluated both public and private marina components along with the development of on-land retail and support systems. We evaluated the market for slips and dry storage in and around Hampton, in the context of the Hampton Roads recreational boating market.

Indianapolis, Indiana: TPA worked with Sasaki Associates on development of a mixed-use area near the downtown and on the White River. The project components included potential development of a recreational boating center, OmniMax Theater, a baseball stadium and associated retail development. The site is only a few blocks from the Hoosier Dome and the Indiana Government Center but has failed to benefit from activity in the vicinity of those places, because of roads and other barriers between the areas. TPA provided extensive market and economic input regarding the marina and other components.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin: the City of Milwaukee retained TPA staff to evaluate market and financial aspects of the expansion of Summerfest and development of a marina adjacent to the downtown. TPA staff reviewed market and financial issues associated with marina development on Lake Michigan and made recommendations to the City of Milwaukee regarding financing sources for development and operation of the project.

Other Waterfront Development/Redevelopment Projects: