Washburn Marina - Final Steps

The following is a synopsis of the final steps that are underway to complete the Washburn Marina Project. A personal message has been forwarded to all Washburn Marina slip renters to provide additional details.  For quetions, please email Communincations@townoflakelure.com.  This drawing above illustrates the location of each of these amenities within the marina.

Marina Stationary Docks and Tours Boat Slips: Decking for the tour boats slips should be completed this week.  Fencing needs minor adjustments which are scheduled to take place Monday, 7/13/26 and town staff are coordinating with the County to complete their inspection on Tuesday, 7/14/26 (for both the stationary dock and tour boat slips). If the inspection is passed, the County should issue a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) for this portion of the project. 

Certificate of Occupancy: A Certificate of Occupancy is required before any of these facilities are utilized.  The Town is currently working with the Rutherford County Building Inspections Department to obtain a phased Certificate of Occupancy (CO), which would allow these completed elements to become operational while remaining project components are finalized. The CO for the marina is contingent upon completion of the electrical work and passing of final inspection. 

Duke Energy set their pole on 7/8/26.

The platform passed the County inspection.

Electricians have ordered the materials for the power install and this should take place the week of 7/13/26.  

County will inspect electrical work when completed and if approved, Duke Energy will run a line from their transformer to the meter. 

Town staff are closely monitoring each step in this process to reduce any delays. 

Washburn Marina Slips: The marina slips are still on track for completion by the contract deadline which is 7/17/26. The rebuilt marina will include 208 seasonal boat slips along with 6 Daily Rental Slips (4-day minimum rentals), and 6 - free 2.5-hour boat rental slips (first come, first serve). Once the project is completed and the Town receives the CO from Rutherford County, slip renters will be immediately notified that they can return their boats to the marina. 

Fuel Tank: The fueling system is permitted. The fuel tank is scheduled for delivery on Tuesday, 7/14/26 and Town staff are coordinating the delivery so that a crane is on site for placement of the tank. Contractors will then complete trenching work to run the line from tank to pump. Inspection will take place after work is completed and if it passes, County can issue CO.   

Floating Boardwalk: The floating marina boardwalk remains on schedule for substantial completion by 7/17/26; however, the Town must receive a CO before the floating boardwalk can be utilized by the public.

Hot Docks: Replacement of the hot docks (for temporary docking while loading and unloading) has been completed and is on the right of the Washburn Marina from the lake. Fencing for the Hot Docks should be completed Monday, 7/13/26.

Courtesy Docks: Final materials for the Courtesy Docks are expected to be delivered 7/14/26 and assembly will commence. The rebuilt marina will include 6 Daily Rental Slips (4-day minimum rentals), and 6 - free 2.5-hour boat rental slips (first come, first serve). 

Temporary Marina Building: A temporary marina building will be installed to allow Lake Lure Tours to resume operations at the Marina while design work continues on the permanent replacement facility.

Energizing Washburn Marina: Town staff are working with Duke Energy to ensure the marina is energized by the project completion date.  This is a safety requirement for lighting, phones, and fire protection. Duke Energy cannot complete their underground install until the meter has a passing inspection. Duke Energey has advised that they will get it completed as soon as inspection passing is received in their system. Town staff are closely monitoring this and staying in close contact with Duke Energy to ensure there are no unnecessary delays.

Cameras/Signage: Cameras and signage are being added to the Washburn Marina. 

Project Completion: The multiphased project is near completion and a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony will be planned once the Washburn Marina is complete.

The full Marina and Boardwalk reconstruction remains on track for mid-July completion.

Town Staff will continue working closely with all contractors until completion. 

Here's the background information on the timeline for the Washburn Marina. 

To keep all components of the waterfront improvements moving forward in a fiscally responsible, timely, and coordinated manner, the Town is working with the same contractor for the courtesy and hot dock work.  This approach minimizes cost, avoids additional delays, and ensures continuity across all related project elements as they are already mobilized in the area and familiar with site conditions.

The Town was initially required to work through a lengthy FEMA obligation process that took more than a year to complete.

The project was formally obligated on 1/28/26, and until that point federal participation could not be considered certain.

The Town moved forward with project preparation in advance of obligation to avoid additional delays.

The project was advertised for bids in September 2025, awarded in October 2025, and the contract was finalized in November 2025.

The Town could not responsibly proceed to full implementation without reasonable confidence that federal funding would ultimately be secured.

In addition, lake cleanup efforts and drawdown conditions affected the project schedule, as many portions of the work could not occur until the lake returned to full pond.

Based on discussions with multiple contractors and experience with similar projects, a July 2026 completion date was consistently identified as realistic and achievable.

As a result, the contract has always included a completion date of July 17.