RHC - Construction Updates

Living Breakwaters

Latest construction update

Q4 2024 CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

In October, Weeks Marine Contractor completed the construction of the Living Breakwaters project, and all equipment has now been removed from the site. This marks a monumental milestone after more than a decade of designing and collaborating with the community, civic groups, and professionals, and three years of active construction. We are incredibly grateful for the dedication and continued support from everyone who contributed to this transformative project. As Governor Kathy Hochul stated:

“As we have experienced several historic storms this summer, extreme weather is the new normal, and it is vital that we adapt to our changing climate. Living Breakwaters exemplifies our long-term strategy to lessen the impact of storms, improve our shorelines, and protect homes and businesses for generations to come.”

You can read Governor Hochul’s full press release about the project’s completion here.

The team is currently preparing as-built surveys, reports, and other documents to support future monitoring and maintenance of the breakwaters. While this phase of the project—focused on the construction of the physical breakwaters—will be completed by the end of this year, we are also gearing up for the next phase: the implementation of Oyster Restoration on the breakwaters. This effort is currently in the permitting process, and we’ll share more updates in 2025 as the Oyster Restoration component progresses.

In the meantime, we’re thrilled to see thriving marine life already returning to Tottenville’s waters! Don’t miss this month’s fun fact for a closer look at some of these incredible aquatic inhabitants, along with a throwback of construction photos from over the years!

Image Descriptions
- Left: Aerial photo of Living Breakwaters (Credit: WMI + Berstein Associates, October 2024)
- Center: Photo of Breakwater ‘F’ Reef Ridges (Credit: SCAPE, September 2024)
- Right: Marine life growing on armor stone and ECOncrete™ Tide Pool units at Breakwater ‘A’ (Credit: SCAPE, September 2024)

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REFLECTIONS: A LOOKBACK + LOOKAHEAD OF LIVING BREAKWATERS’S CONSTRUCTION

[Lookback] Construction of Living Breakwaters started in September of 2021, and it has been amazing to see the extensive efforts of all involved realized in these now-built structures. With the completion of the project, below are compilations of construction photos over the years as a reminder of how far we have come!

Aerial Timelapse:

Construction Close-up Shots:

[Lookahead] While time will only tell what marine life continues to move in and around the breakwaters, the video below is a snapshot of the wildlife that has been found onsite even during construction – a preview of what we are hopeful of more to come. Afterall, it’s what makes these breakwaters ‘living’!