The Miami-Dade County Commission approved Merrill-Stevens’ expansion project on July 24, 2007, bringing the proposed $55 million investment one step closer to reality.

Previously, Merrill-Stevens submitted a combined permit application to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the South Florida Water Management District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for work on the project that touches the river itself. Now, the company will pursue an intensified timetable detailed in the terms of the agreement with the county, and request approval from the City of Miami, Miami-Dade Expressway Authority, the state of Florida, and federal agencies.

The County’s action allows for Merrill-Stevens to determine an expanded footprint adjacent to its historic location on the Miami River. A yacht repair staging dock, north and south riverside pedestrian walks, improved parks, training/apprentice program and a historical exhibit space are to be added to a new modernized environmentally engineered yacht repair and maintenance facility.

Meanwhile, the company plans to start site preparation work later this year. This work will include repositioning current shipyard operations to accommodate the Florida Department of Transportation's impending work on the southbound lanes of the 12th Avenue Bridge, maintenance dredging in concert with the Miami River dredging, as well as preparing for the new construction for the expansion project.

"Customers can be assured that the Merrill-Stevens shipyard will remain fully operational during this transition period and through the bridge construction," said Merrill-Stevens CEO Fred Kirkland. "There will be no gap in service.”

Major construction for the company's expansion project is expected to begin in 2009. The plan projects the creation of about 500 high-paying marine trade jobs. Many will train for these jobs at the Merrill-Stevens Training Institute, a vocational apprentice program that will facilitate the development of their careers. The expansion will allow Merrill-Stevens to maintain its competitive position in the mega yacht industry, where new luxury vessels are getting larger. The new facility will be equipped to haul and lift mega yachts up to 250 feet long.

Additional public benefits of the project include the construction of two riverwalk pedestrian paths with a public observation walkway to view vessel repair and restoration activities, and the beautification and landscaping of property along the river where the vessels will undergo repair and maintenance. In addition, a historical exhibit featuring historical photos, data and tools involved in the evolution of the marine industry in Florida will be completed in cooperation with the Historical Museum of Southern Florida.