Located on Holiday Isle within East Pass, Norriego Point suffered constant erosion from the high-energy coastal environment. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) contacted Taylor Engineering to provide engineering and environmental services for shoreline stabilization, beach restoration, and recreational amenities at the Point. Services included state and federal regulatory coordination and permitting to authorize Norriego Point beach restoration with sand from the navigation channel dredging, value engineering, engineering design, construction drawings and specifications for all project components (e.g., rock structures, seawalls, dredging, grading, and recreation features), and bid administration/construction-phase services. Specific services for the recreational improvement project included site assessments and characterizations, program planning, stakeholder outreach, and conceptual design.

Specific challenges associated with the project include harsh coastal conditions affecting the structure design and construction, rehabilitation of existing structures, limited construction budget requiring iterative detailed value engineering design, and the limited construction schedule (restricted to the winter to avoid impacts to the local tourism/fishing). The shoreline stabilization and vegetation components served as the foundation for a popular public park including restrooms, boardwalks, and beach walkovers. The result is a flagship project that substantially increases protection to Destin Harbor, greatly reduces maintenance dredging requirements, and provides an expansive recreational area for residents and tourists.