Gulf Star Marina

Goal: Gulf Star Marina is the world's first fully-automated dry storage barn for boats, and was designed to be the most efficient Dry Storage Marina ever built. To this end, GCM Contracting Solutions and Carroll Properties teamed up to redevelop the out-dated dry storage project. Gulf Star Marina, like many dry storage marinas, was ready for re-development but building a new forklift barn simply did not make financial sense. With the automated technology and building design, we were able to increase storage density by over 200%, thus making this project financially feasible. Challenges: 1. GCM Contracting solutions was tasked with the goal of designing a tilt-wall building envelope and racking structure to harness an automated 4 column stacker-crane and the 26,000 lb. rolling load, similar to creating drive aisles in the sky. 2. The building had to be built within it's own footprint, as the adjoining restaurant is the busiest in the city and needed it's whole parking lot. 3. Metal racking was far too expensive to facilitate the 26,000 lb ROLLING load necessary to stack boats multiple deep on both sides. GCM came up with custom racking system floors made of hollow-core precast plank with a 2" concrete topping supported by angle-iron welded to titan bolts in the tilt panels. This is also a first in the world. Successes: After a decade of planning, design, and collaboration, plans were finalized and the building was built. As with any first in the world project, we were met with adversity. Challenges were met head on, one by one and conquered with resolve. All said and done, the world's first fully automated dry storage building for boats is complete, and welcomes locals and tourists alike as they enter the City of Fort Myers Beach.