Marine Wall Blends Brawn and Beauty in St. Johns County Lakeside Community


Project Name: Beacon Lake Marine Wall Location: Beacon Lake, Florida Year Built: 2018

THE CHALLENGE

The St. Johns County community of Beacon Lake features 1286 homes situated amongst an expansive nature preserve. The planned community’s crown jewel is a paddle-friendly 43-acre lake and the adjacent Lake House Amenity & Fitness Center. The Lake House & Fitness Center is the backdrop for two pools, a splash park, sunbathing decks, and a large lakeside gazebo. The developers needed a marine retaining wall solution to support this sprawling social hub and protect an adjacent beach against erosion while not detracting from the beauty of a community centerpiece.

THE SOLUTION

Initial renderings of the space depicted the retaining wall as a treated wooden bulkhead anchored with pilings. Beacon Lake’s developers needed a wall solution that would withstand active water, support significant infrastructure, host necessary safety barriers, and look great. Ultimately, a Redi-Rock precast modular block (PMB) retaining wall system was selected for the project.

THE PROJECT

Redi-Rock is engineered to be straightforward to design with and simple to install, even with smaller crews. Its massive blocks allow for the construction of gravity, mechanically stabilized earth (MSE)/reinforced, and hybrid retaining wall systems that utilize both systems in one.

Redi-Rock is produced locally by Truemont Materials in wholly controlled conditions with architectural-grade wet cast concrete. Wet cast offers less porosity than dry cast segmental retaining wall alternatives, making Redi-Rock the preferred choice for marine applications, including complete submergence. Wooden bulkheads, like the one initially proposed for this project, demand regular attention and incur higher maintenance costs. Even treated wood remains susceptible to water penetration which compromises its integrity, shortening the bulkhead’s lifespan. The metal anchoring apparatuses typically used to hold the wall together can also rust and fail.

Redi-Rock can also host top-of-wall barriers like fencing, making it an excellent option for pedestrian-heavy areas like the Beacon Lake wall boardwalk.

THE OUTCOME

The Beacon Lake wall took advantage of Redi-Rock’s many advantages for marine wall projects like detention/retention basins, flood walls, and channel walls. It continues to support substantial infrastructure, including two pools. The wall also adds a natural stone finish to the high-profile bulkhead. And despite their massive size, Redi-Rock blocks can still create sweeping, dramatic curves like those on display with the Beacon Lake wall.

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