May 1, 2025

Safeguarding a Historic Naval Academy

The team was honored with the opportunity to reconstruct 1,100 linear feet of seawall along Farragut Field to address daily high tides and minor storms. Funding for the $37.5 million project was made available through Congress after a U.S. senator visiting the academy found the facility's conditions concerning.

The existing seawall was failing, causing sinkholes and blocked areas. The new seawall, significantly taller, will provide relief against sea level rise through 2100. It is the first project in the Naval Academy’s Installation Resiliency Plan.

Cianbro’s scope included a complete structural rehabilitation of the seawall and exterior improvements at Farragut Field and Brown Park. The rehab began with demolishing the old concrete. The new wall was built using sheet pile, h-piles, and concrete piles.

Brown Park, a green space with historical monuments dedicated to U.S. Navy service members, was carefully preserved. Each monument was either temporarily removed or protected in place, with safety and respect as top priorities.

A major challenge was the confined work area. The team creatively sequenced operations and used cranes on barges to overcome space limitations. They also developed a unique pile driving leads and template system. During winter, they proposed a temporary asphalt road in place of steel plates, which workers dubbed “the best paved road at the academy.”

In August 2024, the team attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Vice Admiral Yvette M. Davids praised the team: “Thank you to Cianbro and all your workers for an incredible job well done... You finished on time, respected our grounds and midshipmen, and have proven yourselves above and beyond.”

Click here to read the full 2025 Chatter publication.

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