Posted on July 26, 2023
Atlantic Beach officials announced last week the town has completed its annual spring dredging project, intended to keep key channels open for the many boaters and fishermen who live in and visit the town.
The town hired Brooks Dredging and Marine Construction of Harkers Island to do the project this year.
The company removed 2,500 cubic yards of material along Royal Channel, New Causeway Channel, Causeway Channel Buoy 5A and Buoy 7A, and Money Island Channel.
The owner of the Channel Marker property off the east side of the Atlantic Beach Causeway bought all of the dredged material and is using it to raise the height of the property.
The N.C. Secretary of State’s website lists the owner of the land as SSL Realty, with an office in Apex. The website states the LLC bought the property, about a fifth of an acre, in August 2022 for $1.5 million.
The Channel Marker Restaurant, a once popular beach restaurant at the foot of the high-rise bridge with great views and a deck facing Bogue Sound, was demolished in 2019.
It was severely damaged by Hurricane Florence in September 2018, and Atlantic Beach eventually deemed it unsafe for occupancy.
Jennifer Ansell, town planning director, said Monday the town has had preliminary talks with the property owner about a possible duplex development, but so far everything is speculative.
The owner did get a permit for a new seawall and is in the process of getting a grading permit to use and spread the dredged material.
The property has for several years been considered a high-profile eyesore along the main entrance to town, and Ansell said the town is happy to see it getting cleaned up for eventual use.
