PORT TOWNSEND — Construction of a new Coast Guard station at Boat Haven Marina could be under way by this summer, Port of Port Townsend officials said.

The port’s 1,600-square-foot building, which the Coast Guard leases for the cutter Osprey crew, is at the end of Benedict Spit in the marina’s commercial docks section.

The building will be removed to make way for a new station.

“The building is in absolutely atrocious condition,” port Executive Director Larry Crockett told the port commissioners Wednesday before they approved the move, in concept.

The Coast Guard has told the port it plans to begin construction by this summer. No details were provided about cost or design.

The station will be temporarily moved to a port building on Washington Street across from New Day Fishery, so that Coast Guard activity is not interrupted by construction, Crockett said.

The site is zoned for a building up to 35 feet tall or two stories.

The building’s footprint would remain about the same at the end of Benedict Spit, but the front of the building would be turned toward A-B docks, Crockett said.

Crockett expects the Coast Guard to seek a long-term lease with the port for the land.

Port Deputy Director Jim Pivarnik said he believes the old building could be moved out by Monroe House Moving Inc. of Quilcene and sold.

Pivarnik said that the Coast Guard project would be “fast-tracked” for construction this summer.

Can’t remove spit

The only concern was that placing a permanent structure on Benedict Spit would eliminate the possibility of removing the spit, which the port had considered in the past to expand the marina.

Removing the spit would cost $1.5 million, however, and Crockett said that removing it would not make way for enough new marina boat slips to pay for the investment.

The spit’s removal would also remove fish habitat, he said.

On Wednesday, the port commissioners also approved re-dredging about 1,000 cubic yards of material at the entrance to Boat Haven marina, extending from the entrance to the new Coast Guard dock.

The project is proposed by the Army Corps of Engineers.

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Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.