Gulf Stream Construction, a Beach Company subsidiary and full-service general site contractor specializing in civil construction and infrastructure, was selected by the City of Charleston to repair and elevate the seawall and surrounding area along the Battery, an iconic promenade in downtown historic Charleston, South Carolina. The seawall stretches along the lower shore of the Charleston peninsula, where the Ashley and Cooper Rivers meet to form the Charleston harbor.

The first of a four-phase project begins at the southwestern edge of Charleston’s peninsula, known as the low Battery, where Gulf Stream will reconstruct the first 865 feet of seawall, raising it by two feet to the elevation of the high Battery at the peninsula’s southernmost point. The company will also reconfigure utilities and install water-quality structures to filter stormwater before it enters the harbor. The project scope additionally includes improving the surrounding streetscape by adding a pocket park and a raised pedestrian walkway.

The project is part of a long-term citywide initiative to address flooding near the Battery after a 2004 report by the City of Charleston showed the seawall was suffering from structural problems and could fail to protect portions of the city from flooding during storms and high tides. The entirety of the Battery restoration project is expected to take approximately 10 years.

“Not only is the Battery a crucial part of the city’s identity, but its seawall and infrastructure protect our historic neighborhoods from potentially damaging floodwaters,” said Mark Hylton, executive vice president at Gulf Stream Construction. “As a Charleston-based company, we are incredibly honored to have been selected for such an important project that will have a lasting effect on our hometown’s residents and visitors.”
Originally built in the 1750s as a protective barrier made of large stones, the current seawall was constructed in 1909. At the center of the seawall-lined promenade on the high Battery is historic White Point Garden, a popular tourist destination flanked by Antebellum-era homes.

Gulf Stream’s reparations and construction are set to begin this month and are expected to last one year.