Financing & ​Joint Ventures

Yes - we support clients in evaluating capital strategy and partnership structures for marina and waterfront projects. This can include reviewing the capital stack, underwriting assumptions, joint venture structures, and diligence inputs, and collaborating with investment partners when appropriate. In select situations, Marina Partners may also participate as a joint venture partner when there is strong alignment around the project, strategy, and execution approach.

You can submit a site through our website inquiry form or contact us directly to schedule a call. For the fastest review, include the site address/location, waterfront access notes, current conditions, any existing plans or permits, and your target timeline and goals.

We determine best use by analyzing market demand, site dynamics, environmental constraints, zoning/entitlements, revenue strategy, and capital objectives. The output is a recommended program mix (e.g., wet slips vs drystack capacity, service/amenities, supporting uses) with an early budget range, schedule outlook, key risks, and modeled performance assumptions.

The first step is an introductory call to understand the site, ownership structure, timeline, and investment goals. To make the conversation productive, it helps to share the property location, current use, photos, any surveys or site plans, and your target program (wet slips/drystack/service) if known.

Marina returns vary by market, utilization, pricing, operating efficiency, capital expenditures required to create the project, operational expenditures required to run it, and the project’s program mix (wet slips, drystack, service, amenities, mixed-use). During feasibility, we model projected performance using metrics such as revenue drivers, operating costs, NOI, and scenario sensitivities to support informed decisions. Projections are estimates and not a guarantee of future results.

A marina feasibility study provides early clarity on whether a project works - physically, financially, and operationally - before major capital is committed. We typically answer:

• Can this be permitted and built on this site?
• What should the program be (wet slips, drystack, service, amenities) and why?
• What is the rough order of magnitude cost range and key cost drivers?
• What is a realistic timeline based on approvals and delivery approach?
• What are the biggest risks/constraints (environmental, zoning, access, utilities, navigation, etc.)

The goal is to align site constraints, market demand, capital strategy, and the operating model early.

We provide end-to-end support for marina and waterfront projects - from feasibility and capital strategy through delivery planning and operational launch. Services may include:

• Site & market evaluation (demand, constraints, competitive set)
• Entitlement/permitting coordination (zoning, environmental review, agency process support)
• Program & concept planning (wet slips, drystack counts, service/amenities mix)
• Budget and schedule development (ROM cost ranges, milestone timelines, risk items)
• Design-build delivery support (team coordination, cost/schedule visibility)
• Operations & automation planning (workflows, staffing, software/controls strategy)
• Asset strategy (pricing, utilization, NOI drivers, long-term capex priorities)

We typically work with marina owners, investors (including family offices and institutional groups), developers, coastal designers, and real estate teams pursuing waterfront opportunities. Clients bring us in for pre-acquisition diligence, feasibility and entitlement planning, ground-up development, or repositioning/expansion of existing marina assets.

Mixed use can help optimize a waterfront parcel by diversifying revenue, supporting activation, and creating synergy across the overall destination. When planned well, the combined offering can strengthen demand and multiply the performance of each individual revenue stream. It can also add entitlement and design complexity, so it should be evaluated carefully against zoning, community priorities, and the operating plan.