Bennco Engineering was proud to join the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program (SBEP), the Town of Longboat Key, and fellow project partners at the recent ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of the Bayfront Park Living Seawall. As the project’s Engineer of Record, our team performed the engineering analysis, design, permitting, and construction-phase support for this first-of-its-kind shoreline enhancement initiative.
The project features the installation of approximately 350 living seawall tiles along an existing vinyl sheet pile seawall, providing new habitat while enhancing coastal resilience at Bayfront Park. To ensure the tiles could safely integrate with the existing structure, Bennco Engineering conducted detailed engineering evaluations, including Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling to understand wave loading and environmental forces during storm events. The results informed tile geometry, material specifications, and bolt-connection design to prevent overstressing while maximizing long-term performance. Our team also incorporated surface textures to support the attachment of oysters, barnacles, and other marine organisms, aligning engineering objectives with SBEP’s ecological goals.
In addition to design and analysis, Bennco Engineering coordinated environmental permitting with FDEP and USACE, developed construction documents, and supported construction milestone inspections and final walkthroughs with the Town.
Team member, Kearns Construction, securing mangrove tiles to seawall
At the ribbon cutting, Associate Principal Jenna Phillips, participated on behalf of Bennco Engineering and highlighted the technical rigor behind the installation. “Our role went far beyond placing habitat tiles on a wall,” said Phillips. “We applied advanced coastal modeling and structural analysis to understand how these units would behave under real storm conditions. That engineering foundation is what makes the ecological component possible, giving the tiles the strength to perform while creating space for a healthier, more resilient Sarasota Bay.”
Bennco Engineering is honored to support SBEP and the Town of Longboat Key in advancing projects that merge engineering precision with meaningful ecological benefit, helping set a new standard for future shoreline adaptation efforts along Florida’s coast.
