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Destin Water Users, Inc. break ground on new $19.5 million construction project

On Monday, March 14, Destin Water Users, Inc. broke ground on their new office building, warehouses, and parking garage located at the George French Water Reclamation Facility at 14 Industrial Park Lane. The cost of construction is $19.5 million, including architectural and engineering fees, furniture, fixtures, and equipment. The new structures will replace old buildings […]

(from left to right): Paul Reese, Facilities Manager DWU; Monica Wallis, Operations Manager DWU; Doug Thomason, Architect - Michael Baker International; Sandy Trammell, Director DWU; Jim Wood, Secretary/Treasurer DWU; Ken Wampler, Director DWU; Jim Foreman, Director DWU; Tom Weidenhamer, President DWU; Jimmy Neilson, Vice-President DWU; Lockwood Wernet, General Manager DWU; Tiffany Castricone, Architect - Michael Baker International; Jose Acosta, Project Engineer Walbridge; and Rick Watson, Superintendent Walbridge.

On Monday, March 14, Destin Water Users, Inc. broke ground on their new office building, warehouses, and parking garage located at the George French Water Reclamation Facility at 14 Industrial Park Lane.

  • The cost of construction is $19.5 million, including architectural and engineering fees, furniture, fixtures, and equipment.

The new structures will replace old buildings that predate current hurricane building codes. The new office building will also consolidate offices and personnel working on the plant and will serve as a command center post hurricane.

“We were concerned that the current building would not withstand the strong storms we’ve seen in recent years and it would hinder our ability to recover,” said Lockwood Wernet, DWU General Manager.  “We were also concerned about our ability to keep staff safe in buildings that are not rated to withstand the strong hurricanes.”

DWU has been working on the plans since 2019 with architect Michael Baker International. The new office building will be a 12,855 square-foot, two-story split face block construction while the warehouse will be a 6,268 square-foot, pre-engineered metal building to house inventory.

  • There will also be a new 7,396 square-foot, pre-engineered departmental storage building that will serve as work and storage area for different departments working on the plant and in the field.
  • The parking garage will be a three-story, 26,400 square-foot precast concrete structure with 67 parking spaces.

Working with Walbridge Construction, DWU has contracted with them as a Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) to assist with the Plant Facilities Redevelopment.  The CMAR will assist DWU with completing design of the project and then help with construction management and the close-out of the project.

“As we begin construction, we are confident that we are doing our part to ensure that we continue to provide essential services to our members and that we can respond immediately after any natural disaster thereby living up to our mission statement that we are intent on doing our part to preserve this paradise we call home,” said DWU President Tom Weidenhamer.

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Community Comments

“Thanks Jared for a concise factual article. Too much false narratives floating around social media.”
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“Thee is no such a thing as affordable housing for over half the people that live in this area. People can’t afford 300, 400 or 500k for a house. Build...”
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“That portion has been closed because of wild hogs destroying it, I believe”
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“Got make up for the 10 mill purchase of the SS United States and getting fined 1k a day while it still sits in port”
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“Follow the $. It's highly probable the developers have a military connection. And "affordable housing" is a sad case of smoke and mirrors.”
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“Why not give the actual location of the new school, but from the little you gave on that point, I'm "assuming" that it will, like just about nearly every school...”
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“Is HCA Twin Cities able to provide cardiac care?”
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“It is amazing on one hand Walton county will purchase 2,000 acres for a state park and claim it is all about the enviroment amd protecting the Florida Black Bear...”
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“Here goes all our natural Woods & Wild Life . Next thing you know they'll be building Businesses. And Gas Stations . And Big Houses .”
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“It would be nice to know where it will be located. What about designs and will it have primitive camping or a combination of RV sites. What, no artist rendition?...”
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