Construction Started on Newport Bay Marina Project

Byline: Taylor Hill NEWPORT BEACH — Green fences line the grounds at 2300 Newport Blvd, where a World War II-era shipyard once operated. Demolition and construction on the site have finally begun, with development firm ETCO Homes Inc. moving forward with its plans to create a mixed-use residential and retail center here, along with a 23-slip marina. First approved by Newport Beach City Council in 2006, the Newport Bay Marina project was okayed by the California Coastal Commission in 2009. The final city building permits were obtained in February, paving the way for construction to begin. “It’s been a challenging effort, and we’ve been working on this for over eight years,” project developer Afshin Etebar told the Newport Beach Harbor Commission at its April meeting. Afshin said he hopes construction of the waterside dock replacement and dredging will be completed in a year, and that the residential and commercial buildings will be finished in two years. The planned marina will include 21 slips for boats in the 75-foot range, and two larger slip capable of holding boats up to 135 feet. But Etebar said the big slips will not be used for larger boats, as both the Coastal Commission and the Newport Beach Planning Commission...