The Crescent City Harbor Sans a Vessel Repair Yard

What’s going to happen to the Fashion Blacksmith building?

Next time you’re at the Harbor, take a good look at the Fashion building; it may be your last view of the iconic vessel repair yard which had served harbor tenants and customers for forty years.

If the Crescent City Harbor District (CCHD) has its way, the building will be leveled and there will may no vessel repair yard in the Crescent City Harbor.

In the wake of the law suit filed against the Harbor on which Fashion Blacksmith prevailed back in March, 2023, the Harbor has saddled itself in massive long-term debt for the next decade. Fashion will be compensated $2.6 million in tenthly payments at five percent interest. The first payment of $531,000 was paid to Fashion Blacksmith, this past April. The settlement also included a lease buyout with 12 years remaining and anticipated profits realized during the remainder of the lease.

Harbormaster Tim Petrick shared with the public, the status of the soon to be vacated building. “As per the Agreement, Fashion Blacksmith will vacate by June 30. The Harbor has preliminary plans to remove and replace the building and completely remodel the lot, syncrolift and drainage into a boat yard that meets current environmental standards and the future needs of our vessel owners. This is all dependent on the state of the yard when we take possession and acquire funding. The District is exploring leasing the boat yard in an “as is” condition to a tenant who would be willing to work with us while we acquire funding and complete improvements so that we (the Harbor) are able to keep some functionality in the meantime.”

Petrick estimated restoration costs at about $8 million.

The Long family and principal Ted Long issued no statement on the settlement. The Arbitration Panel found in favor of Fashion on the basis of the Harbor’s inability and failure to dredge the inner harbor by October 31, 2023. The dredging underneath the Fashion pier was ordered by the Panel to a depth to at least 18 feet, allowing larger vessels to access the syncrolift to raise and lower vessels to the water’s surface. The Harbor had not dredged under the syncrolift since 2015. Other Arbitration issues involved the Harbor’s failure to maintain the facility housing tenant Fashion’s structure.

Further inquiries are directed to Harbormaster Petrick, tpetrick@ccharbor.com.