Sea wall repairs taking place on Marco Island

Construction crews are working to fix a sea wall on Marco Island that was damaged when Hurricane Irma slammed the area nearly 10 months ago.

Construction is happening north of Palm Street and Bald Eagle Drive.

The construction itself is a big deal for people who call the area home, and it’s been something they’ve been waiting for for a while.

“Grew up there, fished there everyday, it’s where my grandparents spent their whole life. 60 years almost there at that spot,” said fisherman John Dillashaw.

It was a spot that held many memories for Dillashaw and his family, and he was devastated when it was ripped away by Irma.

“It’s actually heartbreaking every time I go by it,” he said.

The storm flushed out all the dirt underneath the Villa De Marco West condo building and took the 400-foot long sea wall with it. It’s since been taped off, untouched for nine months.

“It’s been a very tough job, and for the past two months, like everyone else, we were very helter skelter trying to get everything organized,” said the president of the condo building, Ben Farnsworth.

But now, things are starting to fall into place.

“We’re going to return this to the beautiful spot that it was before September 10,” Farnsworth said.

Construction began Friday, and locals are catching glimpses of the repairs.

“I saw the barge there and it put a big smile on my face,” Dillashaw said.

And people who live in the condos agree.

“Everybody’s been damaged by Irma so it takes a long time to have things, and that’s a big fix,” said condo owner Trish Rowland. “Irma did what she did and we still are rebuilding–bigger and better.”

The building owner says construction should take three to five months.