‘Not Feasible to Save’: City to Demolish Atlantic Seafood Building

The vacant Atlantic Seafood building next to the Fernandina Beach marina boat ramp has been declared an “unsafe structure” under the Florida Building Code and is now slated for demolition.

The city ordered a structural assessment after the lease with Atlantic Seafood formally ended last month. That inspection, conducted by Gillette and Associates, revealed significant structural failures that pose public safety risks.

“Damage to the structure appears to be a lack of proper upkeep, maintenance, and upgrades as required for the corrosive environment,” the report dated Oct. 6 stated. “We visually examined the existing wall system and found greater than 33% of the wall systems to be structurally deficient with settling, water damage, and listing due to rot and lack of maintenance.”

The report also found widespread water intrusion and noted that bringing the building up to code — especially floodplain regulations — would be infeasible. The engineers recommended demolition and replacement.

“The amount of repair and modification will require the commercial structure to meet current flood ordinance, which is not feasible,” the report concluded. “From a cost and feasibility standpoint, we recommend the structure be demolished and a new structure be designed and constructed in accordance with current flood requirements, building codes, and land development codes.”

City officials have begun exploring demolition costs, though no plans have been finalized for what — if anything — might replace the riverfront structure, which operated for more than 40 years.

The city’s lease with Atlantic Seafood Bait and Tackle LLC, originally signed in 2008 and set to run through 2028, was mutually terminated in September without financial penalty. The lease had since been reassigned to Atlantic Seafood, LLC, under Ernie Saltmarsh.

Saltmarsh voluntarily closed the retail shop and requested early termination. In return, the city waived all remaining lease obligations.

Saltmarsh had once proposed replacing the aging building with a new combination restaurant and seafood market slightly east of its current location, allowing space for the city’s flood protection wall. However, that plan never moved forward, and the structure remained in deteriorating condition.

City Manager Sarah Campbell supported the early termination, citing multiple upcoming public projects in the area.

“It does benefit the city to close the shop early,” Campbell said, pointing to planned improvements to the boat ramp and an expansion of the waterfront park. Having the property available sooner, she noted, aligns with broader revitalization efforts for the riverfront.