Crews will begin tearing down Brett's Waterway Café at 9 a.m. Monday, Oct. 26, ending 42 years of waterfront dining at the foot of Centre Street in downtown Fernandina Beach.

The demolition, first reported by the Fernandina Observer, kicks off the most visible phase of a $12.58 million reconstruction of the Fernandina Harbor Marina. The city called it the largest capital construction project in its history.

The Fernandina Beach News-Leader reported that contractors have nearly completed the mobilization phase and that building demolition was expected the last week of October, according to the city's weekly progress report.

The city has begun preparing for spectators. Communications Manager Mary Hamburg asked in an email that barricades be placed around a designated viewing area and requested police at the scene, the Observer reported. "We are expecting spectators and would like them to be contained as much as possible for their safety," Hamburg wrote.

Downtown District Coordinator Katie Newton notified parking management that a portion of Parking Lot B would be blocked off for viewing, primarily for news media, according to the Observer. The restricted area could remain in place throughout the day depending on the crowd.

Brett's opened in 1984 at 1 S. Front St. and occupied one of the city's most prominent waterfront spots, perched over the Amelia River. The restaurant served its final customers on Oct. 4, 2025.

The dispute over the building's future intensified in July 2021, when the city's marine engineer declared the restaurant structurally unsafe, according to the Observer. A condemnation notice cited the active collapse of a concrete structural member supporting the building above the river.

What started as a plan to demolish Brett's grew into a broader reconstruction after engineers found the marina's aging infrastructure also needed extensive repairs. On July 21, the City Commission voted unanimously to approve the project, awarding a roughly $9.66 million construction contract to Baker Design Build.

The scope now includes removing more than 60 aging pilings, replacing the deteriorating bulkhead, building a new public pier aligned with Centre Street and expanding dredging to nearly three times the area originally proposed. A new over-water fuel system, floating docks and improved public access are also planned. No replacement restaurant is included.

Engineers have warned that decades-old concrete debris buried beneath the marina could complicate the work. Passero Associates CEO Andrew Holesko told commissioners in July that concrete from a previous waterfront structure was never removed when Brett's was built.

Deputy City Manager Jeremiah Glisson told the News-Leader the city's slate is full of "generational" projects. The city budgeted a 15 percent contingency for high-risk seawall excavation and 10 percent for the rest of the project to cover unforeseen conditions, the Observer reported.

The marina will remain operational during construction, though boats and services will be relocated as work progresses. Parking Lot A has been closed for staging, and marina businesses including the Ship Store have moved to temporary locations.

The city also recently received a $450,000 grant from the Florida Inland Navigation District to help fund marina dredging, according to the News-Leader. The project is financed through borrowed funds, Community Redevelopment Agency money, parking revenue, marina operations and state grants.

Construction is scheduled for completion by Dec. 3, 2027.