Frustrations continue about proposed Safe Harbor plan

Residents continued to air their frustrations about Safe Harbor expanding their business at a Conservation Committee meeting Wednesday, March 18. 

Safe Harbor Marina, located at 3 Green St., is looking to tear down and replace two buildings currently servicing the marina. The larger of the two is used for boat repairs and the other for office space. 

The property owner of Safe Harbor Marinas is a Dallas, Texas based organization that owns and runs marinas globally and was purchased by the private equity firm Blackstone. Blackstone acquired the business for $5.65 billion in April 2025.

Safe Harbor Marinas purchased the property from Brewer Yacht Yard in 2017.

The Safe Harbor team presented updated details of their project addressing aesthetics, zoning and how the business will impact the biological landscape and local residential community. 

One member of the Conservation Commission Paulajean O’Neill was concerned about the aesthetics of the building. O’Neill said she wanted to know what it will look like since it will impact the view of the neighborhood. 

“Now will it look like a big industrial complex or will it look like a cute little marina on a little bit of steroids?” O’Neill asked.  

O’Neill requested a picture or schematics of what the marina looked like before and what it will look like after the project is complete. 

Attorney for Safe Harbor Steve Guard wanted clear explanations of the aesthetic requirements. Guard said the building will be slightly bigger but look mostly the same as the current steel building that stands now. 

Scott Soby asked the Safe Harbor team why they think there has been so much public interest in their project since many residents attend the commission meetings. 

Guard responded there is interest since it's a business in a residential neighborhood. 

“Everybody wants to look at this like it's an expansion of the operation— it's not,” Guard said. “It's a reconfiguration of the operation and much of the operation will be then put inside the building.”

O’Neill asked how many customers Safe Harbor will be able to serve once their new project is complete. 

Guard said Safe Harbor will be accepting fewer clients since their new aim will be for clients with bigger boats. 

“Small boats can't afford to go into this building so what happens is they generally will find other accommodations because we have less space for small boats and bigger boats can go in,” he said.

The commission then opened the meeting to public comment. 

James Morrisey said he has lived in Wareham since the 80s and has seen the area change aesthetically already. Morrisey said he does not want to have to look at a building wall from his backyard.

“I just want to say that the aesthetics are very important and I wish the board would take that into consideration,” Morrisey said. 

Tim Bigelow said he was concerned with Safe Harbor taking business away from area small boat owners. 

Bigelow also requested all Wareham boards to be involved with the Safe Harbor project including the Select Board, Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals before the Conservation Commission authorizes them to continue. 

“If we go through the process and we say, ‘well, from a Conservation Commission perspective, it's okay’— it feels like it can be a rubber stamp for the next group,” Bigelow said. 

Rebecca Hensley reiterated that the Safe Harbor plan does not seem like a simple upgrade, but an expansion. 

“We live next to and among a neighborhood marina and have for as long as we've ever known it,” Hensley said. “But, now we're being asked to live next to a marine services building, which is a very different thing.”

The commission suggested Safe Harbor come back with 3D schematics and a specific plan for the vegetation they want to use. 

The next Conservation Commission meeting discussing Safe Harbor is scheduled for Wednesday, June 3.