Shea showcased its diverse concrete products in its Above Ground Precast honor. A Newport, RI seawall project alongside Ocean Avenue required specially-designed retaining wall blocks that Shea manufactured. The project focused on replacing a 300-foot failing retaining wall that was originally built in the 1930s. Of the 14 design proposals, Shea’s team of Mello Construction Company, Contech Engineered Solutions, and Gary K. Munkelt & Associates separated itself as the only one to offer a complete seawall replacement.

The project was funded by the Federal Highway Administration and the Rhode Island Department of Transportation served as the liaison. This meant Shea’s team of designers, engineers, and producers needed to follow all standards at the state and federal levels. The Ocean Avenue seawall project was completed just in time for Tropical Storm Irene in August 2011 and Hurricane Sandy in 2012.