"An almost complete rebuild." That was the City of Rockwall's description of the outer dock row at The Harbor two days after the storms and high winds of March 4, 2025. In its March 6, 2025 notice, the city closed the outer row "until further notice" and said repairs could take several months.
Nineteen months later, the outer row still isn't back. Spring 2026 came and went with no reopening. The reason is simple, and it explains this fall at The Harbor. The wind on Lake Ray Hubbard that tore up the docks also kept getting in the way of fixing them. In January 2026, the city pushed back the repair bid deadline, citing "ongoing wind-related damage to the docks." The city now expects the restored docks to be operating in spring 2027.
What broke in March 2025, and what didn't
The first damage hit only part of the dock system. The city's March 2025 notice said the outer row took the damage, while "the inner docks and slips are unaffected and remain open for use." The city's 2026 updates don't say how much of the inner system is usable today. If you're planning to bring a boat over, check with the city before you go. Don't count on that March 2025 sentence still being true.
It also wasn't one storm. The Rockwall Herald-Banner reported that storm damage "began in March 2025 and continued over the next year." So a repair scoped for one storm kept running into the next one.
A schedule written for spring 2026
When the city put the job out to bid, it planned to be finished before boating season. The request for proposals set a completion target of March 1, 2026, with the docks open to the public by April 1, 2026. Here's how that date moved:
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| March 4, 2025 | Storms and high winds damage the outer dock row, and the city closes it |
| December 29, 2025 | Original deadline for repair proposals |
| January 14, 2026 | First extended proposal deadline |
| February 4, 2026 | Second extended deadline, with an addendum citing continuing wind damage |
| March 16, 2026 | City Council approves the contract with All-In Marine |
| April 1, 2026 | Original target for public use of the docks |
| October 2026 | Crews begin installing the 650-foot protective barrier |
| Spring 2027 | Current target for docks to be complete and operating |
The original plan had the docks open about thirteen weeks after the first bid deadline. Once wind damage pushed the deadline into February, the contract wasn't awarded until March 16. That's two weeks after the date the city had hoped to be finished.
The price moved with the damage
The bid request capped the project at $2.25 million. At its March 16, 2026 meeting, according to the council minutes, the council approved All-In Marine's work for $2,881,905, plus another $278,095 in contingency funding. Both come from TIF bonds, and the motion passed 7 to 0.
Together that's $3,160,000. The contract alone came in $631,905 above the original ceiling. The award came after a year in which the Herald-Banner reported the storm damage kept adding up. The funding source matters too. TIF bonds are tied to the district's own development, so the money for the docks comes from a financing tool built around The Harbor area.
Why the barrier comes first
The order of the work explains why reopening is a spring target and not a fall one. The city's October 2026 City Notes lays it out:
"This month, crews began installing a new 650-foot protective barrier designed to help shield the docks from waves and rough water. This important first step will provide added protection for the new docks and is expected to be completed in the Fall. All-In Marine crews will begin assembly and installation as materials arrive, with work continuing through the winter months."
The barrier, which the Herald-Banner calls an attenuator, takes the waves before they reach the docks. The Herald-Banner also reported that the first sections of the new docks were expected "within the next few months," with assembly starting soon after delivery. The steps depend on each other. First the barrier, then materials arrive, then assembly over the winter, then opening in spring. The city says plainly that the project is "currently anticipated" to finish in spring 2027.
A Thursday at The Harbor, arriving by car
The lake side of The Harbor is a work zone this fall. The Rockwall Herald-Banner reports that the fall Concert by the Lake series plays at The Harbor Amphitheater, 2059 Summer Lee Drive, on Thursdays from 7 to 9 p.m., and admission is free. Three shows remain on the city's concert page:
- October 15: Buffett Beach Band, a Jimmy Buffett tribute
- October 22: Def Leggend, a Def Leppard tribute
- October 29: Rockwall Philharmonic, an orchestra
The city posts weather calls by 6 p.m. on concert nights on the Rockwall Parks Facebook page. For parking, it points to the public spaces along Summer Lee Drive and the parking garage by the Trend HR Tower. While boat access is limited, that garage is how most people will get to the amphitheater.
Dinner before the show, by address
Summer Lee Drive is short enough to walk from one end to the other. These Harbor restaurants show current hours, ordering or reservations on their own sites, or have recent dated activity:
- Deviled Egg Co., 2065 Summer Lee Drive, with pickup, delivery and an online menu
- Dodie's Cajun Diner, 2067 Summer Lee Drive, which promoted New Year's Eve and New Year's Day service through Blue Ribbon News in December 2025
- Gloria's Latin Cuisine, 2079 Summer Lee Drive
- Giovanni, 2091 Summer Lee Drive, Suite 111, taking orders and reservations
- Rodeo Goat, 2095 Summer Lee Drive, Suite 105
- Yuzu Japanese Restaurant & Bar, 2101 Summer Lee Drive, #105, taking online orders and reservations
- Sear Steakhouse & Lounge, whose reservation calendar showed open dates for October 2026
- Sideways BBQ, whose specials page lists hours and events for the week of October 11 through 17
- Cold Stone Creamery, 2115 Summer Lee Drive, Suite 101, for after the concert
On a concert Thursday, you could eat at Rodeo Goat or Yuzu, walk down to 2059 Summer Lee for the 7 p.m. start, and finish at Cold Stone. Every stop is on Summer Lee Drive, and the docks aren't part of the plan.
If the boat still needs to get wet
You can still get on Lake Ray Hubbard from the Rockwall side while The Harbor's docks are being rebuilt. The Lake Ray Hubbard Marinas site advertises two marinas, Chandler's Landing and Captain's Cove. It lists secure slips, a boat club, and rentals that include tritoons, ski boats, kayaks and paddleboards. The site doesn't say whether either marina takes boats in for a few hours. If you're hoping to motor over and tie up for dinner, call the marina first.
If spring 2027 holds, the docks will reopen about a year after the city's original April 1, 2026 target, with the contract about $632,000 above the first budget ceiling and a 650-foot barrier in place that the old docks never had.
If you're thinking about selling a Rockwall home near the lake, a big local project like this could come up in buyer conversations, and we're glad to walk you through it. At Evelyn Escuadra, we work in English and Spanish, and we keep up with projects like The Harbor docks so you know what's going on near your home. Schedule a free home valuation, and we'll start with what your house is worth this fall.
