The Power of Partnerships: 5 Keys to Success

Buffalo Harbor Marina

From LinkedIn

Partnerships are one of the most powerful tools in business no matter the size of the organization. The benefits are substantial: access to new technologies, resources, and markets as well as reduced costs, improved efficiency, and increased innovation. But successful partnerships are like a successful marriage – it takes hard work, a commitment to the relationship, and trust.

One of the best examples of finding success through partnerships is our project revitalizing the Buffalo Harbor Marina in 2015. The project was one of the first major intercoastal waterfront revitalization projects for the city of Buffalo, NY, where private development monies were used to bring new commerce to a rapidly changing and revamped city economy. Working together with the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation, it was part of the Governor of New York’s vision for establishing the new, first-class 200-acre Buffalo Harbor State Park and improving the Outer Harbor.  It’s an example of one of our many public-private partnerships, but it also required us to enlist a powerful partnership with Meeco Sullivan to use their expertise and talents in executing one of the most important aspects of the overall project – the dock system. As we look back at this project, the success we achieved reinforced what we already knew – having the right partners and working together allows all boats to rise.

5 KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIPS:

#1 CORPORATE CULTURE OF TEAMWORK

Building powerful partnerships is a central part of the business philosophy behind Go Outdoors by Safe Harbor Development. As a company, we are organized and structured in a way that naturally encourages collaboration. We all share a strong bond, and teamwork is an essential part of the DNA of our corporate culture. Being comfortable and familiar with working as a team is the most important factor to a successful partnership: The lessons we’ve learned within our teams are the same ones we use to bolster our relationships with existing partners and in finding new joint ventures. Being comfortable with sharing expertise, getting views from all sides, bouncing ideas off of each other, being respectful and open minded – these are practices that need to be implemented daily. If you have a strong practice of teamwork internally, forging a productive partnership is all the more likely.

#2 TRANSPARENCY

With partnerships, not everyone has exactly the same goals. The success lies in the intersection of these combined goals. But it’s important to be transparent and clear from the beginning what success looks like for all parties, along with any potential areas of conflict. In this case, when we started, our partner, Robert Gioia, then Chairman of the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation (ECHDC), made it clear just how important the marina was to the NY Governor’s vision for establishing a new, first-class Buffalo Harbor State Park and continuing to improve the Outer Harbor. The State Parks Commissioner at the time, Rose Harvey, reminded us that upgrading the marina at Buffalo Harbor State Park was just one step in transforming the Buffalo waterfront into a dynamic and re-energized destination for visitors to enjoy. The improvements to the marina, which included restoration of a beautiful greenspace, a new playground, picnic pavilions, stage area, and a fish cleaning station, would all be providing visitors a staple of quality of life in Buffalo, but would also require a balance to assure in the end it was affordable for the community and marina members.The overlap, for us, is our winning track record in building successful public-private partnerships that create quality destinations, combining marinas with restaurants and other activities. We had the ideal blend of competence and financial resources to create a high-quality destination for both boaters and visitors. And we were just as committed to improving the marina at Buffalo Harbor State Park and, in the process, Buffalo’s revitalized waterfront.

#3 ANTICIPATE CHALLENGES AND ROADBLOCKS

Going into this project, we knew one of our biggest challenges was the existing dock system which was completely outdated. We chose to partner with the team at Meeco Sullivan, the leading experts in dock design, manufacturing, and installation. It made perfect sense to lean on their experience, the quality of their designs, and their ability to produce a project of this size and deliver it on time and on budget.

Having an expert partner, however, doesn’t mean there’s a simple hand-off and we get to walk away. It was our job to anticipate the challenges ahead and try to smooth out any roadblocks. Sometimes our expertise solved a problem. Sometimes their knowledge avoided a pitfall. But more often than not, our most creative solutions were the result of joining forces and using our combined expertise together.

There were many challenges redesigning and reconfiguring the dock system and determining the right materials and systems to implement given local weather and water conditions. Along the way we ran interference and paved a clear path for our partners to be able to meet our goals The new docks were constructed of Meeco Sullivan’s galvanized steel frame system with composite decking and encapsulated flotation that included slip sizes to accommodate the most popular boat sizes in the area.

#4 GAIN INPUT BEFORE FINAL DECISIONS

What is often overlooked in partnerships is gaining input from all stakeholders before making final decisions. It’s essential to gather information, seek advice, and have our ideas questioned in order to make the right final decision. Working with our partners at Meeco Sullivan, we achieved maximum space utilization while providing the most functional, updated slip sizes and amenities available at any marina in the region. In order to get there, a series of decisions had to be made. We welcomed input from our partners, especially in regards to incorporating the right anchoring system for a structure that needed to be permanent. 

In the end, we landed on a chain and cable anchoring system with driven piles beneath the water that are an integral part of the marina design being able to withstand the extreme temperature changes and water flow conditions. The system also enabled us to maintain a clean, aesthetic look with the new docks. Meeco Sullivan handled all aspects of the design, engineering and production of the floating structures, and local contractors handled the installation of the docks and utilities.

#5 RESPECT THE NEEDS OF PARTNERS

Companies reap the benefits of joining forces with other organizations to access something different: specialized expertise, technology, or manpower, for example. But all too often, the biggest hurdle is that they are different. They have different systems and processes, priorities, management styles, corporate cultures, and the list goes on. These areas frequently cause the most friction in partnerships. It’s essential to keep the focus on the end product and where your companies intersect. The expression “working partnership” is a descriptor, but also an idea that it takes work. Ultimately, a successful partnership requires all parties to respect the different needs of all stakeholders.

In the case of our partnerships with the New York State Parks System, The City of Buffalo Inner Harbor Development Corporation, and Meeco Sullivan, we were able to revise and reconfigure the previous Lake Erie Marina into the largest full-service marina in the New York State Parks System with 1063 slips. It was an $11 million investment in capital improvements that also included:

  • New slip layout and redesign to accommodate popular boat sizes

  • Updated electrical, water service, and lighting

  • Reimagined and fully renovated an 8,000 square-foot full-service restaurant into the nautically-themed Charlie’s Boat Yard

  • Constructed an administration building for on-site operations, management, and boater services offices

  • Added 214 parking spaces

  • Built a bait shop and ship store

  • New storage facilities

  • Dock replacement in partnership with Meeco Sullivan

  • New fuel pier with modern fueling stations

  • Courtesy docks with ADA accessibility

  • 400-foot wind and wave attenuator to protect fueling and courtesy slips at the mouth of the harbor

Partnerships in business can be incredibly powerful tools for success. When two or more businesses come together and pool their resources, they can create something much greater than the sum of their parts. Partnerships can help businesses expand into new markets, develop new products and services, and reach new customers. They can also provide businesses with access to capital, expertise, and networks that they would not otherwise have. At Go Outdoors by Safe Harbor Development, we have been honored to partner with many great organizations, and it’s an important key to our achievements. If your business is willing to put in the work, partnerships can be your super power to success.