Watermark buys lake front Burger King property

LACONIA — Watermark Marine's vision to expand its marine related businesses has become a reality where an eye-sore sits today. The property on upper Union Avenue, which has become known as the "Old Burger King", has been idle for more than four years and has recently been acquired by Watermark.

As a Lakes Region business that has been operating here for more than 20 years, Watermark sees this location as an opportunity to provide a critical commercial access point to the "Big Lake" (Lake Winnipesaukee) and a prime location for a retail "Ships Store", which does not exist today.

Paul Goodwin, principle of Watermark Marine Systems, started discussions with realtor Kevin Sullivan, of Weeks Commercial Real Estate, last fall, when Sullivan saw potential for the best use of this property. Sullivan approached Goodwin to draw his attention to the commercial waterfront and high-traffic Union Avenue location. Given these discussions and the exclusive opportunity for an owned commercial entry point to the "Big Lake", Watermark entered an agreement to purchase the property and over the winter began the permitting process.

"When Kevin brought this idea to me, I was excited about the prospect of having our own commercial access point to the lake," says Goodwin, "and knowing that we will be the only marine contractor to have full-time access to the water." The property allows Watermark to leverage their current marine construction services and expand with a retail marine "Ships Store", opportunities that are missing in the Lakes Region today.

Watermark will remodel the existing restaurant building; construct a 13-slip commercial marina with commercial launch ramp, and install a public dock for transient boaters to access the retail store. "We are looking forward to the prospects that being on the water gives our business both short and long term," states Goodwin, "Offering the Lakes Region a waterfront location for all marine needs and a safe harbor for our marine construction operation is an opportunity too good to pass-up."

Goodwin looks to have a "soft" opening in late 2012, with a "Grand Opening" planned for Memorial Day 2013. All permits are in-place and work will start in the near future. The new retail operation will offer boating products such as; docks, marine hardware, life jackets, mooring whips, boat lifts, swim rafts, lines, moorings, paddles, flagpoles, and other marine gear and accessories.

Sullivan represented the sellers and assisted Watermark Marine in this transaction. Weeks Commercial is the only full service, commercial only, real estate office in central New Hampshire, offering commercial sales, leasing, and business brokerage services. The company has five full time agents boasting nearly 150 years of real estate experience in the Lakes Region. Sullivan, who joined the company in 2007, has personally specialized in commercial investment income properties and actively has managed many properties for the previous 20 years.

Watermark was originally established in 1990 and is now two distinct marine businesses. Watermark Marine Systems, LLC and SealiteUSA, LLC. Watermark Marine Construction offers custom shorefront construction of docks, beaches, breakwaters, boathouses, etc. Their full service approach of disign, permit and construct offers clients a one-stop shop for all their waterfront needs. Watermark also offers Sunstream Boatlifts, and has been recognized as the number three Sunlift dealer in the United States. Watermark is the largest marine construction company in the Lakes Region with locations in Gilford and Sunapee. For more information: www.docksource.com 603-293-4000.

CAPTION: Kevin Sullivan (left) and Paul Goodwin shake at the future site of Watermark Marine Construction and "Ships Store" on upper Union Ave. in Laconia. (Photo courtesy of Maureen Bieniarz-Pond)

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