One of downtown Wilmington's prime tourist spots is expected to get a boost from federal funds to the U.S. Coast Guard for repairs to the bulkhead along the Wilmington riverfront.

U.S. Rep. David Rouzer (R-NC) was joined by Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo and the rest of the Wilmington City Council on Tuesday at Riverfront Park to announce that $6.7 million has been set aside for the Coast Guard to repair its portion of the bulkhead along the Cape Fear River.

That bulkhead is the area in which the U.S. Coast Guard homeports the cutter Diligence and is federally owned, Saffo said. 

"It's a significant repair job. It's a significant investment that the U.S. Coast Guard is making here. And more importantly, it gives us the opportunity now to proceed with our park improvements," Saffo said, adding that the city has about $1.5 million earmarked to finish its Riverfront Park changes.

"It's been years, years in the making and I'm just really thrilled to be able to help bring this to a closure and move forward ... It will be a couple-year process, for sure. But the money is there. And we are really looking forward to the completion of this project. It's just going to be great for the city," Rouzer said.

Rouzer said there were many players involved in securing the funds put aside for the bulkhead project.

According to Rouzer's office, the congressman voted for "the House-passed disaster supplemental appropriations bill (H.R. 4667) on 12/21/17. H.R. 4667 was not considered by the Senate. Ultimately, supplemental disaster appropriations were included in the Bipartisan Budget Act which was signed into law by President Trump on 2/9/2018. Both disaster funding bills included funds for repair of Coast Guard facilities."

Rouzer said the U.S. Coast Guard has a plan in place, beginning with placing the project up for bid. “That will take six to eight months," he said. "Like with any project it takes a little while to complete it, so it will be a two- or three-year project."

The bulkhead work would pave way for the city to start its next phase of Riverfront Park improvements, according to city spokesman Dylan Lee.

Saffo said the city had to wait for the U.S. Coast Guard to get funding and complete repairs to the bulkhead before moving forward with its park plans. The city's bulkhead has took a hit from the Cape Fear River, he said, including Hurricane Matthew, which struck the region in late 2016.

The city’s $6.3 million overhaul of Riverfront Park and Water Street began in September 2015. The city crews made its own bulkhead repairs at the foot of Market Street. According to the city, the U.S. Coast Guard work would take place from in front of the federal courthouse building to the Chestnut Street area.

The city has also collaborated with the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority on portions of the project, which included stormwater replacement and water and sewer installation.

Other portions of the improvements will include new park amenities and streetscaping from in front of the courthouse building to Princess Street, as well as work in front of the River Place mixed-use development, which is under construction.

"The city has plans ... we've approved them," Saffo said of the park. "So we are ready to go as soon as they (the Coast Guard) get finished with their work. And we're really glad this has happened."

Part of the city's plan included leveling a portion of the streetscape in front of the federal courthouse building along Water Street between Market and Princess streets, which according to the city, is about 150 feet long. 

"A goal of the city's was to make the area along water street all one level," Saffo said, "so when we have concerts here it will be all one level ... people will have wheelchair accessibility -- ADA requirements that are necessary -- but it will just make it a more comfortable park, a much more user-friendly park and its something I think we'll be very proud of."

Rouzer said the funds are going to help the city near its completion of those plans, adding, "I think that's why the mayor and city council are so excited about it. They put a lot of money, a lot of effort toward revitalizing the downtown here -- right here on the waterfront -- but you can't have a complete project without restoring the bulkhead."

Correction: This story has been corrected to reflect the total area of the leveled streetscape.