October 22, 2026
If the new parking lot at Coast Guard Beach has been open since Memorial Day weekend, why does East Beach still feel unfinished? Glynn County built the part people need first, which was the lot. The part that will change what a day at this end of St. Simons Island looks like is a single building, and it is still under construction.
As of the county's latest progress report, covering work through September 30, 2026, the Coast Guard Park renovation was about 93 percent complete. The pieces still open on the list are the lifeguard station and restroom building, along with beach sand, trash receptacles, relocating a sign and a sculpture, and new QR-code educational stations. The second phase isn't expected to wrap up until early 2027. This fall, that means a finished lot beside a building that isn't done yet.
The county split the project into two scopes and started them two months apart. Scope A, the parking lot and stormwater work, began in September 2025. Scope B, the lifeguard tower and broader park improvements, began in November 2025. In its May 19, 2026 announcement, Glynn County said it was opening the lot to the public on Friday, May 22, "in time for the holiday weekend," while landscaping, irrigation and building work continued around it. The county's project page now lists Scope A as completed in May 2026.
That release puts the total budget at roughly $7.4 million. The money comes from a $1 million DNR Lifesaving Tower grant, a $3 million Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program grant and $3.4 million in county capital projects funding. The DNR grant is tied to a lifeguard tower, and that tower is the piece still being built. The county's own tracker spells out what that means on the ground. The 93 percent figure measures dollars spent against the contract, about $4.07 million of $4.39 million, with no change orders issued so far. Most of the spending is done, but the building that gives the project its purpose isn't open yet.
Coast Guard Beach didn't get here without argument. In February 2025, The Current reported objections from environmental advocates to the parking expansion, dune leveling, tree removal and wetland fill in the original plans. Megan Desrosiers of One Hundred Miles and Monica Thornton of The Nature Conservancy argued the project worked against conservation goals.
The plans then went before the county's Shore Protection Committee, which approved them unanimously. The Current's March 2025 coverage reported that committee member Valerie Hepburn noted the old volleyball-court area was already disturbed ground, and that she secured a condition requiring native plantings.
That exchange explains much of what visitors will see as the work wraps up. A later Brunswick News progress report describes removing invasive species from the vegetated buffers, planting trees, putting in sand fencing and restoring native dune vegetation to stabilize the shoreline. The project also realigns the southern beach access path so it no longer encroaches on private property, while keeping access open for pedestrians, emergency vehicles and county staff. Expect a changed path to the sand and some young plantings that look sparse this season.
Here is the status, based on Glynn County's reporting through September 30, 2026.
| Element | Status |
|---|---|
| Parking lot and stormwater drainage | Completed May 2026 |
| Lifeguard station and restroom building | Still under construction |
| Beach sand and trash receptacles | Remaining |
| Sign and sculpture relocation | Remaining |
| QR-code educational stations | Remaining |
| Scope B overall | Expected early 2027 |
The opening date has slipped somewhat. At the groundbreaking, The Brunswick News reported a forecast of completion by the end of 2026. The county's current tracker says early 2027. When the lot opened in May, the county said portable restrooms would be available on site. The county's Coast Guard and East Beach page lists parking hours of 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The building going up is meant to match the 1936 station next door. In the Brunswick News progress story, County Commission Chairman Wayne Neal said of the new building, "It mirrors (in appearance) the Coast Guard Museum."
The same article describes what will be inside. James Welch, owner of Salacia Construction, told the paper the structure is about 4,000 square feet, with a patio, showers, a concession area, storage and a playground in the rear. Officials also listed what the old setup lacked. The picnic tables had no cover. The old maintenance shed had a collapsed floor drain, waste line backups and no air conditioning, and it was open to salt air and bugs.
The tower sits on top of that building. In its groundbreaking coverage, The Brunswick News reported that county officials described a tower roughly 45 feet tall, with lifeguard equipment storage and second-floor office space. State Rep. Rick Townsend said the higher vantage point should help guards spot and reach swimmers in trouble sooner. Glynn County's release calls it a "three-story lifeguard tower."
Much of the work is being done by local businesses. Lang Building Supply is providing the lumber, masonry and truss package. After touring the site, Commissioner Bo Clark told The Brunswick News, "We're using lots of local suppliers."
The new building is modeled on a station with a long history. The St. Simons Coast Guard Station at East Beach was built in 1936 as a Public Works Administration project, and its first watch was April 1, 1937. On April 8, 1942, a German U-boat torpedoed the merchant ships S.S. Esso Baton Rouge and S.S. Oklahoma off the island, and survivors were brought to the station. The station was decommissioned in 1995 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. Today the Coastal Georgia Historical Society runs it as the World War II Home Front Museum.
The Society's visitor page lists museum hours of Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m., with last tickets at 4:30 p.m. Admission is $12 for adults and $6 for ages 6 to 12, with a $2 military discount with ID. Children under six and Society members get in free. Museum parking is directly in front of the main station, with overflow in the next East Beach lot. That page doesn't mention the construction next door, so call ahead before planning a visit around it.
Fall also brings a rule change that matters at this end of the island. From the Saturday before Memorial Day through Labor Day, dogs are not allowed on the beach between 16th Street, at Gould's Inlet and East Beach South, and Mallery Street at the St. Simons Pier from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Outside that window, Glynn County says dogs are welcome on all beach areas as long as they stay under immediate control. If voice control isn't reliable, a 10-foot leash is required. The full rules are in Chapter 2-11 of the Glynn County Code of Ordinances. This is general information, not legal advice, so check the county's current text if your plans depend on it.
Coast Guard Beach is inside that seasonal zone, so the months the new building is going up are also the months dogs can be on the sand there during the day. For a costumed outing, the Coastal Georgia Historical Society is holding Dog-Gone Spooky on Friday, October 30, at 3 p.m. on the St. Simons Lighthouse lawn. The program includes a story about the Svendsen family's dog, Jinx, followed by a parade around the A.W. Jones Heritage Center. Entry is $15 per costume, dogs must be leashed, and spectators attend free.
When Scope B wraps up, this end of the island gets things it hasn't had in this form before: a lifeguard post about 45 feet up, showers, a concession area, a patio, a playground behind the building, and QR-code educational stations. The county's project page carries the county's progress updates and is the place to watch for an opening date.
If you're curious how changes like this at East Beach fit into everyday life around the south end of St. Simons, I'm happy to talk it through. You can find more on the island on my St. Simons Island neighborhood page, or reach out to Janice Morgan directly. Let's Connect.
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