Annapolis’ $100 million overhaul of City Dock survived another legal challenge, this time prevailing in a lawsuit brought by a nonprofit dedicated to preserving the city’s past.

Anne Arundel County Circuit Judge Stacy W. McCormack shot down a legal challenge from Historic Annapolis, Inc., which argued the Annapolis Historic Preservation Commission violated city code by approving a plan to build a Maritime Welcome Center at City Dock.

In an opinion Thursday, McCormack wrote that Historic Annapolis’ argument “failed to provide evidence that the HPC acted in a manner that was arbitrary and capricious and is therefore wholly without merit.”

The Maritime Welcome Center is just one feature of the City Dock Resiliency Project, which is meant to protect downtown Annapolis from storm surges and sea-level rise. The city plans to raise the waterfront to 8 feet above sea level and add green space, pavilions, a splash park, and a flood barrier system.

In a statement, Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley explained why he believed a welcome center is critical, noting that the facility would include the headquarters for Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County.

“[I]t will also provide modern boater amenities (showers, laundry, package drops, workspace, and public space) as part of the redesign of City Dock,” the Democrat said. “Boater amenities are critical for a premiere sailing destination like Annapolis because, just as airports need terminals and highways need rest stops, world-class harbors need to meet the practical needs of visiting mariners.”

Attorney C. Edward Hartman III, who represents Historic Annapolis, said his client was considering an appeal.

He also represented an anonymous resident who argued in a separate lawsuit that the Historic Preservation Commission erred when it approved the demolition of the harbormaster’s building at City Dock.

In March, Anne Arundel Circuit Judge Michael E. Malone ruled in the city’s favor in that case.

Crews then tore down the harbormaster’s building and began utility work at City Dock to prepare for extensive construction slated to begin after October’s Annapolis Sailboat Show, which draws large crowds to the city’s waterfront.

The unnamed resident has appealed Malone’s decision. Their appeal is pending before the Appellate Court of Maryland.

Annapolis officials are still waiting to see whether the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, approves a $33 million grant for the resiliency project.

Should that money fall through, it will be up to a new mayor to adjust the City Dock project, as the term-limited Buckley leaves office at year’s end.

Historic Annapolis’ legal challenge centered on the city’s plans for Burtis House, the home of a 19th-century waterman.

Annapolis plans to fix up the historic home and feature it alongside the Maritime Welcome Center.

Describing itself as the “premier advocate for historic preservation in Annapolis,” Historic Annapolis said in a statement provided by Hartley that it pursued the legal challenge “to help safeguard the future of our historic downtown.”

“We had concerns with the size of the building and its classification as a separate structure, despite its physical attachment to the historic William Burtis House,” the organization said. “As we have consistently stated, we fully support resiliency and the redevelopment of City Dock, but we object to this discreet element of the plan.”

In her opinion, McCormack wrote that the Historic Preservation Commission demonstrated “the utmost care” in reviewing applications for the Maritime Welcome Center.

Eileen Fogarty, project manager for the City Dock revitalization, touted McCormack’s ruling as “more than a legal victory” in a statement.

“The Court confirmed what we already knew: the volunteers who serve on the Historic Preservation Commission followed the process thoughtfully and fairly,” Fogarty said. “With this ruling, we can now press ahead with both the Maritime Welcome Center and the critical resiliency work to protect downtown Annapolis from the disastrous impacts of flooding.”

This article may be updated.