Construction began on December 30, 1960 with the construction of the 1500-foot timber panel wall. Completed by the first of three continuing contracts, this wall which formed the cooling water canal along the west side of the river was constructed by the J.F. White Construction Company at a costs of $1.4 million. The J.F. White Construction Company of Needham Heights, Massachusetts was founded in 1925. In the 20 years prior to the construction of the Hurricane Barrier, the firm had built highways, bridges, waterfront installations, and performed marine dredging.
The major component of the hurricane barrier, which was started in 1961, consists of a concrete barrier section, gated river openings, and the pumping station. The building of the barrier and and appurtenances was completed under a $8.2 million contract awarded to the M.A. Gammino Construction Company in May 1961. The contract also entailed the installation of the pumps which were to be supplied by the Federal government. The M.A. Gammino Construction Company was located in Providence and offered an opportunity for local involvement and investment. The firm was founded in 1915 by Michael A. Gammino who passed away in 1949. At the time of the Hurricane Barrier's construction, his two sons, Frank A. Gammino, president and treasurer, and Thomas A. Gammino, vice president, continued to operate the firm. Domenic J. Mainelli, the firm's vice president for engineering and chief engineer, was the project engineer for the Fox Point Barrier. The firm was also awarded contracts for Interstate Route 95 through Providence ($15 million), the Newport Breakwater ($3.5 million), Route 95 through Attleboro, Massachusetts ($3.5 million), and Route 95 through Warwick ($8 million).
The invitation for bids on the pumping equipment was issued on March 17, 1961. All bids were due by May 2, 1961. The contract for the pumping station equipment was awarded to the Worthington Corporation in August, 1961. At a cost of $1.6 million, the Worthington Corporation provided the pumps, motors, and switch gear. When first constructed, these pumps were among the largest in the world. The five identical pumps with interchangeable parts each arrived on different days - Pump #1 on October 1, 1962; Pump #2 on December 1, 1962; Pump #3 on February 1, 1963, Pump #4 on April 1, 1963; and Pump #5 on June 15, 1963. Each pump is 54.7 feet high and includes a 4500-horsepower motor designed and built
