Clovernook Golf Club Lakewall Installed by Down to Earth Waterfront
Only the Beginning for Rapidly Growing ESP Partner
When you speak with Ignatius “Iggy” Dosky, the determined entrepreneur behind Down to Earth Waterfront (D2E), one thing becomes clear right away: this is a company built on systems, solutions, and trust, and that’s its greatest strength.
Since its start in 2011, Down to Earth has grown from a scrappy crew building its first dock into a full-scale, multiple-location operation with barges, cranes, tugboats, and a reputation as one of the most respected waterfront construction firms in the region—and one of ESP’s most trusted partners.
“We didn’t know exactly where the company was going to take us at first,” Iggy recalls. “But we knew it was going to be waterfront. From the beginning, that’s been our exclusive focus. One dock became two, two became 10, then, based on our results, the Lake Cable Community asked us to build all the docks at 10 of their 11 marinas in ten years. That’s more than 450 docks. At that point, it was off to the races, but we needed to build smart.”
A Story of Growth and Grit
The company’s roots are as humble as they are inspiring. Iggy, then working at a furniture store as a salesman, was asked to help build a patio on a steep hill. Local vendors had turned down the job, deeming it too difficult and not worth the trouble. He used vacation time to tackle the project, noting that anywhere he encountered a difficult challenge, he knew “it was just a solution waiting to present itself.”
The successful patio project led to a series of requests for dock installations. Soon, he and a small team—“Tom with a truck, Dan with a van,” as he affectionately refers to those early days—were building so many docks at Lake Cable that their helical anchor supplier couldn’t keep up with demand. Rather than getting bottlenecked, they reverse-engineered the process and developed their own in-house solution. Another problem concealing a solution ready to be discovered.
As the saying goes in business, it’s the customer who tells you what you do. After receiving requests to install shoreline erosion control and quickly learning that boulders kept sinking into the mud, Iggy discovered vinyl sheet piling manufactured by Everlast Seawalls.
The opportunity to install vinyl bulkheads for customers was a natural next step for the growing D2E business and represented a major new solution D2E could offer its waterfront clientele. The company cut its teeth installing a number of lakewalls at nearby Congress Lake based on popular demand.
“It’s been step after step, project after project,” Iggy says. “We don’t run out of work—we run out of time.”
A Defining Challenge: Clovernook Golf Club Lakewall
If one vinyl bulkhead project cemented Down to Earth’s reputation as a major player in the marine contractor industry, it was the Covernook Golf Club lakewall in Cincinnati, OH. In addition to the 2,000 linear foot lakewall, the project also included building a superstructure to support a new commercial-grade pedestrian bridge and path.
D2E used ESP 2.1 series in 12 ft and 14 ft lengths, with approximately half of the length getting driven underground for maximum strength and durability. Adding complexity, all equipment had to be managed from the water by barge to protect the golf course.
Mother Nature’s Not So Subtle Reminder Who’s In Charge
For her part, Mother Nature also added some unanticipated complexity. The entire project was expected to take three months. However, just after breaking ground, a major snowstorm barreled through, a level of severity of which hadn’t been recorded in over 50 years. The 18 inches of snow was an impediment, but it was the persistent below-freezing temperatures that presented a serious challenge. The heavy equipment took almost two hours to warm up each day, followed by having to break up 6 inches of ice every morning. All in all, it took four hours every morning before work could even begin.
The team kept their heads down (and their hands near the exhaust) and kept working. Ultimately, the project took an extra two grueling months to complete, but the company’s reputation for getting the job done, no matter what, was set in stone. Or, rather, ice.
Clovernook Golf Course Project Gallery (Before and After)
Systems, Solutions, and Standards
What really sets Down to Earth apart is its disciplined approach to operations. Every employee works on commission, every project is tracked through BuilderTrend for precise job costing, and every outcome is evaluated by the numbers. That kind of rigor, paired with a philosophy of “no problems, only solutions,” has allowed the company to deliver consistently even on the most demanding jobs.
Iggy credits a Board of Advisors with helping refine the company’s processes and philosophy. “Having a company built on systems and processes is totally different than running by the seat of your pants,” he explains. “We are likely the highest bid, but people know they’re getting an entirely elevated experience, and the confidence that the outcome will be top-notch no matter what. The right leadership, the right people—that’s what it takes.”
A Philosophy Built on Relationships
Down to Earth isn’t just about building docks and seawalls—it’s about understanding why a client wants them, and then showing them the what and how. The company follows Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle of “Why, What, and How,” using it as a framework for both sales and service.
“That’s not selling, it’s problem solving,” Iggy says. “You have to see things through the customer’s optics. Even if a request seems small or frivolous, it matters because they trusted us. And we don’t stop until it’s right.”
It’s that mindset that drives the company’s final, and often toughest, stretch of projects: the finishing touches. “The last five days of tidying up—that’s the biggest challenge,” Iggy notes. “But it’s also what makes the difference.”
Built on Trust with ESP
From the beginning, Down to Earth has built its seawalls exclusively with Everlast Synthetic Products (ESP).
“Plenty of other vinyl companies have approached us,” Iggy says. “But for us, it’s about relationships. ESP trusted us, and we’ve trusted them. That matters.”
Looking Ahead
As the company eyes expansion into new markets, including Florida, Iggy is confident about the path forward. Growth will entail more docks, seawalls, and potentially the acquisition of other companies. But the philosophy will remain the same: build on systems, invest in people, and always, always do the right thing.
“There’s no reason we can’t be in more states,” Iggy says. “We’ll deliver a better product and overall experience, and we’ll work with customers that are willing to pay more to get the best. It’s about alignment and trust. That’s how we compete, and that’s how we’ll grow.”
ESP is proud to call D2E a preferred partner. We wish them nothing but success as they continue to grow and build some of the most impressive ESP seawalls in the world.