It could be finished by the end of April.
But safety must come first.
The new Anna Maria City Pier, 101 Bay Blvd., will not open to the public while the spread of COVID-19 remains a threat.
The original pier opened in 1911 but was closed after it was damaged by Hurricane Irma in September 2017.
The city demolished the old pier in 2018 and commenced construction on the new pier.
The commission reached consensus April 9 to withhold opening the pier until social distancing guidelines are lifted.
The utility cables were connected the week of April 13, according to Mayor Dan Murphy.
He also said the fire marshal passed the fire suppression inspection, which allows the buildout to go forward on the bathrooms on the T-end. The completion should be by April 28.
Construction on walkway and exterior lighting commenced the week of April 20 with completion in a week, Murphy said.
“The only item delayed is permanent U.S. Coast Guard-required lighting on the T-end held up by the manufacturer, but in the meantime, temporary lights were installed,” Murphy said April 17, adding that permanent lighting fixtures should be in place by April 29.
Other work planned for the end of April included the installation of security system wiring and cameras, benches and fish cleaning stations.
Bids to operate the restaurant and bait shop at the pier’s T-end were opened April 8.
The city received bids from the Ugly Grouper, 5704 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, and Sean Murphy, owner of three restaurants, Beach Bistro, Eat Here and the Doctor’s Office, all in Holmes Beach.
The city had 30 days to review the bids, but plans call for discussion at the city teleconference meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 23.
For the meeting agenda and teleconference instructions, visit the city of Anna Maria website at cityofannamaria.com.