Engineering concerns could water down Mote Marine Laboratory’s proposal for an educational outreach center at the Anna Maria City Pier.
Mayor Dan Murphy said Jan. 27 that Mote sent the city new conceptual plans for the outreach center that day but city commissioners could not yet consider them since they were not included on the meeting agenda, which must be prepared at least a week in advance.
The city built the new pier at the end of Pine Avenue to replace the historic pier, which opened in 1911 but was removed by the city after damages from Hurricane Irma in September 2017 and a declaration from the insurance company that it was beyond repair.
The new pier features two buildings at the T-end, one of which was filled by the City Pier Grill & Bait Shop in late 2020.
The city has been working to lease the second building, an empty 1,800-square-foot 42-by-40-foot space, since after commissioners decided the space would not be used for a restaurant.
While Mote entered a 10-year lease agreement with the city in September 2021 to build and operate an outreach center in the shell building, on Jan. 28 it remained empty — and the plans continue to change.
Mote’s first proposal included four display tanks featuring live juvenile sportfish, schooling fish and stone crabs, as well as an exhibit where visitors could touch sea urchins, starfish, sea cucumbers, horseshoe crabs and lobsters.
However, Murphy has said concern over the size and weight of the tanks — the largest tank would be 15,000 pounds — led Mote to revisit plans, propose a second, tankless option and push back the expected opening date to March-April.
Mote’s latest proposal removes the four marine live display tanks, according to public records received by The Islander.
While the plans state that Mote will continually develop the outreach center, plans for opening day include:
- A livestream underwater video feed from beneath the pier to show marine life;
- A mangrove column to highlight the plant’s importance in providing habitat for marine life;
- An interactive microscope;
- Educational panels highlighting Mote’s research;
- An educational area for Mote staff to engage visitors;
- Textured rubbing plates of animals found at the pier;
- Activity stations for gamefish identification, drawing sea creatures and listening to fish sounds.
Murphy wrote in a Jan. 28 email that the options would be considered equally but also would be subject to evaluation by the city engineer and building official.
He said the plans are the first Mote presented that provide size and weight for the live tanks and until staff reviews the options, it is unclear if the tanks would be feasible for the outreach center from an engineering standpoint.
“Naturally, we will not approve any plans for tanks or equipment on the pier that would compromise the pier’s structural integrity,” Murphy wrote.
Commissioners will discuss the plans at a future meeting.
The city’s lease with Mote allows commissioners to cancel the contract if they find its design proposal unsatisfactory.
The commission will meet next at 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 10, at city hall, 10005 Gulf Drive. The meeting is open to the public, with masks recommended. Directions to attend via Zoom can be found online at cityofannamaria.com.