The original pier opened in 1911, and there had been many repairs over the years, but was closed after insurance found it damaged beyond repair by Hurricane Irma in 2017.
The old pier was demolished and the city began construction on a new pier in 2018.
The pier — styled after the original 1911 pier — and a new grill and bait shop opened Dec. 10, 2020.
Newly elected Mayor Mark Short, after being sworn into office, and the newly seated commission, held a Nov. 19 meeting to discuss moving forward with pier repairs after the impacts of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Short said in an email Nov. 22 that the city commission approved a contract with George F. Young Inc. to perform the following services:
- A geotechnical investigation to evaluate groundwater levels, soil parameters for pile foundations and related underwater analyses;
- An inspection of the remaining elements of the pier structure, both above and below water;
- An inspection to determine the cause of failure of the pier walkway;
- Lead the permitting process with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Florida Department of Environmenal Protection;
- Provide design criteria and specifications for the walkway to be used for the construction proposal process;
And consult with the city during the proposal evaluation process as well as during construction.
Short said Young Inc. has a 10-week timeline to complete the geotechnical work and inspection services and report out the results of both.
The mayor added that the permit process has already begun and may require updates based on the results of Young’s investigations. Design will be ongoing and, again, finalized after the investigations are complete.