The Anna Maria City Pier might appear a little different by the time it reopens.
It’s unclear if Mote Marine Laboratory’s Marine Science Education and Outreach Center on the T-end will be involved in the changes.
Mote communications coordinator Kathryn Gentile did not respond to a June 18 email from The Islander regarding the center’s future on the pier, which has been closed since Hurricane Milton washed out a large stretch of walkway, leaving the T-end disconnected from land and inaccessible.
Mayor Mark Short has said he hopes to reopen the pier by fall 2026.
By the time the pier reopens, the GSM Partner’s City Pier Grill & Bait Shop also may no longer be a tenant on the T-end.
Brian Seymour of GSM Partners told city commissioners June 12 that the company might not seek an extension when its lease expires Dec. 31.
Additionally, Manatee County might build a new landing off the pier to accommodate the Gulf Islands Ferry Service’s new, larger vessel.
Mote locked into a 10-year lease for the center in September 2021 but there has been little indication of how much damage the T-end building and interior equipment sustained.
The Islander’s email to Gentile included questions regarding damages to the center, plans for improvements or changes, as well as what the situation for its employees while it remains closed.
There was no response to the email by The Islander’s June 23 press deadline.