Contractors are close to finishing the new 800-plus-foot-long Anna Maria City Pier that reaches out over Tampa Bay with a vista of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.
But not so fast.
Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy wrote in a May 1 email to The Islander that the pier was 10-15 days from substantial completion after Florida Power & Light completed meter work the week of April 27.
Murphy said items in need of “substantial completion” are the bathrooms and lighting fixtures. He said some light fixtures were held up by the manufacturer, but temporary lights were installed as a stopgap.
The mayor added that some smaller items that also need to be addressed, include:
- Benches;
- A fish-cleaning station;
- A flagpole;
- Paint touchups;
- Additional electrical work that requires removal of some decking.
Pier construction began in 2018, after damages from Hurricane Irma in September 2017 and demolition of the historic pier.
Murphy told city commissioners in a May 1 telemeeting that despite the April 30 expiration of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ safer-at-home order, the pier would remain closed to the public after completion since “we’re not out of the woods yet” in regards to COVID-19.
City commissioners will meet at 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 6, by teleconference to discuss the two responses to the request for proposals for a lease and terms to operate the restaurant and bait shop at the new pier.
The bids are from the Ugly Grouper restaurant in Holmes Beach and Sean Murphy, owner of Beach Bistro, Eat Here and the Doctor’s Office, all in Holmes Beach.
The RFP was briefly discussed at a previous meeting, but commissioners agreed to postpone the discussion until the city received more information from the bidders.
The mayor wrote that he had received the information needed from the bidders and that he already met individually and discussed the bids with each commissioner.
The bid packets are being withheld from the public record until the May 6 meeting.
The meeting agenda, including instructions for people to call in, will be placed on the city’s website at www.cityofannamaria.com.