Naples City Council approves final design for rebuilt pier

The final design for the rebuilt Naples Pier will include an underwater camera for visitors to view marine life and a police and beach patrol office with restrooms on land, while food concessions will be replaced by a portable cart. 

Naples City Council on March 4 unanimously agreed to move forward with the third iteration of a design by Naples-based MHK Architecture. The plan reduces land-side buildings, eliminates outdoor dining and permanent food concessions, and provides police and beach patrol officers with private offices and restrooms in addition to public restrooms. 

Council members agreed to explore options for a portable cart that could sell water, ice cream and soda. Electrical power would be installed on the land-side area to support the cart. 

“Mark my words, if we don’t have concessions, we are going to get lambasted by our residents and our tourists,” council member Berne Barton said before the vote, urging Council to consider a food cart. “We need to try to find a solution that will help appease those who really do want to have some type of food and beverage service out there.” 

Naples Pier suffered catastrophic damage during Hurricane Ian on Sept. 28, 2022. A stronger, higher and more resilient $26.3 million pier has since been engineered and designed. It will be the seventh reconstruction of the 137-year-old pier at the west end of 12th Avenue South. 

Only about 100 feet of the structure remained after the storm, and that section reopened in November 2022. 

Demolition began Jan. 5, and city officials expect demolition and construction to take about 1½ years. 

During a presentation on requested changes, architect Maureen Minker told Council the north men’s restroom at the pier entry will include a small beach patrol office with a dedicated bathroom and a family restroom. A rear changing room has been converted to pier storage. The women’s restroom area on the south side will include an added shade structure and benches outside. 

Council members raised concerns about the lack of a concession area, which was eliminated after the Federal Emergency Management Agency said the former Cosmos at the Pier restaurant and any permanent concession stand would not be allowed above water because of risk and new guidelines. 

The pier has offered concessions since 1946. Cosmos leased the restaurant space beginning in 2015, generating about $100,000 annually for the city through sales of pizza, hot dogs, drinks and beach supplies. 

However, in July 2024, after reviewing survey results and public demand, Council agreed by consensus that concessions were unnecessary and could cause congestion at the pier entrance and create noise, odors and other issues for nearby residents. 

Barton suggested options such as pre-made sandwiches or pizza slices kept under heat lamps. 

“There are ways to do this that are … going to give us an opportunity to have concessions and also not impose upon the residents that are right there,” he said. 

Mayor Teresa Heitmann said she did not want to revisit concessions, but noted Council previously discussed portable options, such as water and ice cream. City Manager Gary Young said FEMA would not prohibit a portable cart from operating on the pier. 

Council member Bill Kramer, who represents the city on the county Tourist Development Council, agreed a cart could work but said permanent concessions should not return. 

“Most locals I know are bringing their own whatever because they’re not paying those concession prices,” Kramer said. “The citizens who voted for me, they don’t want any of that. There are a handful that have said, ‘Hey man, how come?’ And I say, ‘You [can] go to 7-Eleven, so quit saying that’ and that’s how it’s been, so I’ll take the heat.” 

Council members Scott Schultz and Linda Penniman said they would support a portable cart, although Penniman said she did not want anything that would compete with nearby local businesses. 

Although Barton questioned how the city would replace the lost revenue from Cosmos, Young said the city receives an annual $500,000 Tourist Development Council grant for ongoing maintenance and operations for the pier and beach ends. Pier maintenance also is funded through beach parking revenue and beach funds. 

Council member John Krol asked whether a dedicated area could be created for a mobile concession truck, but Young said there was no room for a truck, and a portable cart would be the only option. 

“I think this is a great compromise,” Heitmann said. 

Demolition had been delayed until this year while the city awaited confirmation of FEMA reimbursement in December. 

Funding for the project includes about $12.66 million in federal funding, including an $11,401,144.20 FEMA grant, along with state grants, $11 million in bonds, $2 million in county tourist development taxes, the city’s beach fund and public donations, including contributions from Collier Community Foundation. 

Broward County-based Shoreline Foundation will receive $23.45 million for demolition and construction under its contract, which includes a $1.17 million allowance for unforeseen conditions. 

Young also provided a construction update, noting ocean engineer Todd Turrell of Turrell, Hall & Associates is providing construction engineering inspection services; records show the firm’s contracts and amendments total $3,036,917.

All Brazilian Ipe hardwood boards have been removed, Young said, along with about 30% to 40% of the concrete, which is being recycled for highway materials. 

Some concrete also will be used to create offshore reefs. Shoreline Foundation will transport the material beneath the Judge S.S. Jolley Bridge off Marco Island, where it will be inspected by the Army Corps of Engineers before being placed on barges and taken to approved artificial reef sites. 

“We expect the first barge to the reef probably in the next two weeks,” Young said. 

Electric service is scheduled to be installed March 10, and air-conditioned restrooms will be provided in an ADA-compliant trailer in the pier parking lot to replace temporary portable toilets. 

Residents can follow construction updates at naplespanorama.org or donate to the project by clicking here.