The 136-year-old Naples Pier will undergo a seventh transformation after City Council unanimously approved a nearly $23.46 million construction contract to rebuild the pier after Hurricane Ian destroyed it two years ago.
Shoreline Foundation Inc., a Broward County-based marine contractor, was awarded the contract over another bidder on Oct. 2 and will be paid $23,459,696. There were three bidders, but one withdrew. Council also set aside another $1.17 million for contingency costs and agreed to amend the budget to cover the costs.
City Manager Jay Boodheshwar called the vote a “milestone moment” for Naples and thanked the community for its patience as the city worked through a complicated process that involves local, state and federal approvals, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Army Corps of Engineers.
“You’re not going to see work begin tomorrow. In fact, you’re not going to see work begin for at least the next couple of months or so until we get that green light from FEMA—until we get that permit,” Boodheshwar told Council before the vote, noting the city now has a full project team. “Today’s action gets us in a position to move immediately, to issue that notice to proceed immediately. … It’s getting us closer to rebuilding the pier.”
Shoreline joins a team that includes MHK Architecture, marine and environmental consulting firm Terrell Hall & Associates, City Engineer Dan Ohrenstein and Project Manager Bruce Selfon, a former federal government employee who is assisting with the regulatory and permitting processes.
The city can’t start razing the pier without jeopardizing FEMA funding because demolition represents the largest part of the reimbursement, about $7 million to $14 million.
“That’s critical,” Boodheshwar said. “We’re moving the ball, we’re getting close and it’s taking a lot of effort to get us there. Mr. Selfon has really helped us with that.”
Selfon, a former city Planning Advisory Board member, is a real estate developer who helped New York City build One World Trade Center after 9/11. He won the city’s prestigious Sam Noe Award in 2020 for his exemplary service.
On Sept. 28, 2022, Hurricane Ian caused catastrophic damage to the Naples Pier, causing more than 30 pilings to collapse and half the pier to sink into the Gulf, leaving only 100 feet standing. That portion was reopened in November 2022.
More than 1 million visitors visit the iconic landmark yearly to watch sunsets, fish, socialize, exercise, eat and watch wildlife. The pier, built in 1888 for people traveling by boat to Naples, has been rebuilt six times after hurricanes, including after Hurricane Irma in 2017.
A concession stand was added in 1946 and in recent years, Cosmos at the Pier generated about $100,000 yearly for the city, selling pizza, hot dogs, food, beverages and beach necessities. But the Army Corps of Engineers prohibited Naples from adding a concession stand over water, so the new design moves it near the entry. Council has asked for further design changes, noting tables and chairs would cause people to congregate and lead to a bottleneck at the entry, where there also are homes.
“We’re not rebuilding it back similarly, we’re rebuilding this stronger,” Boodheshwar said, noting it also will be higher.
Council member Ray Christman wanted the public to understand the city worked hard to find funding and only $11 million in city money will be used, an already approved bond issue. He noted state Sen Kathleen Passidomo helped the city get a $5 million state grant, the county Tourist Development Council awarded Naples $2.2 million in tourist development tax money, and the city will receive $1.4 million in donations from visitors and residents through the Community Foundation of Collier County—an amount that continues to grow.
