Florida hurricane eyesore getting long-awaited renovation
Flagler County is located between Daytona Beach and Jacksonville, along the Atlantic coastline. The county annually sees threats from tropical storms and hurricanes
Flagler Beach pier takes on Tropical Storm Nicole after damage from Hurricane Ian
Flagler Beach pier takes on Tropical Storm Nicole after damage from Hurricane Ian about a month ago.
FLAGLER BEACH, Fla. - A longtime centerpiece of the north-central Florida coastline is getting a long-awaited makeover after significant damage from hurricanes.
The Flagler Beach Pier, originally built in 1928, is now undergoing major reconstruction to ensure the structure is around for decades to come.
The pier has seen its fair share of damage over the years, but impacts from Matthew, Ian and Nicole finally did the wooden structure in, forcing it to close to the public in 2022.
Heavy equipment is now being used to remove the remaining sections of the pier before a new, taller one is built in its place.
Florida, Flagler Beach, Aerial of pier and beach coastline.
(Photo by: Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images / Getty Images)
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According to officials with the City of Flagler Beach, the new pier will stand about 10 feet taller than the original structure and will be supported by concrete instead of wood – changes that are expected to increase the pier’s resiliency.
Once completed, the fishing pier is expected to be one of the tallest in the state, with an elevation of 28 feet, and taller than piers in Pensacola, Panama City and Jacksonville.
According to renderings released by the city, the pier will be more ADA-accessible, provide shaded areas for users and take sea turtle nesting into consideration.
Additionally, the new pier will include what are known as timber breakaway deck panels - sections designed to detach during significant wave events that will help to prevent more extensive damage to the structure.
A major hurricane can generate waves exceeding 15 to 20 feet, as seen during Hurricane Matthew’s brush with Northeast Florida in 2016, and while there's no guarantee the new pier will completely withstand a future hurricane, its upgraded design is expected to make the 800-foot-long structure more durable.
Artist rendering of the rebuilt Flagler Beach Pier.
(City of Flagler Beach / FOX Weather)
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The city said it is also working to minimize disruptions to nearby businesses and residents during the construction phase and hopes to have the project completed by the end of 2026.
That deadline could be affected if a significant nor’easter or hurricane impacts the Florida coastline – a possibility that local officials are continuously monitoring.
"We are so excited! It has been a long time in the making," Patti King, director of the Flagler Beach Historic Museum, told Orlando's FOX 35. "Over the past hundred years, the pier has been come and go with its length, and since 2022 we've been closed. And now we finally have all the pieces together."
The total cost of the project is estimated to be at around $14 million, which will be covered up by state and federal agencies.
Due to the new structure’s durability, it is expected to last several decades before extensive repairs are needed - though its future will ultimately depend on the impacts from Mother Nature.
Saffir Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale and Damage
(FOX Weather)