Naples Pier to reopen early next week, two months ahead of repair schedule

Naples

The Naples Pier is scheduled to reopen early next week, nearly two months sooner than city officials originally estimated.

The western end of the historic landmark, beyond the concession stand, has been closed for repairs since Hurricane Irma made landfall Sept. 10.

The city closed the other half of the Pier, between the bathrooms and the concession stand, on July 18 to complete repairs and estimated the Pier would remain closed until mid- to late September.

Naples parks director:There's 'no way' the end of Naples Pier will open before August

Chary Vega, 8, of Miami looks through a window at the construction being done on the Naples Pier on Friday, July 27, 2018.

Why earlier than expected?

However, Zep Construction Inc., of Fort Myers, the company that won the $182,470 contract, is "way ahead of schedule," a city spokesperson said Friday morning, so the Pier "most likely" will reopen next week.

The reopening could be delayed, depending on the weekend weather, but conditions haven't been a problem up to this point, Mayor Bill Barnett said.

“There was no weather that held (the crew) up, so they just stuck with it and did what they had to do,” Barnett said.

The repairs included a change in how the support structure for the decking was built. The change will strengthen the Pier and should allow it to weather the next major hurricane.

A temporary plywood wall prohibits the public from walking on the second half of the Naples Pier on Sept. 21, 2017. Damage from Hurricane Irma is expected to keep the end of the Pier closed until summer.

Caution tape lines the second half of the Naples Pier, which is missing its end railing, on Sept. 21, 2017. Damage from Hurricane Irma is expected to keep the end of the Pier closed until summer.

History of Pier's reconstructions

The Pier has undergone five major reconstructions since it was built in 1888, the most recent of which was just three years ago. Hurricanes forced rebuilds in 1926, 1944 and 1960. There also was a reconstruction in 1995.

The 2015 rebuild included revamping and doubling the size of the existing restrooms, and sprucing up the termite-ridden concession stand midpoint on the Pier.

A look back:The history of Naples Pier

The Pier's deck, planking, stairs, railings and interior finishes were replaced with a Brazilian hardwood called ipe (pronounced EE-pay), which has the same fire rating as concrete and steel.

The 2015 project kept the landmark closed for months and cost $2.7 million. It was supposed to ensure the Pier's survival for 30 years, but then Hurricane Irma came.

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A worker carries a large piece of plywood along the Naples pier midday Thursday, Sept. 21, 2017, in Naples. Almost two weeks after Hurricane Irma made landfall, the Naples Pier was re-opened, albeit only half, to the public. Further assessment of the second half of the pier is required to determine the extent of the damage after a guardrail at the end of the pier blew off in the storm.

Hurricane Irma's impact

The city conducted a safety assessment shortly after the Category 3 storm and found that wind and waves from the storm had split or snapped timbers, including joists, deck boards and railings. The wooden railing on the far end of the Pier fell into the Gulf.

Staff expects that up to 75 percent of the repair costs could be reimbursed by either the city's insurance or the Federal Emergency Management Agency. However, it could be years before the city sees that money.

The city still is working on replacing the memorial benches that dot the Pier, so they will not be there when the Pier reopens, a city spokesperson said. The concession stand will reopen a few days after the rest of the Pier.

Previously:Naples Pier to stay open until July 18, Hurricane Irma repairs planned