Ballast Point Pier

Do we really need to tear it down- or can we repair what we already have?

Ballast Point Pier was damaged during Hurricane Milton and the City is now after so long, rebidding the project.

Generations of kids, since 2024, have not been able to enjoy the pier. I took my kids there all the time when they were younger to fish and enjoy being "out on the water". 

I walked the pier with an architect to see the damage for myself. What I saw made me question the need to tear it down or just rebuild what was needed. Learning later that the Gasparilla pirate ship was loaded from the end of this pier, after it was "so severely damaged" also made me pause. They actually replaced floor boards for the pirates and c rew and then pulled them back up again afterward. Hmmm. 

So, before we tear down this historic asset and build a new one, I want to see the engineering report that says it can't be reasonably and safely rehabilitated. 

WHAT I'M LOOKING AT

Is the existing pier sound? 

We need to see the engineering reports. If they show the entire pier needs to be torn down, then show us. If they don't, why aren't we repairing what we already have?

If pilings need further support, were snap jackets considered as a viable option? 

Why all of a sudden is this being rebid? What changed to cause this rebid process? FEMA was always in play on this. Are they suddenly changing their requirements? 

On September 4, 2025, the City announced that after reviewing a “full slate of engineering reports,” it determined Ballast Point Pier could be restored rather than rebuilt from scratch.

So what changed? 

Now this new RFQ, 26-C-00002 Ballast Point Public Pier Replacement Design-Build, calls for demolition and rehabilitation. 

So how did we go from restoring to demolishing? Did FEMA require this or the city asked FEMA to fund a replacement? 

We need these documents.