Anna Maria City Pier fix could cost $1.7 million

ANNA MARIA -- Repairing Anna Maria City Pier is estimated to cost between $1.4 million and $1.7 million, according to a $59,780 survey by Royal Palm Beach-based Bridge Design Associates for the city of Anna Maria.

The highly anticipated draft study conducted in July included inspections above and below water.

The assessment concludes the T-head pier around City Pier Restaurant and bait shop/concession area significantly more deteriorated and in poor condition.

"We observed fairly uniform and consistent weathering, shrinking, shakes, checks and splits throughout the area," according to the report. "We also noted a large number of the deck

boards were installed heart-side up. This promotes decay as it allows standing water to get trapped on the deck surface and accelerates the decay of the wood."

According to Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy, repairs would extend the life of the famous pier up to 25 years. The study cost was split between Manatee County and Anna Maria.

"I want to sit down with the engineer who prepared this because I got some questions and I want to make sure I fairly understand it," the mayor said Wednesday. "I don't have a plan yet as to how I'm going to attack this. Because it shows a maximum of $1.7 million in repairs that need to be done, I need to make sure that I fully understand the necessity of all the repairs before I put together a plan as to how we're going to do this, what we're going to address and I have to find resources to address it."

Murphy said he's already shared copies of the report with Mario Schoenfelder, the tenant of the City Pier Restaurant at the end of the pier. Another copy was provided to David Sork, the local manager.

A message requesting comment was left Wednesday for Sork.

"The decision to replace or rehabilitate is always a difficult choice. Replacement of the entire structure will take the pier out of public use for at least a year during the demolition and reconstruction," according to the report. "Rehabilitation will take portions of the pier out of public use for nine to 12 months."

"I was sure it was going to be a major expense, that's for certain," said Anna Maria Commissioner Carol Carter. "I had heard from the mayor that some of the preliminary results of the engineering study was that there were major problems with the underpinnings underneath the platform of the pier."

Carter said the first thing she thought when she learned the estimated cost is the county promotes the city pier as its top tourist spot, and the county receives 100 percent of city tourist taxes.

"So it seems to me that I would hope they would feel an obligation to bear a lot of the expense there," she said.

Commissioner Dale Woodland, who has walked along the city pier since he was a child, said the structure really does need repairs.

"I told the mayor before he even did the initial survey: 'I bet you it'll cost us a million dollars plus to refurbish the pier,' and it sounds like I probably wasn't too far off," he said. "I'm not shocked at all and I hope we get it done."

Amaris Castillo, law enforcement/island reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7051. Follow her on Twitter @AmarisCastillo.

This story was originally published February 3, 2016 at 11:06 PM with the headline "Anna Maria City Pier fix could cost $1.7 million ."