A long time coming: Jacksonville Beach Pier reopens after 3 years of hurricane damage repairs

Hundreds gathered under the hot Wednesday morning sun for the Jacksonville Beach Pier reopening ceremony and ribbon cutting.

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry welcomed beachgoers back to the pier Wednesday, saying the structure had been “strengthened to better withstand future storms.”

Curry said the process was slow, but one they “wanted to ensure was done right.”

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A portion of the 1,300-foot-long pier was initially damaged in Hurricane Matthew in October 2016 and more destruction came with Hurricane Irma the following year.

Lee and Anne Ostroff of Jacksonville Beach said they moved to the area from New York four years ago and have been waiting to see what the pier looks like in its full glory.

The Ostroffs, who live just 10 blocks away, attended the ceremony and said the reopening was “one more thing to make Jacksonville Beach really great.”

“We live on the beach, eat meals on the beach, take daily walks,” Anne said. “We came here for the beach.”

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The pier’s reopening will be phased, with pedestrians allowed back first from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

Over the next few weeks, fishermen will be allowed on the pier, and the bathroom and bait shops will open sometime after that. City officials will release more details at a later date.

What is different about it?

The first half of the pier, about 625 feet, was open for use after the hurricane damage but closed in 2019 for full repairs, which were expected to take two years.

Permitting delays and difficulty removing underwater debris pushed the reopening date back multiple times. The total project cost about $11.6 million.

Previously, Jacksonville City Council had hoped to have the pier open in time for July 4.

Jacksonville Beach Mayor Christine Hoffman said residents would find a “stronger and better Jacksonville Beach Pier.”

“This is an iconic part and symbol of our beach life out here in the community,” she said. “From the fishing on top to being able to see whales and dolphins and sea turtles on the end, it’s so important to us.”

Most of the pier is now 8 feet higher than it was previously, and it is 10 feet longer.

Tom Goldsbury, pier project manager and former building director for the city of Jacksonville, praised everyone who worked on the reconstruction which saw about two-thirds of the pier fully rebuilt.

“We think it’s going to be here for a long time,” he said.

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During repairs, the middle third was removed to raise the elevation and make it stronger. It is now constructed of four 24-inch square piles per section instead of the previous three 18-inch piles. This should help the pier withstand storm surges better.

“There is one board that’s a little loose,” Goldsbury joked. “I hope somebody finds it when they go out.”

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville Beach Pier reopens after three years or hurricane repairs