Catherine Young calls Fort Myers Beach one of her favorite travel destinations. The Illinois native has been traveling to the area for nearly 20 years and said one of her favorite amenities was the pier, harkening back to fond memories of sampling coconut shrimp from local restaurants, then strolling the flat sandy landscape with her boyfriend, after which they would make their way to the pier to patiently wait for the Southwest Florida sunset to paint the sky with bright hues of gold and pink. However, after Hurricane Ian demolished the pier, that yearly tradition washed away with it—until now, with the promise of a new and improved Fort Myers Beach pier set to begin construction this year.

“When I came this time, the first place I wanted to visit was Times Square and the pier, and I just can't believe they haven't built it yet,” Young said. “What's the hold-up?”

John and Carol Andert of Minnesota have traveled to the area since about 2019, staying at the local resort the Lani Kai. This is also their first time back since Hurricane Ian. He said he likes seeing the improvements, specifically mentioning how the sand feels and looks like “powdered sugar,” but also wondered why the pier is taking so long to complete.

“We probably came for like eight, eight years in a row,” John Andert said. “And we stayed here all the time, and we would be on the pier all the time.”

Lee County Commissioner for District 3 David Mulika said he knows that the pier is not only important to the community, but also to the tourist industry on the island, looking back on memories as a lifelong resident of the county.

“I have a lot of fond memories growing up here and walking on that pier with my grandparents and fishing and buying ice cream at the Dairy Queen,” Mulika said. “And it was, it's truly a destination landmark that I think is a very special experience, and one that I miss a great deal.”

The tourism industry for Fort Myers Beach took a big hit in November 2022, when the borderline Category 5 hurricane struck the barrier island of Cayo Costa at approximately 7:05 p.m. just off the coast of Bokeelia on the north end of Pine Island.

In 2022, according to visitfortmyers.com, there were more than 4.4 million visitors, with the top three local attractions drawing crowds to the county being the beaches themselves at 66%, the Fort Myers Beach Pier at 36%, and the Sanibel Lighthouse at 26%.

However, the year after Hurricane Ian, that number fell to nearly 3 million visitors. The pier’s visitation rate dropped to 15% while the beaches remained No. 1 at 51%.

Ellie Bunting, president of the Estero Island Historic Society, said for that reason, “the pier is essential to the island.”

“The pier was another [symbol],” Bunting said. “When you went over that bridge (the Matanzas Pass "Skybridge"), it led you directly to the pier, and that’s the first thing you saw.”

She too has fond memories of the pier, calling the area home since she was three years old.

“I remember when my son was little…one day a week when I used to work late, I would put him on the bike, and we’d ride down there and get a hot dog,” Bunting said.

Regardless of the travel statistics and the pier’s decline in popularity, Bunting said a peculiar phenomenon is unfolding, centered around the pier’s remains.

“I mean, even the pilings draw people,” Bunting said. “Which is, you know, weird.”

She said she thinks people needed a place to congregate, and now that the pier is gone, the pilings fill the void.

“I think we all needed a place where we felt comfortable and we felt—it kind of grounded you,” Bunting said.

While the pilings suffice for now as a community gathering spot near Fort Myers Beach’s Times Square, drawing birds and marine life to congregate near, Bunting said she is happy to hear a new pier is now set to start construction later this year, according to the county and Fort Myers Beach.

The pier also holds historical significance for the island. It was the only way to get to the island in 1912 when the Winkler Hotel was constructed, according to Bunting.

“This was the destination Chamber of Commerce postcard landmark of Lee County for my entire life growing up here,” Mulika said.

Mulika said the original estimated time of completion was December 2028, but he is working hard to accelerate that schedule. He said that a government shutdown stalled the plans because the federal permit was delayed and caused a four-month delay.

Now, the pier is expected to start construction this year and take approximately one year to finish, if the weather permits.

“I’m as frustrated as anybody,” Mulika said. “But I can tell you, nobody’s working harder than I am to champion this cause, to see it over the finish line. I get weekly reports on this. I’m in touch with our engineers. I spend time talking to our elected officials, and I’m constantly pushing these permits.”

Travelers Young, John Andert, and Carol Andert, as well as Bunting, are excited to see the pier when it’s completed, taking another stroll down its new path, still defined by its intrinsic historical significance, and also its undeniable ability to not only attract marine life and flocks of pelicans, but also crowds of beachgoers seeking camaraderie, serenity, and sunshine.

“This was a social center, a gathering spot, a lot of memories for, I mean, 100,000 people who’ve come here every year, and it’s just terrible to not have the pier,” Young said. “They need to put this pier back.”

For now, the pilings still draw visitors. Bunting said she sees something in that.

“I think it symbolizes our regrowth—our resilience,” Bunting said.

For more information on the pier and its progress, visit Lee County and project details.

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