Nearly four years after Hurricane Ian destroyed the iconic Fort Myers Beach Pier, construction of its replacement is finally underway. Lee County held a groundbreaking ceremony in August 2026, and crews have since begun demolition and removal of the remaining old pilings. The next major stage involves installing the concrete pilings that will form the foundation of the new pier. A total of 108 pilings are planned, with crews expecting to install about three per day as work moves from the shoreline west into the Gulf. During pile driving, a 150-foot safety zone will be maintained around the active construction area, and visitors can expect periods of construction noise, vibration and occasional traffic delays as materials are delivered to the site.
The new Fort Myers Beach Pier will be considerably larger than the structure lost to Hurricane Ian in September 2022. Plans call for a pier approximately 1,000 feet long and 12 feet wide, providing significantly more room for fishing, sightseeing and enjoying the sunsets that made the old pier one of the island’s most recognizable landmarks. The redesigned structure is also intended to be more resilient against future storms. Lee County currently expects construction to be completed in summer 2027, weather permitting. For residents, businesses and longtime visitors, the return of the pier will restore an important piece of Fort Myers Beach while marking another highly visible milestone in the island’s continuing recovery from Hurricane Ian.
You can watch the pier construction on a variety of live web cams, including this one from Margaritaville Beach Resort.