- January 29, 2025
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The Flagler Beach City Commission unanimously approved a bid of $14,142,027 by Vocellio & Grogan to build a new pier.
Project manager Gabe Perdomo of Moffat & Nichol told the commission at its Jan. 23 meeting that construction will begin at the latest by May with a target date of July 4, 2026 for completion.
Perdomo said the best case scenario for work to begin is March or April with May as the worst case scenario. He said the July 4 target date might be ambitious “at this point” and would depend on weather and other variables, but he said the contractor understands how important it is to the city for the pier to be completed in time for next year’s Fourth of July festivities.
Vocellio & Grogan was the only company to bid on the project. Among other similar projects, the company rebuilt the Jacksonville Beach Pier in 2022.
FEMA is funding 75% of the cost of the project with two state agencies — the Department of Emergency Management and the Department of Environmental Protection — funding the rest. Because the funding will be through reimbursements, the city has secured a short-term loan to timely fund the project.
The pier was originally constructed nearly 100 years ago. It has been closed since the fall of 2022 due to hurricane damage.
The pier project should not have a major effect on traffic, but it will temporarily eliminate some parking on A1A, Perdomo said. During construction, there will be a restricted zone in the parking area on the east side of A1A between South Third and Fifth streets. Traffic lanes on A1A in that area may have to be shifted and restriped, but, Perdomo said, road closures are not anticipated.
During construction, Perdomo said, the contractor will provide and maintain access to beach goers with a safe passageway beneath the pier.
Perdomo said the beach walk project — which includes renovating and expanding the pier’s bathrooms, surf radio station and bait shop, constructing a 4,200-square-foot promenade on the south side of the pier and renovating the boardwalk in front of the pier and promenade — will begin with surveyor and geotechnical work in the next week or two.
He said Phase 1 of the beach walk project could be completed in early 2026.
“Potentially, Phase 1 — the expanded building — and the new pier, could be completed around same time; that’s the intent,” Perdomo said. “Once the contractor for the pier demobilizes, that’s when the promenade construction would begin. So those pieces would fit right into place with regards to timing and expected duration.”
He said, if Vocellio & Grogan is interested in constructing the promenade, it could save the project a couple of months of mobilization. The promenade’s construction is expected to take 4-6 months, with completion expected in the latter part of 2026, Perdomo said.
