Daytona Beach commissioners have approved $603,000 to keep the city's 100-year-old pier standing while officials wait on bids to replace it altogether. Crews are set to strip away weathered concrete supports left behind by the long-gone Skyride and Space Needle attractions, along with white plywood panels bolted to the railing that engineers say add unnecessary weight and wind load. The work is expected to take about six months.
The repair package is the latest chapter in what has become a years-long balancing act between patching up an aging landmark and planning its eventual replacement, according to WESH. City documents cited by the station attribute much of the pier's deterioration to saltwater corrosion, which has weakened concrete and exposed rebar over time. The same documents note that the plywood slated for removal increases weight and wind load on the aging structure.
Stripping Away Decades of Add-Ons
The maintenance work targets remnants of attractions that once drew crowds to the pier but have long since closed. Tom Caffrey, who owns World's Most Famous Brewery, recalled that the pier used to have a bait shack and other attractions, and said it was once 300 to 400 feet longer than it is today. Those add-ons, including the Skyride and Space Needle structures, left behind concrete supports that are now being removed as part of the current project, per the station's report.
Caffrey argued the city should spend what is necessary to keep the pier open in the meantime while focusing its energy on building a new one. City Commissioner Ken Strickland said the city is working toward fixing up the area and acknowledged that the process takes time.
A New Pier Still Months From Bidding
While repair crews get to work, Daytona Beach is simultaneously waiting on proposals from contractors interested in building a new concrete pier, with submissions due Nov. 5, 2026. The current round of repairs is being treated as ongoing maintenance to keep the existing structure safe and usable in the meantime, the same account notes.
The city has previously said it has invested more than $3.1 million over the past several years in repairs, rehabilitation and storm recovery to preserve the pier and extend its lifespan, according to a statement posted on the City of Daytona Beach's website. That figure underscores just how much upkeep a century-old structure exposed to saltwater and storms can demand before a full replacement ever gets built.
How Other Cities Are Weighing Pier Replacements
Daytona Beach isn't alone in wrestling with whether to keep repairing an old pier or start fresh. In Tampa, officials have begun a professional-services effort estimated at $1.4 million to $1.7 million just to design a replacement for the Ballast Point Pier, according to DredgeWire. That estimate covers engineering work only, not construction, and does not come with a specified completion date. Tampa is seeking an engineering firm to assess what remains of the existing structure and to design, permit and oversee construction of a new pier that would stretch roughly 940 feet long and 12 feet wide, widening to a larger pier head, with environmental protections built in for seagrass during pile driving and concrete work.
Further west, Hermosa Beach has faced a similar question over its own 60-year-old pier. A report from the Daily Breeze found that replacing that pier could ultimately be less costly than continuing a cycle of repairs, though the city council there said it needed more discussion and input before moving forward. For Daytona Beach, the math may look similar: keep funding patchwork fixes on a century-old structure, or commit to the cost and timeline of starting over.
