Nearly two years after Hurricane Helene destroyed Ballast Point Pier, Tampa is beginning the engineering work to replace the 940-foot South Tampa landmark with a new pier built for hurricane surge and the corrosive conditions of Tampa Bay.
The city is seeking an engineering firm to assess what remains of the pier at 5300 Interbay Blvd. and determine whether any of the existing structure can be repaired. The firm would then design the replacement, secure permits, prepare bid specifications and construction estimates and provide construction management and oversight. Tampa estimates the professional-services contract at $1.4 million to $1.7 million.
The replacement would generally follow the former pier’s dimensions: about 940 feet long and 12 feet wide, widening to a 28-by-42-foot pier head. Tampa also wants to duplicate the destroyed 14-by-25-foot gazebo at the end. Final dimensions would be verified through a field survey.
Engineers will first confirm water depths, soil conditions and environmental constraints at a site exposed to tidal fluctuations, wave action, salt spray and hurricane surge. Preliminary specifications call for 5,000-psi marine-grade concrete piles spaced about 13 feet apart, treated Southern Pine framing, 316 stainless-steel connections and composite decking designed to resist slipping, ultraviolet exposure, rot and termites. The preferred gazebo design uses a standing-seam aluminum roof rated for winds of at least 145 mph; wood shingles remain an alternative but would require more maintenance.
Plans also include marine-rated LED lighting, rescue ladders or other water-access points, fishing signage and conduits for future power or water service. The pier would remain a place for walking, fishing, sightseeing and community gatherings and a loading point for the Jose Gaspar during Gasparilla.
Design and construction will require environmental approvals, including permitting through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The RFQ calls for seagrass protections and floating turbidity curtains during pile driving and concrete work.
The $1.4 million-to-$1.7 million estimate covers the engineering assignment, not construction. The selected firm will develop the construction estimate; the RFQ provides no construction budget or completion date.
Tampa will hold a pre-submission conference Sept. 21, with qualifications due Oct. 8.