Following Fort Lauderdale city approval, Pier Sixty-Six Marina is formally uniting its holdings on both sides of the 17th Street Causeway. This will bring all of its slips and linear dockage under the single brand name Pier Sixty-Six Marina. While eventually it intends to enhance the properties, it currently is teaming with two ocean-advocacy organizations, to raise environmental awareness.
What most people think of in terms of the marina sits on the north side of 17th Street. It’s part of a larger hotel property containing a 17-story tower, event space, and several restaurants. The developer Tavistock Development Company acquired the property in late 2016. Then, last summer, Tavistock also acquired land on the south side of 17th Street. That parcel was the Sails Marina. It’s been an open plot of land, mostly, for about 20 years, following the demolishing of a Best Western hotel and another building. But, 30 slips are also on site.
Tavistock began referring to the area as Pier Sixty-Six Marina South shortly after buying it. However, the company is now dropping the South designation. So, all together, the brand puts 157 slips and 5,000 feet of total linear dockage at your disposal. This includes the ability to accommodate megayachts to 400 feet (about 122 meters).
Tavistock wants to unify the properties for a more cohesive development. Among its intentions: creating a Marina Promenade along the water. This will provide public access to Pier Sixty-Six Marina. In addition, Tavistock wishes to create a mixed-use development, including adding residences.
While the final plans aren’t due to the city until January, Tavistock does wish to enhance both the marina and the hotel on site. The latter sustained significant damage during Hurricane Irma last fall. The developer further wants the hotel to receive historic status when reopened. Pier Sixty-Six was initially just a fuel dock and gas station in the 1950s, for Phillips 66 Petroleum. The now-famous hotel opened in the 1960s.
In the meantime, Pier Sixty-Six Marina is collaborating with two ocean organizations. One, 4Ocean, sells bracelets made from recycled materials, and removes a pound of trash for each one sold. It claims it has removed more than 1.1 million pounds of trash globally in less than two years. Two 4Ocean vessels call the marina home. The other organization is #1000Mermaids. It’s a public art installation featuring artificial reef sculptures of mermaids, cast from real people. Pier Sixty-Six Marina has one of the casts on display.
Megan Lagasse, marine director of Pier Sixty-Six Marina, sums it up this way. “Expanding our marina capacity further enhances our ability to welcome everyone from the world’s most spectacular superyachts to our local boaters.” She adds, “stepping up our role to help protect Fort Lauderdale’s waterways hits home for our entire team.”
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