Pier Sixty-Six: A Legend Reborn

When Hurricane Irma triggered water to pour into the Pier Sixty-Six Resort’s tower, it was an enormous blow to what’s arguably essentially the most iconic construction in Fort Lauderdale. Now, although, Tavistock Growth has practically accomplished a $1 billion redevelopment mission that’s serving to the tower surpass its earlier glory with one other tower hooked up, marine-inspired rental buildings, a 2 ½-acre pool space and 12 eating places. A marina promenade will function 32,000 sq. toes of retail, restaurant and workplace house.

Who higher to speak concerning the adjustments than Jessi Blakley, vice chairman of property proprietor Tavistock Group, who grew up throughout from the resort within the Rio Vista neighborhood. A few of her earliest reminiscences are sitting within the rotating Pier High whereas her grandfather was doing enterprise.

She was interviewed by Life-style Media Group editor-in-chief Kevin Gale. The next is edited for brevity and readability.

How are issues wanting?

We’re very excited. We’re on the end line and so it’s all coming collectively. It’s ending touches at this level — the landscaping getting into, we’re filling the swimming pools, engaged on the interiors. As a local and speaking with neighbors locally, I feel there’s this nostalgic tie to the property and an actual pleasure to see how Tavistock has been in a position to deliver it again to life.

What would you say the most important wow issue is?

I feel I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out Pier High. It definitely is the literal crown jewel of Pier Sixty-Six and one thing that I can’t even get in an Uber with out speaking about it. Everybody desires to know if it’s going to reopen. It is going to reopen as a lounge and it’ll have the power to rotate as soon as once more.

I feel the opposite factor is how we celebrated the waterfront way of life that Fort Lauderdale is understood for and the way we relaid out the property to give attention to that. The previous property was a sq. with a round constructing on one finish. For a big majority of it, you couldn’t see or really feel or admire that waterfront uniqueness that Pier brings to the desk.

We opened up the panorama in order that regardless of the place you might be on the property, you’ll be able to admire the maritime views and the waterway and the ocean breeze. I do suppose that’s an unimaginable wow, regardless of the place you’re standing on the property. The centerpiece of that could be a 2 ½-acre multilayered pool deck, which will definitely be a function for all of our visitors. Then, we’re going to have 12 very distinctive eating venues once more on the waterfront.

Will there be events to kick issues off and what’s the standing of reservations?

We completely will. We’re engaged on these plans proper now. Proper now, bookings can be found on-line, so reservations begin within the new yr. Nonetheless, we do plan to open on the finish of this yr — the precise date to be decided — so we can have rooms which might be obtainable earlier than that.

What’s the historical past of Pier Sixty-Six?

Within the Fifties, Phillips 66 petroleum owned the property and it was initially a gas dock. That 66-spire tower that has now been designated historic was constructed within the late Nineteen Sixties. On the time, it was the tallest constructing in Fort Lauderdale and it fully remodeled Fort Lauderdale’s skyline.

We bought the unique resort property, in December 2016. Roughly seven months later in July, we bought the property simply on the opposite facet of 17 Road that was previously referred to as the Sails Lodge Marina and Outlets. Collectively, that makes 32 waterfront acres. We began and centered our plans on the north facet on the unique property web site, and that’s being redeveloped proper now and we’ll open later this yr.

We’ve got growth rights on the south facet, however we’re considering what is sensible there because it suits into the entire space. A part of our growth rights offers us the power to construct one other lodge throughout the road, however we simply rebuilt the one throughout from the Pier, so I don’t know that we want that. We have to spend a while on what we predict may match there.

Might you present a short overview of Tavistock?

Tavistock Growth Co. is a diversified actual property agency that’s owned by Tavistock Group. We focus on planning, design, finance, building and growth of what we imagine to be groundbreaking tasks. We’re well-known for our grasp plan group in Orlando referred to as Lake Nona. It’s among the many bestselling communities in America, but additionally essentially the most revolutionary as nicely. We’re beginning a brand new mission simply down the highway, Sunbridge, which celebrates dwelling in nature. The actual property portfolio additionally consists of plenty of gems from the St. Regis Lodge in Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood to Albany, our resort property in The Bahamas. That is our first actual property mission in South Florida, although we’ve had a presence by way of our eating places, Timpano on Las Olas, which was lately renovated as nicely, after which we additionally personal Abe & Louie’s in Boca Raton.

Was the brand new decrease round constructing designed to echo the tower?

Precisely, sure. That can host a signature restaurant and likewise is house to the spa and the health heart. You’ve acquired sweeping grand views of the water.

The brand new waterfront buildings have been described as having a coastal persona. What kind of components go into that?

 We labored with Garcia Stromberg, primarily based in Palm Seaside County, an exquisite native group. They took their design inspiration from the water. It was vital for us provided that Fort Lauderdale is the Venice of Americas. We’ve got two 11-story condominium buildings referred to as Azul and Indigo. They took their inspiration from coral reefs. You may form of see that within the ebbs and the flows of the balconies, all of which have plunge swimming pools on them. That’s a primary in Fort Lauderdale for all the constructing to have plunge swimming pools on the balconies. On the northernmost facet of the property that faces Harbor Seaside alongside the Mercedes Canal, there are some four-story condominium buildings. They’re taking cues from sand dunes.

Costs begin at $3.85 million. They’re designer-ready models. We’ve got began closings, so patrons will likely be shifting in with the opening of the property, however there are nonetheless models obtainable.

Discuss a bit bit concerning the renovation of the historic tower.

It’s an entire renovation. Within the fall of 2017, Hurricane Irma got here in and did important injury to the property, which on the time was open and nonetheless operational. We did have to shut parts of the property and in the end determined to close the property down given the extent of harm that was achieved.

One of the vital difficult components, was looking for any individual to restore the rotating rooftop. There’s really not many individuals who can try this.

The balconies on that authentic tower had been initially blocking the views. We labored along with the town and their historic preservation group to give you what we felt was a very good answer to maintain a few of that authentic construction, however then add glass to a portion of it so as to get pleasure from these views.

There’s a brand new 10-story constructing that attaches to the unique constructing. Whenever you’re inside, you really don’t know which constructing you’re in except you might be on the seventeenth story and you’ll see that you just’re larger than the opposite.

Discuss concerning the 12 culinary venues.

It’s a important enhance. A number of of them will likely be signature eating places providing diversified eating choices. We’ve got not talked particularly about these ideas but. Main as much as the opening towards the tip of this yr, we’re going to begin to trickle out these particulars and extra specifics concerning the cooks de delicacies and the menus. However we’re taking our inspiration from our marina and the concept of gathering the most effective from all of the completely different ports of calls. You will note these inspirations infused within the menus and the ambiance of every of the venues.

Discuss concerning the spa, Zenova. The primary ceremonial spa within the southeast caught my eye, however then there’s a snow room, a sensory bathe and a vitality pool.

It’s a few holistic well being and wellness expertise and a differentiated amenity set that speaks to completely different folks’s wants. You may have the normal components that one thinks of after they go to a spa, but additionally a few of these newer and once more, regional choices.

The ceremonial sauna that you just talked about is kind of distinctive. It’s the first within the southeast. It’s one thing that’s fairly well-liked in Europe. That is impressed by the Aufguss Saunas. It’s like a little bit of a fusion between sound remedy and rituals and there’s a sauna meister that disperses aromatics and does rhythmic actions.

We hear quite a bit about chilly plunges now and the well being advantages round what that does for you, so the snow room does that with out dunking you underwater.

What’s the occasion house going to be like?

 Completely gorgeous. We’ve got 40,000 sq. toes of assembly and occasions house. The ballrooms are beautiful and likewise impressed by the marine setting. The small print from the lighting and the sunshine fixtures, the flexibleness that the rooms present are going to permit giant scale occasions. We’ve got some outside assembly areas as nicely on an occasion garden. So, each indoor and outside house that we predict goes to be extremely distinctive.

Had been there many adjustments to the marina?

We additionally, after all, rejuvenated the marina, which has been the highest yachting vacation spot on the japanese seaboard. Most of that was on the southern facet in order that newly acquired property is the place the Fort Lauderdale Worldwide Boat Present Tremendous Yacht Village is. There was a kink within the face dock on the south facet. We straightened it out in order that now you’ll be able to accommodate bigger vessels on the south facet of the bridge, which is important. We entice many sailboats and huge vessels, and that could be a actually distinctive amenity to have the ability to provide. There have been plenty of upgrades that had been made to the docks and the design on the south facet to make it simpler for entry and navigation.

 We’ve additionally included plenty of environmental practices when it comes to our waste administration in addition to some eco-friendly supplies. We’ve additionally added EV charging ports as a result of electrical vessels are the following wave of expertise within the boating world. We’ll as soon as once more host the Fort Lauderdale Worldwide Boat Present in October. We’re one of many founding areas.

The Pier plus the Larger Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Conference Middle growth and its new lodge appear to be they’re actually going to be a fairly highly effective mixture. I really feel like Fort Lauderdale is coming into its personal proper now. There’s important funding being made throughout the town and a rising tide floats all boats. I feel once I look particularly on the seventeenth Road hall, we’re the gateway to the seaside. I feel it’s actually important that the funding that’s being made to usher in bigger occasions to our conference heart is having the diversification of hospitality choices with our resorts and our meals and beverage and leisure venues. I feel that’s vital to the vitality of the continued progress of our metropolis. It’s an thrilling time and we’re excited.