Fort Myers Beach Pier Rebuild: 2026 Construction Update and Timeline

The Fort Myers Beach Pier is finally being rebuilt. Four years after Hurricane Ian destroyed it, construction crews are on the beach next to Times Square, and the county expects the new pier to take about a year to build.

We live and host guests a few minutes' walk from the pier site, so we'll keep this post updated as the work moves along. Here's where things stand at the end of September 2026.

The short version

• Construction is underway. Lee County held the groundbreaking on August 21, 2026, and heavy equipment moved in right after.
• It should take about a year, putting the reopening around late summer or fall 2027. The county stresses that all dates are estimates.
• Lynn Hall Memorial Park is closed during construction, including its parking lot, and its restrooms are being rebuilt at the same time.
• The beach is open. The access at Times Square is fenced off, but other beach accesses are open, including the one near our home.

What's being built

The new pier will be about 1,000 feet long and 12 feet wide, roughly 70% longer and 50% wider than the pier Ian destroyed on September 28, 2022. It's going in the same spot, beside Times Square and Lynn Hall Memorial Park, and plans include ADA access, bench seating and turtle-friendly lighting to protect nesting sea turtles.

The extra width matters: on the old pier it was hard for two people to pass, especially with a cooler or fishing gear. The new one is designed for families, anglers and sunset crowds.

How we got here

• September 28, 2022: Hurricane Ian destroys the pier and most of Times Square.
• July 2026: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issues the permit the county had been waiting on.
• August 2026: FEMA funding for construction clears its final approval.
• August 21, 2026: Groundbreaking ceremony at Crescent Beach Family Park, next to the pier site.
• Late August–September 2026: Heavy equipment arrives, staged from the Lynn Hall parking lot, and construction begins.
• About a year later (2027): Expected completion.

The Fort Myers Beach Observer's coverage of the groundbreaking has more from the county commissioners and the Chamber of Commerce.

What's closed during construction

• Lynn Hall Memorial Park and its parking lot. The lot is the contractors' staging area and isn't expected to reopen until the pier is done. When it reopens, the county says it will have about 30% more spaces.
• The Lynn Hall restrooms, which are being rebuilt at the same time.
• The beach access from Times Square and Lynn Hall.
• The construction zone on the sand and in the water. How much of the beach near the pier is fenced will change with the work. Lee County asks beachgoers, swimmers and boaters to stay outside restricted areas and follow posted signs.

What's still open

Plenty. The beach is open, and you can reach it from other accesses, including the one near our home, then walk the sand. Food trucks and restaurants are open in Times Square, and there are plenty of bars and restaurants along Old San Carlos Boulevard and on the bayfront. See our restaurants near Times Square guide for where we send guests.

More construction at Times Square

The pier isn't the only project on the beachfront. The Sunset Beach Resort broke ground on July 6, 2026 at 1028 Estero Boulevard, the old Sunset Beach Tropical Grill site. It's a three-story building with six hotel units, restaurants, bars, shops, a music stage and a public pool, targeted for early 2028. Between the two projects, Times Square will be busy with construction for a while, and when both are done it will look very different. Our Is Fort Myers Beach open? page tracks both.

Tips for visiting while the pier is being built

• Parking: with the Lynn Hall lot closed, downtown parking is tighter. Read our Fort Myers Beach parking guide, or use the free Beach Park & Ride and the trolley.
• Sunsets: walk to the water from any open access and look west; the sunset is just as good without the pier. Today's sunset time is on our live webcam page.
• Watch the progress: our Fort Myers Beach live webcam looks over downtown.
• Stay close: if you want to watch the pier come back, stay downtown. The Octopus Loft, Turtle Suite and new two-bedroom Main House are a few minutes' walk from the beach and Times Square. Check availability for your dates.

We'll update this post as construction milestones happen. Questions about how the work affects your stay? Call or text us at 239.356.8484.