GULF SHORES — Lamar Pendergrass stands above deepening Gulf waters, no obstruction to observing shades of blue meeting at the horizon.

Dolphins swim to the right, a small shark on the left. All around the Gulf State Park Pier, an underwater ecosystem of fish, stingray, jellyfish and, the other day, even a sea turtle mosey at and below the surface. The pier itself continues to take shape as crews work to finish a $13.6 million renovation project to repair damage incurred by Hurricane Sally in 2020.

“This view is one I can count on one hand how many people have seen," Pendergrass said, looking out from the end of the observation deck atop the pier's octagon.

Pendergrass, South Region parks operations supervisor for Alabama State Parks, part of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, had signed off on a $2.6 million renovation to the pier the evening of Sept. 15, 2020. A construction worker said he remembers the waves already hitting the bottom of the boardwalk that evening.

By the time the slow-moving, strong Category 2 storm moved on from its direct landfall in Gulf Shores, 90% of the wood panels lining the boardwalk had blown away.

"There were panels all over the beach, from here in the water to seven miles up the shore," Pendergrass said.
Crews found the panels, which are all numbered. They've since been reinstalled or replaced, like a hundreds-foot-long jigsaw puzzle. To finish that part of the renovation, they will fix screwheads and secure sections down that have been impacted by heavy construction machinery driving back and forth.

Storm damage left the octagon marooned, pilings and decking having been destroyed along a 200-foot section. Workers used a barge to place a beacon on it so boaters wouldn't hit it, and they used the barge to start renovations until the octagon was reconnected to the 1,544-foot pier.

This part of the pier is almost ready to go, save for some handrailing, up-lights and cosmetic fixes. The observation deck, the new addition to the pier that is in place of a red line separating people fishing from observers, will have tin lining on the bottom so people can find shade or escape rain. They are still waiting on a new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) certified elevator. The pier will reopen before the observation deck does.

“We will not allow anybody access to the observation deck until we can provide equal access to all," Pendergrass said.

Other recent updates include the installation of turtle-friendly lighting along the entire pier, all new electric and waterlines and new L brackets along the sides under the decking, which Sally's wind and water force had folded over onto themselves. Grout has been replaced or repaired. The side railing has been stained. Concessionaire doors were being painted.

Pendergrass said around 50-70 people have been working on site since November 2023 at any given time, with roles including construction workers, painters, divers, barge operators and more.

While an exact reopening date is not yet known, an end-of-summer target remains on track. Pendergrass knows people are yearning for that date to come; he fields the multiple calls a day asking about it. Next week, he said, is a big week.

“This was a gathering place for the community," he said, "not just for people from Alabama but for people from all over the country, they come here and ask where to go."