In the 1960s, Pier Sixty-Six was built on the site of a former Phillips 66 petroleum fuel dock, quickly transforming into a world-renowned marina that established Fort Lauderdale as a hub for yachting in the Southeastern United States. By 2017, the property had evolved into a premier hotel and iconic landmark, changing the Fort Lauderdale skyline over nearly 60 years. Despite its faded amenities, the 17th-floor rotating lounge remained a symbol of the city’s unique charm and architectural heritage.

However, Hurricane Irma’s devastating impact in 2017 exposed the vulnerabilities of the building, as water poured into the iconic tower due to high winds and heavy rains. The destruction, though severe, presented a unique opportunity for redevelopment. This marked the beginning of a bold $1 billion revitalization project, led by Tavistock Development, aimed at restoring Pier Sixty-Six to its former glory while elevating it to new heights of luxury and modernity.

The project's timeline, however, faced significant delays, particularly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite these setbacks, Tavistock has remained committed to the restoration of this beloved landmark. The revitalized Pier Sixty-Six is poised to blend contemporary luxury with its storied past, attracting both locals and tourists with its upscale amenities and timeless appeal. The redevelopment effort preserves the unique features that made Pier Sixty-Six a South Florida icon, ensuring that it continues to shine as a focal point of the Fort Lauderdale skyline for years to come. The Miami Herald outlined the scope of the project, stating…

“The updated hotel, which will retain its rotating lounge, will have 325 rooms, 70 suites, and a multi-layer deck that will have both a family pool and an adult pool. There will be 12 food and beverage venues throughout. Two condominium towers, Azul and Indigo, are also being built at the site. Another pair of “resort residences” will have 31 rooms spread across two buildings. Phase one will also include upgrades to the marina, including a promenade with restaurants, shops and offices at the base of condo buildings. Phase two of the project could include more residences and mixed-use development while prioritizing concerns around traffic, preserving greenspace, and maintaining views of the city’s skyline and the beach…”

Historic preservation, unique design challenges and features, luxury custom finishes… the complexity and scale of this project falls directly in line with McKenzie Craft’s work, highlighting the capabilities of our estimating, engineering, carpentry, and finishing teams and the capacity of our Allappattah workshop. Our scope spans some of the most intricate and high-profile areas of the redevelopment, including the iconic 17th-floor bar and restaurant, the premier restaurant on level 4, and the luxurious Spa and Wellness Amenity Space on level 3.

During the early phases of the project, McKenzie Craft played a role in evaluating the constructibility of the project’s design intent. Our Estimating team provided valuable feedback on material selection and offered Value Engineering (VE) considerations to ensure the feasibility of the design while maintaining its visual appeal and high-quality standards. This collaboration in the early stages of the project proved valuable as we transitioned to production, providing our team with a deeper understanding of material choices, design constraints, and the overall limitations of the project.

Our ability to not only deliver premier millwork and metalwork fabrications but also to contribute valuable insights during the planning and design phases helps facilitate smoother coordination between the general contractor (GC) and subcontractors. This early-stage collaboration results in a more streamlined workflow and a smoother project schedule, ensuring that every aspect of the redevelopment is executed with precision and efficiency.

Fabrication Process for Custom Compound-Radius Trim

The scale and complexity of the Pier Sixty-Six redevelopment presented unique challenges, particularly due to the project’s location in Fort Lauderdale, and the extensive scope of work involved. With production starting over a year before the project’s completion, McKenzie Craft had to expertly coordinate fabrication space and holding areas to accommodate this $1 billion renovation. Amid a record-breaking year, we refined our fabrication workflow to manage large-scale projects like Pier Sixty-Six while seamlessly integrating them into our broader portfolio of commercial and residential work.

The challenge of creating large-scale moulding packages and fabrications that could be broken down for on-site installation pushed our team to enhance our technological capabilities and develop innovative solutions. Recreating historic trim and moulding, as well as crafting complex shapes, required us to reassess our existing carpentry technologies. Our engineering and fabrication teams leveraged advanced software such as Microvellum and ThinkSAI’s EnRoute program, combined with our CNC equipment, to create modular moulding pieces that could be easily transported and assembled on-site.

The custom compound-radius trim work, in particular, required us to explore multiple techniques and technology options before arriving at the optimal solution. By integrating these sophisticated software tools, we overcame the significant fabrication challenges posed by the project’s unique design requirements.

This process not only allowed us to meet the specific demands of Pier Sixty-Six’s 17th-floor lounge area but also opened up new possibilities for future projects. Our ability to address even the most intricate design needs from our central Allapattah workshop strengthens our capacity to handle diverse, complex projects, offering both precision and efficiency for future high-end renovations and builds.

Before and After - Pier Sixty-Six 17th Floor

From the initial stages of material selection to the development of three floors filled with innovative custom fabrications, millwork, and metalwork, the reopening of Pier Sixty-Six has been a significant undertaking that perfectly aligns with the high-quality products and services we provide to the South Florida area. Projects like this, no matter their scale, require a deep commitment to craftsmanship and a comprehensive understanding of materials and processes, which fosters creative solutions to unique design and construction challenges.

At McKenzie Craft, our work is defined by these principles, and the revitalization of Pier Sixty-Six is a testament to our dedication to quality. This iconic project now stands proudly in our portfolio of dynamic, high-caliber projects, showcasing our ability to deliver exceptional craftsmanship and solve complex design challenges. The Pier Sixty-Six renovation not only highlights our technical expertise but also reaffirms our position as leaders in delivering sophisticated, custom fabrication solutions for some of the most demanding projects in the region.

Habersham, R. (2023, December 24). The pandemic delayed Pier 66 construction in Fort Lauderdale. Here’s when it will reopen. Miami Herald. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/broward/article288353420.html

Case Study: Pier Sixty-Six

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