When Hurricane Irma brought about water to pour into the Pier Sixty-Six Resort’s tower, it was an enormous blow to what’s arguably probably the most iconic construction in Fort Lauderdale. Now, although, Tavistock Growth has practically accomplished a $1 billion redevelopment challenge that’s serving to the tower surpass its earlier glory with one other tower connected, marine-inspired apartment buildings, a 2 ½-acre pool space and 12 eating places. A marina promenade will characteristic 32,000 sq. toes of retail, restaurant and workplace area.
Who higher to speak in regards to 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 recollections 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 stepping 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 convey 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 actually 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 needs to know if it’s going to reopen. It can 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 life-style that Fort Lauderdale is thought for and the way we relaid out the property to deal with that. The outdated property was a sq.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 recognize that waterfront uniqueness that Pier brings to the desk.
We opened up the panorama in order that irrespective of the place you might be on the property, you possibly can recognize the maritime views and the waterway and the ocean breeze. I do suppose that’s an unbelievable wow, irrespective 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 characteristic for all of our friends. 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 are accessible ahead of 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 known as the Sails Resort Marina and Outlets. Collectively, that makes 32 waterfront acres. We began and centered our plans on the north facet on the unique property website, 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 provides us the power to construct one other resort throughout the road, however we simply rebuilt the one throughout from the Pier, so I don’t know that we’d like that. We have to spend a while on what we expect may match there.
May you present a short overview of Tavistock?
Tavistock Growth Co. is a diversified actual property agency that’s owned by Tavistock Group. We concentrate on planning, design, finance, building and growth of what we consider to be groundbreaking tasks. We’re well-known for our grasp plan neighborhood in Orlando known as Lake Nona. It’s among the many bestselling communities in America, but in addition probably the most revolutionary as properly. We’re beginning a brand new challenge simply down the street, Sunbridge, which celebrates dwelling in nature. The actual property portfolio additionally consists of quite a few gems from the St. Regis Resort in Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood to Albany, our resort property in The Bahamas. That is our first actual property challenge in South Florida, although we’ve had a presence by way of our eating places, Timpano on Las Olas, which was lately renovated as properly, 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 may host a signature restaurant and likewise is residence to the spa and the health heart. You’ve received 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, based mostly in Palm Seashore County, an exquisite native group. They took their design inspiration from the water. It was essential for us on condition that Fort Lauderdale is the Venice of Americas. We’ve got two 11-story condominium buildings known as Azul and Indigo. They took their inspiration from coral reefs. You possibly can sort 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 your entire constructing to have plunge swimming pools on the balconies. On the northernmost facet of the property that faces Harbor Seashore 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 consumers shall be shifting in with the opening of the property, however there are nonetheless models accessible.
Discuss a bit bit in regards to the renovation of the historic tower.
It’s a whole renovation. Within the fall of 2017, Hurricane Irma got here in and did vital injury to the property, which on the time was open and nonetheless operational. We did have to shut parts of the property and finally determined to close the property down given the extent of harm that was carried out.
One of the difficult components, was looking for someone to restore the rotating rooftop. There’s really not many individuals who can try this.
The balconies on that unique tower have been initially blocking the views. We labored along with the town and their historic preservation group to give you what we felt was an excellent resolution to maintain a few of that unique construction, however then add glass to a portion of it to be able to take pleasure in these views.
There’s a brand new 10-story constructing that attaches to the unique constructing. If you’re inside, you really don’t know which constructing you’re in except you might be on the seventeenth story and you may see that you simply’re increased than the opposite.

Discuss in regards to the 12 culinary venues.
It’s a vital improve. A number of of them shall 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 in regards to the cooks de delicacies and the menus. However we’re taking our inspiration from our marina and the thought of gathering the perfect from all of the totally different ports of calls. You will note these inspirations infused within the menus and the ambiance of every of the venues.
Discuss in regards to 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 couple of holistic well being and wellness expertise and a differentiated amenity set that speaks to totally different folks’s wants. You will have the standard components that one thinks of once they go to a spa, but in addition a few of these newer and once more, regional choices.
The ceremonial sauna that you simply talked about is kind of distinctive. It’s the first within the southeast. It’s one thing that’s fairly standard 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 loads 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 area going to be like?
Completely gorgeous. We’ve got 40,000 sq. toes of assembly and occasions area. The ballrooms are beautiful and likewise impressed by the marine setting. The main points from the lighting and the sunshine fixtures, the pliability that the rooms present are going to permit massive scale occasions. We’ve got some outside assembly areas as properly on an occasion garden. So, each indoor and outside area that we expect goes to be extremely distinctive.
Had been there many adjustments to the marina?
We additionally, in fact, rejuvenated the marina, which has been the highest yachting vacation spot on the jap 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 possibly can accommodate bigger vessels on the south facet of the bridge, which is critical. We appeal to many sailboats and huge vessels, and that could be a actually distinctive amenity to have the ability to supply. There have been quite a few upgrades that have been made to the docks and the design on the south facet to make it simpler for entry and navigation.
We’ve additionally included a number 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 know-how within the boating world. We are going to as soon as once more host the Fort Lauderdale Worldwide Boat Present in October. We’re one of many founding places.
The Pier plus the Higher Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Conference Middle enlargement and its new resort seem 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 vital funding being made throughout the town and a rising tide floats all boats. I feel after I look particularly on the seventeenth Road hall, we’re the gateway to the seashore. I feel it’s actually vital that the funding that’s being made to herald 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 essential to the vitality of the continued development of our metropolis. It’s an thrilling time and we’re excited.