The City of Naples completed the deployment of 59 concrete pilings at Wasmer Reef on April 24, 2026, as part of efforts to rebuild the landmark Naples Pier. Local broadcaster Gulf Coast News also reported on the reef deployment.
The project was carried out with construction contractor Shoreline Foundation, Inc., and marine and environmental engineers Turrell, Hall & Associates, according to the city’s announcement. Pieces of a historic Florida pier damaged by Hurricane Ian have found a second life beneath the Gulf of Mexico, where they are being repurposed to support marine life. The initiative not only gives the historic pier materials a new purpose but also helps create habitats for marine organisms and supports the Gulf of Mexico’s underwater ecosystem.
The newly placed concrete is therefore an addition to an established habitat, rather than an instant replacement for a mature natural reef. The old pier pilings will become part of this existing underwater environment, offering additional surfaces for marine organisms to colonise. Dive teams checked conditions at the site before and after the deployment to ensure that the work complied with permit requirements. their ecological benefits depend on factors such as water conditions, material suitability and the species able to establish themselves While artificial reef structures can create habitat.
The remaining concrete will also be recycled
This approach gives the removed material two potential uses: some of it will contribute to underwater habitat, while the rest will be converted into a construction resource. The rebuilding project is continuing at the original pier site. The city’s project information describes plans to replace the damaged structure with a stronger, more resilient pier designed to withstand future storms more effectively. The repurposing of the old pilings offers a separate environmental outcome from the reconstruction itself. Material that once supported a popular public landmark will now lie on the Gulf seabed, where it can become part of an evolving marine ecosystem.