FOLLY BEACH, S.C. (WCBD) – Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission announced plans for the replacement of the Folly Beach Pier.
CCPRC said the Folly Beach Pier, also known as the Edwin S. Taylor Folly Beach Fishing Pier, will close to the public on October 19 as crews prepare to begin construction on the project.
While the current pier, which opened in 1995, has been maintained regularly, officials with CCPRC say it is deteriorating due to marine borer and wear from the ocean environment.
The existing structure will be replaced with one “reminiscent of the old pier” that will also provide unobstructed views of the ocean, modern improvements and a longer lifespan.
They say the pier will continue to offer all of the elements visitors love about the existing pier including public restrooms, retail facilities, benches and a shade structure over the pier head.
“This pier has been a Lowcountry landmark for 25 years – a place where thousands of locals and visitors have made their own special memories. But the time has come for it to be replaced,” said CCPRC Executive Director David Bennett. “For the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission and the entire Lowcountry, this is an exciting endeavor. We are very proud to be creating a new pier that will serve generations to come.”
Two locations along the pier’s walkway will be slightly widened to allow additional fishing opportunities and more efficient pedestrian access. It will be designed and constructed using a combination of concrete pilings, and wooden decking, benches and shade structures.
Permits were filed last May with SCDHEC’s Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management and the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
For people wishing to keep a souvenir of the former pier, the construction firm will be salvaging pilings from the current pier, and pieces of those will be made available for purchase from Charleston County Parks at a later date.
Proceeds from the sale of piling pieces will benefit the Charleston County Parks Foundation.
The last day for public access and fishing will be Sunday, October 18th. Construction is expected to take 28 months, with the new pier expecting to open in approximately Spring of 2023.
