Fort Lauderdale's Iconic Pier 66 Turns 54 Amid Redesign

Written By: William Flood

Seeing the space-age tower conjures images of the Jetsons. The spire-topped Pier 66, with its revolving rooftop restaurant, is a mid-century icon. Now it and the marina it calls home are under massive redevelopment.

Pier 66’s iconic styling is known as “Googie”, coined after the futuristic lines of Googie’s coffee shop in Los Angeles. The architecturally significant building and property where it sits have a history spanning back to 1957 when Phillips Petroleum first built a fuel dock and gas station on the parcel. By 1959, they’d added a 100-berth marina, restaurant, and a two-story motel.

Pier 66’s success eventually prompted plans for a high-rise hotel. In 1965, the 17-story, 250-room tower opened to the tune of $6 million (nearly $50 million in today’s dollars). One of the principal designers, Phillips Petroleum architect Richard F. Humble (1925-2011), paid homage to his employer with "66" themes woven into various design elements. There are 66 spires encircling the hotel’s crown; the glass elevator reputedly takes 66 seconds to climb to the top floor; the tower’s walls each have 66 windows; and, the restaurant makes one revolution every 66 minutes.

Throughout the 1960s, the distinct building dominated the local skyline. Era travel literature likened it to Seattle’s Space Needle and even the Eiffel Tower. Its crowning jewel, the top-floor cocktail lounge, offered diners a rotating view of the city. Priceless are guests’ tales of getting lost returning from the restroom when the room position had changed.

Read the full Broward Palm Beach New Times article HERE.