First built in 1895 and reconstructed in 1968, the pier and park in Fairhope have long been a focal point for the community. Following damage from several major storms, including Hurricane Ivan, Katrina, Sally and Zeta, the pier and adjacent park have undergone extensive renovations, culminating in the latest upgrades completed in 2025. The enhancements to the Working Waterfront project include the municipal pier, South Beach, Rose Garden and fountain.
This project represents the completion of nearly $10 million in waterfront improvements, partially funded through the RESTORE Act – a federal initiative created in response to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill to support restoration efforts, economic growth and tourism along the Gulf Coast.
Utilizing this funding, the project prioritizes long-term resilience of the site through improvements to the bulkhead and seawall to harden the site to future storms, permeable paving to mitigate stormwater runoff and ADA-compliant pedestrian upgrades to improve public access to the site. The project was further enhanced by the renovations of Fairhope’s historic fountain and pier along with new furnishings and landscaping throughout.
The park also honors the legacy of Fairhope’s beautification efforts and the contributions of Timothy M. Kant, who was appointed as the city’s first horticulturist in 1983. Kant played a pivotal role in the pier’s iconic rose garden, which once featured more than 1,000 rose bushes across 41 varieties. In recognition of his lasting impact, the rose garden and fountain were formally dedicated in Kant’s honor, celebrating his decades of service to the city as both horticulturist and mayor.
GMC led the design and engineering efforts, providing architecture, civil engineering, electrical engineering, environmental, geotechnical engineering and landscape architecture services. Rolin Construction served as the general contractor on the project.
The project received a Bronze Award in the Paver Division of the Brick in Architecture Awards – an international competition organized by the Brick Industry Association honoring the best brick designs worldwide.
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