Area builder awarded contract for St. Pete Pier attraction

ST. PETERSBURG — Gates Construction has been awarded the contract to build a Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille at the new St. Pete Pier, set to open in spring 2020.

Gates, headquartered in Bonita Springs with offices in Sarasota and Palm Beach Gardens, has been in business for more than 25 years, providing construction management, general contracting and design-build services throughout the Southeast United States and Latin America.

According to a press release, the 10,000-square-foot restaurant will provide seating for 450 diners. About 4,000 square feet will be air-conditioned, with the remaining space consisting of covered, outdoor seating that overlooks the St. Pete waterfront.

It will be the fourth Doc Ford’s restaurant in the region. The others are located on Sanibel Island, Captiva Island and Fort Myers Beach.

WJARC Architects will provide design services for the project, the release states.