Fort Lauderdale's Iconic Pier 66 Turns 54 Amid Redesign, 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.br/br/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 quot;66quot; 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.br/br/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. 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.br/br/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 buildi