Elser Pier was a historic pier located in downtown Miami, Florida, named after its founder, Matthew Elser, who was born July 2, 1866, in Buffalo, New York. Elser was an entrepreneur who built his wealth in the north before relocating to Miami in 1914. In 1916, Elser petitioned the Miami city council to construct a recreation pier at the intersection of Flagler (then known as Twelfth Street) and Biscayne Bay in downtown Miami. Elser hired the noted architect August Geiger to design the buildings that comprise the pier, and construction began in mid-1916. References Piers in Florida Transportation buildings and structures in Miami History of Miami