The preferred design concept of the Ocean Beach Pier replacement was unveiled at the fourth community input meeting on Saturday.
“The proposed design of the pier will include an area we are calling the Surfer's Lounge, which overlooks the surfing area, an area we are calling The Island, which is a reinterpretation of the historic café that is both a dining and bake shop with indoor/outdoor spaces, as well as a rooftop space that’s connected to the Horizon Walk," Scott Jordan, principal at Civitas, said.
At the end of the pier, there's the Infinity Plaza that "gives you a vision of looking out beyond into the infinity of the ocean," according to Jordan.
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The current Ocean Beach Pier has been battered by high surf for decades. While no final decision has been made about demolishing the existing pier, a 2018 study found that replacing it would be the best option.
Community members that attended the workshop weighed in on the design concept.
“I think from all of the different options, they incorporated the best of what was presented,” resident Stephen De Simon said.
After rolling out the design concept, project leaders are focusing on the next steps of the project.
“The next step is obtaining the environmental permit. That will add some components to the project, and they may ask us to tweak a lot of things, but our goal is to stay true to the input we received from the community,” Elif Cetin, assistant director for strategic capital projects, said.
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Along with the design project, city and project leaders spoke about the project's funding.
“We estimate it to be between $170 million to $190 [million]. This is comparable to offshore complex structures up and down the coast of California," Cetin said, adding that $8.4 million of the total is already funded by a state grant.
An online survey is available on the project's website for gathering feedback on specific details revealed Saturday.
If all goes well, construction of the project could begin in 2026 or 2027, according to project leaders.
“Hopefully, we will build this structure that is going to last 75 to 100 years, and we are all proud of it,” Cetin said.
