San Diegans got a final update on the design of the Ocean Beach Pier Renewal Project on Saturday at the Liberty Station Conference Center. That meeting was the fifth and final public meeting where city officials and project leaders shared information about the design and cost of the potential new pier.
During the meeting, officials were expected to offer a short presentation, interactive stations and a video display. Public comments on the design were also allowed.
San Diego resident Shane Finneran, who was at the meeting, shared great memories of the Ocean Beach Pier.
"Kind of an anchor point of San Diego. A long walk that made you feel like you’re enjoying the ocean," Finneran said.
Get top local stories in San Diego delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC San Diego's News Headlines newsletter.
"Our pier is featuring a lot more open space for people to be able to use," Senior civil engineer Elizabeth Schroth-Nichols said.
"The pier will be about as long as the existing pier. We are maintaining the same length and general shape. We are adding some iconic new features like an elevated walkway that people can utilize. We are including some retail experience and an island," Schroth-Nichols said.
Local leaders and project leaders have been adding up the costs and ways to finance the project.
"Our cost estimate right now is 170 to 190 million dollars. I want to be clear that that’s the total project cost and it includes everything we’ve done to date, including the 8.4 million state grant funding that we have," Schroth-Nichols said.
Why is the OB Pier being replaced?
The city confirmed in August that it was no longer working toward repairing the pier and instead was looking at replacement options.
Signs had pointed to the decision for months, although no final call had been made up until that point. In January, the city posted a notice on the pier hinting at the possibility of demolition. And design concepts were shown to community members in April showing the proposed replacement pier.
Related Stories
Even as far back as 2018, the outcome seemed inevitable. A study released that year determined the pier was beyond its useful life and recommended the city pursue a replacement.
In the report released in August, the city confirmed repairing the damaged Ocean Beach Pier was no longer feasible. The 58-year-old pier has been closed since it was damaged by high surf in October 2023. Further damage occurred last December when a pylon broke off and fell into the ocean.
"Engineering teams have determined that any work to rehabilitate the pier is not feasible, especially given the likelihood of additional damage occurring during future winter storms," officials said in a statement.
The safest and most cost-effective option for the Ocean Beach Pier is to keep the structure closed to public access while the city moves forward with a long-term solution to replace the pier, the city said.
"The Ocean Beach Pier is an iconic landmark of San Diego, but it was built nearly six decades ago and no longer can withstand the impacts of rising sea levels and storm surge along our coast," Assistant Director of the Engineering and Capital Projects Department Elif Cetin was quoted as saying in August.. "The decision on how to proceed factors in the likelihood that future storms will cause additional damage to the pier in coming years and whether it makes sense to pour resources into a structure that will continue to need extensive repairs or to instead invest in the long-term pier-replacement project."
At the time of the 2018 study, minimal repairs would have cost about $8 million, and rehabilitation would have cost about $30 million to $50 million. Since that 2018 study was conducted, the pier damage and construction repair costs have significantly increased, further bolstering the case for replacement, according to the city.
While the pier does not pose an immediate threat to public safety, additional signs have been posted reminding visitors to be cautious when visiting the area, the city report said.
The San Diego Municipal Code states it is against the law for anyone to swim, wade, surf or skin dive within 75 feet of any fishing pier owned or operated by the city.
