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Ocean Beach Pier could face full reconstruction in coming years

Ocean Beach Pier first opened in July 1966 and now, 56 years later, it may get a full makeover.

The initial steps to rebuild the pier started Wednesday with the city of San Diego exploring cost and reconstruction options.

“Over the past number of years, there have been some studies done that show that the pier is essentially at the end of its serviceable life,” Ocean Beach Town Council President Corey Bruins told KPBS.

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He said the pier recently reopened after repairs following storm damage, but that isn’t the first time it has had to close down.

“As the king tides come in seasonally, it's really battering away at the end of the pier," Bruins said. "So the city has been doing a lot of emergency repairs for a while."

People walk along Ocean Beach pier, July 11, 2022.
Jacob Aere
People walk along Ocean Beach pier, July 11, 2022.

Lindsay Pope comes to the pier with her family almost every day. She told KPBS she wouldn't mind a full rebuild if it's safer than repairs.

“It would just change our walk a bit every morning,” the mother of two said. “We’d be sad to see it go for a little bit but we’d look forward to it being back.”

The original pier was built for fishing, but the new design would include multiple uses.
Over eight million dollars in state grants have already been set aside for the rebuild. Bruins said the total cost will be much higher.

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“On the very low end, 60 to 80 million, it could be upwards of 100 million," he said. "Also construction costs are in flux and rising all the time. I imagine by the time that we break ground on a new pier it will be a couple of years at least."

Bruins said the city is looking for the community’s input on the project through an Ocean Beach task force.

The Active Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved the agenda item Wednesday, and it’ll move forward to the San Diego City Council to be heard sometime in the coming months.

KPBS has created a public safety coverage policy to guide decisions on what stories we prioritize, as well as whose narratives we need to include to tell complete stories that best serve our audiences. This policy was shaped through months of training with the Poynter Institute and feedback from the community. You can read the full policy here.